What Would You Have Done?

[VizslaMomma]

Thanks folks. I was pretty upset,

I'm thinking that the suggestion to stop him approaching everyone is a good one. Obviously on lead - that's an easy task. Offers? Not sure how to even begin! JulesP - any tips?

soon as you perceive foes, call ernie back and put the lead on him.

Or, if you are not happy about his total recall, could a long lead work?

He could still be away but on lead.

[RiverStar-Aura]

The Illawarra Northern Suburbs recently had an attempt to change the current three off-leash beaches to timed restrictions and there was a HUGE uproar that became a dog owner vs non-dog owner battle. The council elected to keep the off-leash beaches unchanged but not before there was a lot of name calling from both sides.

Although I am a dog owner, I completely understand where the "other side" is coming from. The Illawarra (particularly the elitist northern suburbs) seems to have this mentality that a dog beach is just that; for dogs to run off leash. There is little comprehension on their part that whilst yes, it is an off-lead beach, it is still a shared zone so people without dogs still have a right to use them. The dog owners retaliated by saying that of the 10 beaches in the northern suburbs, only 3 are off-leash so kindly go elsewhere if you don't want a dog up in your face.

Sure, I do see their point (even more so that the off-leash beaches are un-patrolled and generally not safe swimming beaches) but even still. It's a little selfish nonetheless.

I share the same views of off-leash non-fenced parks too. Whilst I think it stupid and annoying for someone to set up a BBQ or picnic in the middle of dogs running around, the public have every right to do so without being bombarded by dogs interfering. It's a bit of give and take, cooperation and common sense on both sides.

It's a bit like smokers vs non-smokers: they have a right to smoke fine, but a lot seem to forget my right to breathe fresh air. Off-leash parks aren't an entitlement.

[Stressmagnet]

I guess it's the perception that off leash = dogs only. As a dog owner, I do get cranky when someone who's afraid of dogs is in an off leash area since there ARE so many other places for them to go - while for me, there aren't.

The off leash areas in the coast, while appearing plentiful are usually a small section of beach or in an area that is pretty unappealing unless you are desperate (or a dog owner).

The beach I was on is a long long stretch - and about 90% is NOT off leash. So I guess I would assume that rather than spoil the off leash beach for dog owners, you'd just move the party up the beach a bit.

I dunno. I can see both sides but I think I'm still cranky about what happened.

[OSoSwift]

I guess it's the perception that off leash = dogs only. As a dog owner, I do get cranky when someone who's afraid of dogs is in an off leash area since there ARE so many other places for them to go - while for me, there aren't.

The off leash areas in the coast, while appearing plentiful are usually a small section of beach or in an area that is pretty unappealing unless you are desperate (or a dog owner).

The beach I was on is a long long stretch - and about 90% is NOT off leash. So I guess I would assume that rather than spoil the off leash beach for dog owners, you'd just move the party up the beach a bit.

I dunno. I can see both sides but I think I'm still cranky about what happened.

I agree iwth this.

Yes I don't want my dog to run up to people and I do want them to be under control and have manners etc. I don't want them to run up to dogs or visaversa. However I do wonder why they hell people who are terrified of or hate dogs, go to the very small areas dogs are allowed - especially off leash - and then bitch, moan and cause a comotion. It makes no sense to me.

[Little Gifts]

Even acknowledging both sides of things, the threats of violence and name calling were unwarranted AND they were the ones doing something wrong on that section of beach - drinking alcohol from glass bottles. Ernie was being a dog and they were being thugs. I know which behaviour I think less desirable in public.

[OSoSwift]

Yep

[HazyWal]

Wow Hazywal, Terrigal may be feral but your council has SO MANY off leash dog areas!

"Council has designated 40 off-leash exercise areas in parks, and nine off-leash exercise areas on our beaches. "

Our council has 6 and they are all but one crap. The biggest one is unusable during warmer months as it's in a bush area and is snakes galore.

Even if you tripled our population and parks to meet Gosford councils area population, we still have dramatically less.

Yes it does but do you think people can stick to those areas? NOPE. That's why so many dogs on the Central Coast are attacked and killed

ETA those 40 are only in Gosford Shire, the southern end of the Coast. The Wyong Shire, northern end of the Coast also has many areas.

http://www.wyong.nsw.gov.au/my-property/animals-pet-ownership/dogs-%281%29/off-the-leash-areas-%281%29

Edited December 22, 2014 by HazyWal

[Stressmagnet]

Yes it does but do you think people can stick to those areas? NOPE. That's why so many dogs on the Central Coast are attacked and killed

ETA those 40 are only in Gosford Shire, the southern end of the Coast. The Wyong Shire, northern end of the Coast also has many areas.

http://www.wyong.nsw.gov.au/my-property/animals-pet-ownership/dogs-%281%29/off-the-leash-areas-%281%29

Which is why people without dogs get upset - and justifiably so. I can see both sides. If we as dog owners want off leash areas, then we need to play by the rules. Unfortunately, there is a multitude of d@$kheads who reckon it's ok to exercise their dogs anywhere they please. They also tend to be the ones without poo bags.

I think I don't like people very much.

[labadore]

The Illawarra Northern Suburbs recently had an attempt to change the current three off-leash beaches to timed restrictions and there was a HUGE uproar that became a dog owner vs non-dog owner battle. The council elected to keep the off-leash beaches unchanged but not before there was a lot of name calling from both sides.

Although I am a dog owner, I completely understand where the "other side" is coming from. The Illawarra (particularly the elitist northern suburbs) seems to have this mentality that a dog beach is just that; for dogs to run off leash. There is little comprehension on their part that whilst yes, it is an off-lead beach, it is still a shared zone so people without dogs still have a right to use them. The dog owners retaliated by saying that of the 10 beaches in the northern suburbs, only 3 are off-leash so kindly go elsewhere if you don't want a dog up in your face.

Sure, I do see their point (even more so that the off-leash beaches are un-patrolled and generally not safe swimming beaches) but even still. It's a little selfish nonetheless.

I share the same views of off-leash non-fenced parks too. Whilst I think it stupid and annoying for someone to set up a BBQ or picnic in the middle of dogs running around, the public have every right to do so without being bombarded by dogs interfering. It's a bit of give and take, cooperation and common sense on both sides.

It's a bit like smokers vs non-smokers: they have a right to smoke fine, but a lot seem to forget my right to breathe fresh air. Off-leash parks aren't an entitlement.

The offleash dog parks I frequent in Sydney are all fenced and are well signposted as Dog Parks, so majority, if not all the other dog owners frequenting these Dog Parks with their dogs, take exception to non dog owners coming into the Dog Park to have their breakfast/lunch/dinner/snacks/drink alcohol and then berating/abusing the owners and their dogs when their dogs happen to go up to the non dog owner eating their food/drinking in a Dog Park full of dogs. Also, in my earlier post where I mentioned the family, who did have a dog with them having a picnic in the dog park was in one of these fenced in Dog Parks and surely commonsense should apply that you don't lay down a blanket and picnic basket in a fenced in Dog Park full of dogs

I don't think it is selfish at all that dog owners get peeved at non dog owners frequenting the small amount of offlead beaches and parks that dog owners can take their dogs to when there are so many beaches and parks they can choose from to frequent that don't allow dogs or restrict dogs either to onlead or certain hours. I don't understand why non dog owners want to frequent areas specifically designated for dogs, seems to me they are just looking to cause trouble. Dog owners are entitled to take their dogs to specifically designated offlead beaches and dog parks without been hassled by non dog owners looking to cause trouble.

[hankdog]

I definitely think that dog parks are now viewed as an entitlement rather than a privilege and I do think that the more parks there are the more people think its ok to have their dogs off leash everywhere. Most of these people can't walk their dogs on leash because the dogs are untrained steam trains that would pull like crazy.

The dog park at the end of my street is unfenced and surrounded by bush through which there are many pleasant walking tracks. Many owners use those tracks with their unleashed dogs and some actually think its good excercise to encourage their dogs to chase the wildlife. Of course since it's the bush they don't have to pickup any poop.

I really think its too easy to get and own a dog. I believe this is part of the impulse pet shop puppy purchase problem ( alliteration not intended). Too easy to get a dog then too easy to drive to the park and let it run around because you can be bothered to train it to walk properly.

[Little Gifts]

It just dawned on me that within a fenced dog park pretty much every centimetre of the ground has been peed and pooed on at some point so you have to feel a bit sorry for those idiots wanting to eat food on that ground!

And I can appreciate that if a resident or visitors closest bit of beach was an off leash dog section then it may be a tad irritating but what if that bit of beach was closest to a nippers surf club and every weekend there was an event or training? You wouldn't be screaming at the parents and trying to kick the kids. Nope you'd mutter under your breath about needing some peace and quiet and simply go to another section of the beach. Same if you went to a park popular with cyclists or skateboarders. If the bulk of the activities taking place at that location did not suit you you would go elsewhere. My closest section of park is a bmx track so why would I try and walk my dogs there even on leash (or have a picnic)? That's just stupid.

Given we have such a high rate of dog ownership in this country, lots of good weather, so many parks in every town and beaches along most of our coastline then I don't think an expectation of some of them being for dogs is unusual.

[JulesP]

but what if that bit of beach was closest to a nippers surf club and every weekend there was an event or training? You wouldn't be screaming at the parents and trying to kick the kids.

I might :laugh:

[Dame Aussie]

but what if that bit of beach was closest to a nippers surf club and every weekend there was an event or training? You wouldn't be screaming at the parents and trying to kick the kids.

I might :laugh:

Aaaahahaha!

[HazyWal]

Yes it does but do you think people can stick to those areas? NOPE. That's why so many dogs on the Central Coast are attacked and killed

ETA those 40 are only in Gosford Shire, the southern end of the Coast. The Wyong Shire, northern end of the Coast also has many areas.

http://www.wyong.nsw.gov.au/my-property/animals-pet-ownership/dogs-%281%29/off-the-leash-areas-%281%29

Which is why people without dogs get upset - and justifiably so. I can see both sides. If we as dog owners want off leash areas, then we need to play by the rules. Unfortunately, there is a multitude of d@$kheads who reckon it's ok to exercise their dogs anywhere they please. They also tend to be the ones without poo bags.

I think I don't like people very much.

I'm hearin' ya sista

[Stressmagnet]

The Illawarra Northern Suburbs recently had an attempt to change the current three off-leash beaches to timed restrictions and there was a HUGE uproar that became a dog owner vs non-dog owner battle. The council elected to keep the off-leash beaches unchanged but not before there was a lot of name calling from both sides.

Although I am a dog owner, I completely understand where the "other side" is coming from. The Illawarra (particularly the elitist northern suburbs) seems to have this mentality that a dog beach is just that; for dogs to run off leash. There is little comprehension on their part that whilst yes, it is an off-lead beach, it is still a shared zone so people without dogs still have a right to use them. The dog owners retaliated by saying that of the 10 beaches in the northern suburbs, only 3 are off-leash so kindly go elsewhere if you don't want a dog up in your face.

Sure, I do see their point (even more so that the off-leash beaches are un-patrolled and generally not safe swimming beaches) but even still. It's a little selfish nonetheless.

I share the same views of off-leash non-fenced parks too. Whilst I think it stupid and annoying for someone to set up a BBQ or picnic in the middle of dogs running around, the public have every right to do so without being bombarded by dogs interfering. It's a bit of give and take, cooperation and common sense on both sides.

It's a bit like smokers vs non-smokers: they have a right to smoke fine, but a lot seem to forget my right to breathe fresh air. Off-leash parks aren't an entitlement.

The offleash dog parks I frequent in Sydney are all fenced and are well signposted as Dog Parks, so majority, if not all the other dog owners frequenting these Dog Parks with their dogs, take exception to non dog owners coming into the Dog Park to have their breakfast/lunch/dinner/snacks/drink alcohol and then berating/abusing the owners and their dogs when their dogs happen to go up to the non dog owner eating their food/drinking in a Dog Park full of dogs. Also, in my earlier post where I mentioned the family, who did have a dog with them having a picnic in the dog park was in one of these fenced in Dog Parks and surely commonsense should apply that you don't lay down a blanket and picnic basket in a fenced in Dog Park full of dogs

I don't think it is selfish at all that dog owners get peeved at non dog owners frequenting the small amount of offlead beaches and parks that dog owners can take their dogs to when there are so many beaches and parks they can choose from to frequent that don't allow dogs or restrict dogs either to onlead or certain hours. I don't understand why non dog owners want to frequent areas specifically designated for dogs, seems to me they are just looking to cause trouble. Dog owners are entitled to take their dogs to specifically designated offlead beaches and dog parks without been hassled by non dog owners looking to cause trouble.

You make some excellent points.

[02Dogs]

It's so hard to be level headed when you get an unexpected surprise/confrontation, and it is impossible to have a civil debate with idiots, so I have no doubt I would reacted in a similar way!

[YOLO]

Smoking is a disgusting and filthy habit, and in the days it was less controlled I hated when inconsiderate people would smoke near me. I still dislike it when smokers congregate around the only entrance to a building. In many airports there are designated smokers lounges behind sealed doors. Smoking is not mandatory, and anybody can go in there. But I'd have to be some sort of lunatic to enter a designated Smoking lounge and then complain about the smoke.

On the Swan river, there are designated areas for water skiing, and others for PWCs/Jet Skis. Again, anybody can sail, paddle, or swim through those areas, but if they do they shouldn't complain about skiers using the areas correctly.

Royal Perth Golf Club was (and maybe still is) a public park. Members of the public were allowed to walk and use the park. However spreading your rug on the 9th green and having a picnic is not advisable.

I certainly don't see Dog Beaches as being exclusive, I could care less if others use the beach. (Frankly I am MORE worried about a minority of idiot dog-owners.) But again, if people object to dogs using the beach for its designated purpose, they should go elsewhere.

[Stressmagnet]

Yup.

I could care not a fig if you want to have a beach party wedding in an off leash area. If your idea of fun is fending off wet noses and sloppy fur - then you go for it.

But if you kvetch about it, then you are a complete ninny and I secretly wish my dog would poop in all your wedding photos.

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

In Adelaide - most of the beaches are off lead between 8pm and 10am all year round... which encourages good people to walk their dogs in the mornings - but there are still lots of dog owners who bring their dogs and don't pick up.

On Sunday I met an owner of two sharpei - one of which had come down and promptly crapped well above the high tide line but where the owner didn't see it. I don't let my dog off lead before I'm ready to follow and keep her in sight because she likes to crap on arrival too.

So she's bitching to someone else about having to put her dogs on lead at 10am... and she picks up after one dog but won't pick up after the other dog "I'll pick it up on the way back" - yup nobody who says that ever keeps that promise. At Sellicks - which is dogs off lead all the time - just south of the boat ramp, people put their dog craps into plastic bags and then leave it "to pick up on the way back" but they don't so I can arrive to an empty beach and a row of full dog bags. They all got fined this year and good on the council - but the rangers aren't there often enough to stop it.

And at Tennyson - they've been down once this year and told people to put their dogs on lead in the car park and on the beach after 10... but again - last weekend - 10am happened and all the dogs were still off lead. People were still showing up at lunch time and letting their dogs off lead. Grr.

We're pretty lucky - there are whole slabs of Sydney beaches - where you not only pay $10 or more to park, but the beaches are no dogs allowed at all.

I will yell at people who don't pick up. The first thing I do - is offer them a bag but if they refuse - I yell at them - with the idea of encouraging them not to come back ever.

Edited December 23, 2014 by Mrs Rusty Bucket

[Steph M]

I come back! Sometimes we get caught without a bag and have to run for the dispenser!

Once I had one bag left and I went to pick up and realised the bottom of the bag was missing and I could see through it. ARGH!