rottweiler at school gates - opinions?

PrincessPlaty

!!!!!! wrote: »

Should we ban vehicles for those periods as well. They kill and injure more children in a day than animals do in a year.

You have just made me think actually when i was growing up i went to a little tiny local village school and lots of people brought their dogs on the school run (however my parents left ours at home 10 dobermanns together could be quite a feat ) i dont remember there ever being an incident with a child being bitten or scared by a dog that was at the school on the school run, however i do remember very vividly another child being run over right outside the school gates!

PrincessPlaty

sexandthecity wrote: »

School is compulsory

I take my dog to the park, the childrens play area has railings and gates round it, and you are not allowed to take dogs in it.

And so should be taking a dog for a walk to allow the animal the exercise that he/she requires. How do you expect a parent who has school runs to do and goodness knows what else to do during the day be able to fit it all in?

The dog in question was on a lead, and from the description sounds as though he was well trained. This isnt an issue of the dog being there really, it is an issue of the OP fear of large dogs, and her inability to open her mouth speak to someone and ask if they mind moving away from the gate. :rolleyes:

lostinrates

KatP wrote: »

Forget the breed and the intelligence/mouthiness of the owner.

The fact is that some people, children and adults have a fear of dogs. Some people have a very severe irrational fear, others are nervous of strange/large/loose dogs. Dog owners should respect this.

The dog was not on school premises and was on a lead so the owner wasn't doing anything wrong. However out of consideration for those who may have been nervous it would have been polite to have stood out of the way of the gate.

I would suggest that OP asks the school to pop a note in their next newsletter acknowledging that people do sometimes bring their pets (could also be ponies, or ferrets or cats or rabbits that walk on leads!) to school and asking that out of consideration for those who are nervous of some animals that they ensure that they wait well back from the gate.

If she stands in the gateway again just ask her politely to move back and explain that you are afraid of dogs after a previous bad experience. You can't make her and she is doing nothing wrong so be nice, and appeal to her better nature.

I agree with much of your post: asking the woman to move away from the gates seems a reasonable comprimise.

I do respect that many people are scared, or even just uncomfortable with dogs. However, responsible dog ownership remains legal and indeed, many feel (and some studies indicate) desirable, and contact with dogs therefore remains a risk for those sared or uncomfortable through out life. Visual esposure to dogs who are under easy control, are not excitedly barking or leaping about and who are out of touching distance from the gate and with whom interaction is not necessary seems a reasonable comprimise by those that are uncomfortable, just as moving away from the gate seems to me a responsible action as a dog owner.

There is no need to make a fight out of this, as many children are probably thrilled to see the dog as are concerned. Some one could just explain with some red facedness that they are nervous of dogs and don't want to transmit the fear to their child, but don't want to restrict the dog and its family either, and so could the dogs wait to one side of the gate, away from it, while the scared stand the other side, away from it! (that way the kids can get through!)

janninew

PrincessPlaty wrote: »

You have just made me think actually when i was growing up i went to a little tiny local village school and lots of people brought their dogs on the school run (however my parents left ours at home 10 dobermanns together could be quite a feat ) i dont remember there ever being an incident with a child being bitten or scared by a dog that was at the school on the school run, however i do remember very vividly another child being run over right outside the school gates!

I went to a similar school, most kids were walked to school, hardly any came in the car and lots of Mums use to bring the family dog as well. I can't recall any problems. One of our dogs use to get lots of attention as she use to carry my lunch box in her mouth by the handle! I hate that the world is so different now compared to when I was a child, everybody seems to be rushing around, nobody has time for anybody else, nobody seems to take responsibilty for their own actions. Sorry to rant on just makes me mad!!

aliasojo

janninew wrote: »

............ nobody has time for anybody else, nobody seems to take responsibilty for their own actions.

I agree with you. People do seem to want others to accommodate them and their ways without giving too much thought to finding the middle ground these days.

MrsTinks

We live in a village too and here the problem isn't the many dogs (and there are a lot in our village!) it's the parents who drive to school instead of walking and park on the road - EVENTHOUGH there is ample car parking space. However it would obviously be too much to ask of these parents to park there in case it takes them 5 minutes longer to collect little Johnny
Never mind the inconvenience to those who live here or that it's total gridlock in the morning and afternoon - but the fact is they park so that it's impossible to see the kids and often a child will dash out from between cars and you'll hear screaming breaks! I don't know if a traffic accident whilst we've lived here but I HAVE seen several close calls... and that is due to nothing more than laziness!

sexandthecity

PrincessPlaty wrote: »

And so should be taking a dog for a walk to allow the animal the exercise that he/she requires. How do you expect a parent who has school runs to do and goodness knows what else to do during the day be able to fit it all in?

The dog in question was on a lead, and from the description sounds as though he was well trained. This isnt an issue of the dog being there really, it is an issue of the OP fear of large dogs, and her inability to open her mouth speak to someone and ask if they mind moving away from the gate. :rolleyes:

Yes but the OP said that the women looked a bit scary too :j

I have two children one in school one in pre school in the morning and I still manage to walk my dog and do my housework, I am just organised!

tiamai_d

"Excuse me, the little one is scared of dogs can you move back a little bit please?" :rolleyes:

I understand how you feel, there is a labradoodle that sits at our school gates, on a lead, just sitting quietly...

PrincessPlaty

sexandthecity wrote: »

Yes but the OP said that the women looked a bit scary too :j

I have two children one in school one in pre school in the morning and I still manage to walk my dog and do my housework, I am just organised!

She also stated the woman didnt look very clever aswell :rolleyes: Since when did everyone start judging people by what they looked like :rotfl:

For all the OP knows the woman could be a highly educated university graduate who is taking a career break to bring up her children! Just because of the way she looks is that a reason not to ask her to politely move away from the gate

The art of communication seems to clearly have vanished in this country! :rolleyes:

I did actually say in my original post that if she really didnt want to say anything then to ask the school to put something in the school newsletter, that is what they do in my DD's school not that people take much notice!

PrincessPlaty

tiamai_d wrote: »

"Excuse me, the little one is scared of dogs can you move back a little bit please?" :rolleyes:

I understand how you feel, there is a labradoodle that sits at our school gates, on a lead, just sitting quietly...

It wasnt the little one though was it it was the OP an adult who has her own mind and her own tongue in her head ~ one would hope :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: