"no Dogs Allowed"

[Odin-Genie]

I live behind my local primary school and for years I trained my dogs on the oval after school. I know dogs are not allowed on school grounds but it was never a problem and often the kids and carers from the after school care classes would come and watch and talk to me about the my dogs.

Then the school hired a new cleaner, he came down while I was training one day yelling and screaming, "no dogs allowed" I said I had trained their for years without any problems but he wouldn't have a bar of it, so I left but not until I had finished my daily training.

I wouldn't let a mere cleaner boss you around. He's most likely the type that has a dog in his back yard who he hardly ever sees and never walks

So even though dogs are not allowed on school grounds due to safety reasons, you would break the rule because you feel that the rule shouldn't apply to your dogs? Doesn't matter if the person flagging this was a cleaner. Any one can walk up to you and tell you that you are breaking the law.

How is this different from those who walk their dog off leash because they feel the law should not apply to them?

[Whippetsmum]

I don't take my dogs where they are not allowed, but I've never understand the "no dogs on beaches rule" at all, if we have to pick up what our dogs might leave behind, and they are on leash, what would the issue be?

The allergy argument doesn't explain it, I've never seen a "No Peanut sign" at a beach. The "People are afraid of dogs" argument doesn't explain it either, people are scared of sharks, but go to a beach. Kids might get excited when they see dogs, but that happens everywhere, not just beaches.

Often there are nesting shore birds on beaches such as sand plovers, who nest in the dunes or other parts of the beach, camoflaged from people but easily sniffed out by dogs. Many times people let their dogs off leash on beaches to run around when they feel they aren't being watched or nobody else is there. Dogs kill nesting shorebird chicks, destroy eggs and nests and frighten the parents away from their nests for good. In NZ last week roaming dogs wiped out an entire colony of endangered fairy penguins. Dogs are not allowed on some beaches to protect wildlife or for other very good reasons.

I'm all for excluding dogs from bird and other animal nesting site beaches. But what about man made beaches that wild animals are never going to use due to heavy foot traffic? I see no point in making these beaches no dogs allowed.

I agree and people leave way more mess lying around than dogs do there are always plastic bags glass bottles and other nasty things that won't break down, I'm not for people leaving dog doo but hey it will break down and I have seen kids take dump on the beach and the parents haven't removed it. But they don't then ban kids.

My original point was On Leash dogs, not off leash or marauding dogs. The penguin incident quoted was not apparantly not related to dogs being walked on a leash. If it were pathogens that dogs were exposing wildlfe to, that would make more sense. Dogs should be be allowed to attack wildlife, no disgreement there. An on leash dog is no more than 1.5 meters from it's handler (I don't count those long lines as on leash), so there is a huge difference between a pack of roaming dogs sniffing out wildlife, and a dog walking or resting beside it's owner on a beach. If beach authorities gave some more access (on leash) to appropriate beaches, i.e. not nesting sites, or specific parts of the beach, then maybe less people would break the rules? Just a thought, but we are expected to apply quite graded behaviours in other situations, e.g. we can travel to a max of 40km/hr in school zones when active, 60kms in other areas, obey variable speed signs on motorways etc, different rules for different locations. Couldn't there ne a more flexible/graded approach to beaches that still protects wildlife, taking into account different zones?

[donski]

One of the things I love about Europe is their free and easy attitude to dogs. Dogs everywhere, in pubs, restaurants, shops, hotels. And they aren't just little, fluffy things that fit in handbags either. Oh if only we could be the same.

I am a definite rule bender if not breaker. I must admit I take my dogs as many places as I can and probably some I can't. I do push the boundaries, but do all the right things otherwise eg. training, on-lead, poo picking up etc. If I can't see it hurting me, my dog or anyone (or anything) else then I'll give it a go.

[Noire]

I'm with you Donski. A lot of laws are put in place just because they can be, sometimes not for any good reason other than some little despot, especially on a local council, expanding his or her power base. Dogs and dog owners are easy targets. We are far too over governed and need to make a stand sometimes. Viva la revolution! :laugh:

[Guest lavendergirl]

I'm with you Donski. A lot of laws are put in place just because they can be, sometimes not for any good reason other than some little despot, especially on a local council, expanding his or her power base. Dogs and dog owners are easy targets. We are far too over governed and need to make a stand sometimes. Viva la revolution! :laugh:

No, its because many dog owners are dickheads who let their dogs run amok, fouling common areas and bothering people. Ruins it for the majority.

[flame ryder]

Yep I'm a law breaker...jail me.

Once we were at a rural beach in Vic, no-one else around but us (weekday). Everyone else went down to the beach to look at some cave. There were no dogs allowed on the beach or the grassed area near the car park. It was a 38 deg day and there was no way I was leaving my dog in a hot car....so I took him down to the beach with the rest of the family (on his lead). And yep humans do more damage...many times have I removed broken glass bottles off the beach, I'd rather step in dog poo than sharp glass. (although I pick up dog poo, always have one of those plastic bags in my back pocket)

Edited July 2, 2012 by teela

[BC4ME]

I live behind my local primary school and for years I trained my dogs on the oval after school. I know dogs are not allowed on school grounds but it was never a problem and often the kids and carers from the after school care classes would come and watch and talk to me about the my dogs.

Then the school hired a new cleaner, he came down while I was training one day yelling and screaming, "no dogs allowed" I said I had trained their for years without any problems but he wouldn't have a bar of it, so I left but not until I had finished my daily training.

I wouldn't let a mere cleaner boss you around. He's most likely the type that has a dog in his back yard who he hardly ever sees and never walks

So even though dogs are not allowed on school grounds due to safety reasons, you would break the rule because you feel that the rule shouldn't apply to your dogs? Doesn't matter if the person flagging this was a cleaner. Any one can walk up to you and tell you that you are breaking the law.

How is this different from those who walk their dog off leash because they feel the law should not apply to them?

I agree I was breaking a rule but I was more astonished by the way in which the cleaner came running yelling and screaming waving his arms around in the air, he was quite frightening actually. If he had come up to me calmly and said, "hey I'm sorry but you are breaking a rules by having your dogs on school grounds you will have to leave." I would not have had a problem but his attitude was uncalled for.

I believe alot in the saying..."It's not what you say, but how you say it," this simple saying could save a lot of conflict if more people took notice of it.

Like I also said I have found another place to train so problem solved.