Campaign To Allow Dogs In More Public Places

[MonElite]

Hi

I have started a campaign on Facebook to allow dogs in more public places

link - https://www.facebook...560967940729092

In case link doesnt work - Page name is Campaign to allow dogs in more public places

please like the page and invite your friends and see what we can do.

It's a start....

Edited April 15, 2016 by MonElite

[Dogsfevr]

Until the general public start taking responsibility for there dog behaviors,toilet habits it will be a big ask.

I often think obedience clubs should start catering more for classes which is more about going out & about in public & what is right & wrong instead telling people to leave if the collar or method they use isn't there ideal .

I think clubs need to be more open minded & engaging to the benefits of a well trained dog if you want to go to pet friendly cafes,take the dog to watch there kids play sports etc etc .

I now from our business point of view a boarding kennel people allow there dogs to poo & not pick it up or even tell us ,people walk there dog over to our BBQ to piss up it & the outdoor setting etc etc .

We need to work at the bottom about why training classes & well behaved dog can be a joy in public not a right & then hopefully dog friendly cafes have the balls to turn people away with feral dogs or the im entitled attitude.

I have been to some pet friendly cafes & truly enjoyed it & others a nightmare & made me be embarrassed to be a dog lover

[Lhok]

Yeah I agree Showdog,

Until Aussies have the same mindset as most europeans do when it comes to personal responsibility then all I can see is this really not working out or someone with an assistance dog getting hurt.

--Lhok

[dragonwoman]

Yeah I agree Showdog,

Until Aussies have the same mindset as most europeans do when it comes to personal responsibility then all I can see is this really not working out or someone with an assistance dog getting hurt.

--Lhok

Donning my flame suit but I can't understand why some people feel their dogs have to go everywhere, sorry, love my dogs but I don't inflict them on others in public places and I don't patronise places full of dogs

ETA I have seen too many dogs exposed to situations they were not happy in by an owner indulging themselves........some dogs, like some humans, don't do public places well, why should all dogs be "socialised" to a situation they will never enjoy?

Edited April 16, 2016 by dragonwoman

[MonElite]

In my opinion most Aussie dogs are ferral because they are NOT taken anywhere, not socialised enough, and that is because they arent allowed in many places.

Walking on the streets is pretty boring for a person and a dog and doesn't teach them much.

Being in a variety of situation makes them more resilient and more ignoring of the surroundings.

An average dog hardly ever leaves the yard, no wonder it pulls on lead, jumps on people and barks at everything it sees.

[Willem]

In my opinion most Aussie dogs are ferral because they are NOT taken anywhere, not socialised enough, and that is because they arent allowed in many places.

Walking on the streets is pretty boring for a person and a dog and doesn't teach them much.

Being in a variety of situation makes them more resilient and more ignoring of the surroundings.

An average dog hardly ever leaves the yard, no wonder it pulls on lead, jumps on people and barks at everything it sees.

he???....I'm pretty happy that a lot of responsible dog owners start training their dogs in the controlled environment of an obedience class instead of using 'unprepared decoys' in inappropriate locations for this purpose. And every walk can be used for training the dog...

Modern cities are not built for dogs anymore, so IMO it is really sometimes better to leave the dog at home. Regards Europe, e.g. Germany: ...the only big difference - compare to Australia - is that dogs are allowed in most national parks (on leash), however access is restricted for many shops, public buildings and sometimes also for restaurants.

Eta: http://www.hundeerlaubt.de/hunde-verboten

Edited April 15, 2016 by Willem

[Loving my Oldies]

Yeah I agree Showdog,

Until Aussies have the same mindset as most europeans do when it comes to personal responsibility then all I can see is this really not working out or someone with an assistance dog getting hurt.

I don’t know first hand, but what I have read about Paris in particular, the mess on the streets is horrendous.

That said, personal responsibility seems to go out that window where dogs are concerned. Most people wouldn’t even understand the term, let alone know how to employ.

In my opinion most Aussie dogs are ferral because they are NOT taken anywhere, not socialised enough, and that is because they arent allowed in many places.

Walking on the streets is pretty boring for a person and a dog and doesn't teach them much.

Being in a variety of situation makes them more resilient and more ignoring of the surroundings.

An average dog hardly ever leaves the yard, no wonder it pulls on lead, jumps on people and barks at everything it sees.

Agree that these are real problems for most dogs. Couple of houses around me have dogs who bark and bark and bark. One is taken walking everyday. BUT - that it is. The dog is walked while the person walks steadfastly looking ahead, earphones in and has absolutely no interaction with the dog at all. The breed? Kelpie. Poor little dog - I feel so sorry for her. I imagine that dog would be a nightmare if taken into a populated area through absolutely no fault of her own.

[MonElite]

Did you go to my page on Facebook Willem?

if not then please have a look, I have included photos taken in the last 5 weeks in Italy, Germany, Poland and Austria.

Dogs everywhere - parks, shops, restaurants, tourist attractions.

There were dogs even on ski lifts!

I have seen a woman with a great dane in Galerie La Fayette (!!!) in Paris. She was with a friend that had a toy poodle.

Not one dog was misbehaving, not one dog was pulling on lead and not one dog paid any attention to me or anyone else.

Edited April 15, 2016 by MonElite

[The Spotted Devil]

Probably also worth noting that Australia has the 2nd highest number of dogs per capita in the world. When dog ownership is so common (and seen as a right rather than a privilege in some cases) there are bound to be more issues. That and the idea that a dog plus backyard negates the requirement to exercise and socialise.

[Lhok]

I'm also not sure why they should be allowed in shops to be honest most shops are cramped and hard to move around with other people without the need to be care of dogs and leads.

I do agree dogs need to be allowed more places just not free for all.

--Lhok

[Rascalmyshadow]

In my opinion most Aussie dogs are ferral because they are NOT taken anywhere, not socialised enough, and that is because they arent allowed in many places.

Walking on the streets is pretty boring for a person and a dog and doesn't teach them much.

Being in a variety of situation makes them more resilient and more ignoring of the surroundings.

An average dog hardly ever leaves the yard, no wonder it pulls on lead, jumps on people and barks at everything it sees.

Yep agree 100%, 20 years ago when we didn't have the leash laws, dogs were allowed on the beaches, they could travel on the trains and most shops without food would let them come in, there wasn't nearly as many problems.

I have experienced it with my own dogs, back then all our dogs were pretty much bombproof now this generation are completely different mostly from lack of exposure.

My husbands family are Austrian and over there dogs are allowed everywhere including many restaurants there's rarely problems.

Edited April 15, 2016 by Rascalmyshadow

[Salukifan]

One word explains why this won't get off the ground.

Bunnings

Any council or business will be litigation averse sadly.

[Willem]

Did you go to my page on Facebook Willem?

if not then please have a look, I have included photos taken in the last 5 weeks in Italy, Germany, Poland and Austria.

Dogs everywhere - parks, shops, restaurants, tourist attractions.

There were dogs even on ski lifts!

I have seen a woman with a great dane in Galerie La Fayette (!!!) in Paris. She was with a friend that had a toy poodle.

Not one dog was misbehaving, not one dog was pulling on lead and not one dog paid any attention to me or anyone else.

I lived most of my life in Germany, we had dogs, my brothers and sisters in Germany still have dogs, so I know what I'm talking about...

Eta: this My link is a German Forum...the same topics, the same issues, the same problems we have here....when visiting a country as a tourist on holidays it is more likely to see all the good things as the grass on the other side is always greener...

Eta: wrt NPs in Germany: every park ranger (Jaeger) has the right to shoot a dog if it not leashed and strays...and they shoot!

...finding campsites in Italy, France and Germany that are pet friendly becomes more and more difficult...on most beaches in France dogs are not permitted...

Furthermore you have to pay a tax for every dog in Germany (similar to other European countries)...for some breeds it's EU 1,000 p.a.!!!!

Edited April 15, 2016 by Willem

[flame ryder]

Good on ya MonElite. I liked your page. I'm really not bothered about taking my dogs in shops or restaurants but I'd sure like to be able to take them to more beaches, or National Parks, recreational areas ect all on lead of course. There's always those who complain when people leave their dogs alone in the yard all day or in cars...well duh maybe that's cause they are not allowed in so may places.

They are after all part of the family and should be treated as such.

[denali]

Yeah I agree Showdog,

Until Aussies have the same mindset as most europeans do when it comes to personal responsibility then all I can see is this really not working out or someone with an assistance dog getting hurt.

--Lhok

I do agree with this. I think we should have some form of canine good citizen test, that includes both canine and owner education. Though that then is expensive to roll out country wide.

Even if they limited the dogs allowed in more places to these dogs, and have them wear a blue collar or something like the GAP greyhounds do here in QLD (though theres is green:D )

In my opinion most Aussie dogs are ferral because they are NOT taken anywhere, not socialised enough, and that is because they arent allowed in many places.

Walking on the streets is pretty boring for a person and a dog and doesn't teach them much.

Being in a variety of situation makes them more resilient and more ignoring of the surroundings.

An average dog hardly ever leaves the yard, no wonder it pulls on lead, jumps on people and barks at everything it sees.

And i also agree with this. Its hard to socialise a dog to situations when they aren't ever allowed into the situations to become accustomed to them.

I don't feel the need to go shopping with my dog, but more dog friendly cafes would be lovely, extra beaches, parks etc. would be very much appreciated. I'd also love the option of being able to take them on the train.

I used to take my dogs to watch my sisters Saturday sport until the grounds banned dogs. He used to get so excited going there and loved his morning out.

ETA: i will share this in my relevant dog groups for you :)

Edited April 15, 2016 by denali

[corvus]

It might be worth making yourself known to the dog and human health node through the Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney. http://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2015/08/31/health-benefits-of-dog-ownership-explored-in-new-research-node.html Most of the researchers are in human health, but they share a common belief that dogs could be viewed as preventative medicine in some ways, and they are all interested in providing evidence that may help drive positive policy changes for dogs and their people. Some of the researchers involved in the node would like to see dogs allowed on public transport at least. There is a precedent. They are allowed on Sydney ferries, for example.

[BDJ]

I am comfortable with having enough places to take my dog - but also live in Adelaide and we have amazing access to dog friendly beaches - miles of suburban beaches are off leash till 10am and on leash friendly all day.

But (flame suit firmly on), it seems to me that Australians (and our dogs) are not ready to allow dogs in more places.

I was in California last year, and spend many hours down by the beach - where there was a path that went for miles along the foreshore - about 5 metres wide, two way, shared by walkers, skateboarders and cyclists - and around half the people (all modes of transport) with dogs - and it was a busy, busy path

What I noticed was - dogs were non reactive, several had pinch collars on, owners were very aware of what their dogs were doing, and the dogs around them. I didn't see a single pinch collar 'used' - loose leads everywhere.

But, they were there so if a dog did decide to pull/take off/become a nuisance, then the owner would have had a lot more 'instant' control than a flat collar.

The only time I did see a situation where there may have been a bit of 'something' was a guy who was skateboarding and had a dog trotting next to him. Dog decided that another dog was 'interesting'. Skateboarder immediately got off his skateboard and moved a few metres away to a quieter area. No fan fare, no yelling/correction or anything else. He simply stood still for about 5 mins. Dog became bored - when all was back to calm, he simply moved off.

I could just imagine it in Australia - reactive dogs every where, people being tripped up etc - all because unfortunately there are a lot of people here who have dogs and don't believe/understand that dogs need work and training, and that a dog should have boundaries - they can still be outgoing and have a happy and healthy life without annoying others.

On a different topic (but same theory) as children - it is not mean if I don't want to 'enjoy' interacting with your child (or dog) :-)

[Two Best Dogs!]

I am hesitant. People don't even obey the rules as they are, I would not expect them to obey rules in new places. The rules as they are are also not enforced consistently/enough, I would want them strictly enforced. Especially national parks or high public areas.

I would think focus on helping the general populace be more responsible/dog understanding/ rule abiding then let dogs go to new places once the overall trend is better.

But as it is. Eh :/ anecdotal experiences so I am jaded: I went to you yangs regional park. My dog was the only one on lead. Dogs are not allowed offlead!

Aireys inlet, dogs to be leashes and middle of winter - 4 offlead dogs let loose! They leashed them when I yelled at them (to carry voice over distance) but they should not have been let off lead in first place. There is bird sanctuary nests nearby?

Campgrounds in mt disappointment regional park - dogs are to be leashed? Well that dally and that terrier were not leashed so I was forced to leave by people not obeying rules. I would hate for those rules to be discarded in national parks.

Even a couple of months ago eating lunch in the city park - strict onlead rules, small and crowded - an offlead young one comes running up and angry-barks at us sitting in grass eating our lunch before tearing off. The owner blissfully walking behind without an apology. Rude!

As it is, right now, if such a privilege were granted I would expect it to be lost straight away. Or something similar to Bunnings scenario happening. Everyone swarming in once with unprepared dogs then allowances changed or revoked.

Saying this as a frustrated and cranky person who takes their dog to as many places as possible. Parks. Towns. Markets. Camping. Games nights. I'd take her to more places where we are currently already allowed to socialise more except can't trust other dog owners to be responsible so avoid them for now. Id love to take her into a national park! But not if the cost is all the people who will disobey the rules and ruin the experience for everyone - dog owners or not.

Better % of responsible ownership before I would support I'm afraid. The current allowances are not respected so do not think should be allowed more.

Edited April 15, 2016 by Thistle the dog

[corvus]

I am comfortable with having enough places to take my dog - but also live in Adelaide and we have amazing access to dog friendly beaches - miles of suburban beaches are off leash till 10am and on leash friendly all day.

But (flame suit firmly on), it seems to me that Australians (and our dogs) are not ready to allow dogs in more places.

I was in California last year, and spend many hours down by the beach - where there was a path that went for miles along the foreshore - about 5 metres wide, two way, shared by walkers, skateboarders and cyclists - and around half the people (all modes of transport) with dogs - and it was a busy, busy path

What I noticed was - dogs were non reactive, several had pinch collars on, owners were very aware of what their dogs were doing, and the dogs around them. I didn't see a single pinch collar 'used' - loose leads everywhere.

But, they were there so if a dog did decide to pull/take off/become a nuisance, then the owner would have had a lot more 'instant' control than a flat collar.

The only time I did see a situation where there may have been a bit of 'something' was a guy who was skateboarding and had a dog trotting next to him. Dog decided that another dog was 'interesting'. Skateboarder immediately got off his skateboard and moved a few metres away to a quieter area. No fan fare, no yelling/correction or anything else. He simply stood still for about 5 mins. Dog became bored - when all was back to calm, he simply moved off.

I could just imagine it in Australia - reactive dogs every where, people being tripped up etc - all because unfortunately there are a lot of people here who have dogs and don't believe/understand that dogs need work and training, and that a dog should have boundaries - they can still be outgoing and have a happy and healthy life without annoying others.

On a different topic (but same theory) as children - it is not mean if I don't want to 'enjoy' interacting with your child (or dog) :-)

You basically just described the foreshore in Cronulla, only the path is MUCH NARROWER for a lot of it. There are stacks of dogs, runners, kids on bikes. On a nice weekend morning, it's very busy. The dogs don't cause any trouble, though. They pass each other, bikes, and runners on the footpath calmly, and there are bag dispensers so they are cleaned up after. Dogs that are brought up walking that path several times a week are unsurprisingly very good at it, just like dogs that are raised walking paths at the beach in California are very good at it. The problems we encounter in Cronulla on the dog beach or in the mall are with dogs that are making their first outings. They do have to learn how to handle these environments, and they won't learn it if they aren't ever allowed there.

[gillybob]

I have just come back from a lovely walk with Cedro just to get the paper but it means he has to walk amoung other people of all kinds. We had a good time, he met lots of interested people and behaved really well. He went into the newsagency with me and had his pic taken as our mascot on the steps of the gallery. It was a positive thing for both of us, so instead of going out of town I will now go to the main street more.