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lindsaymcc
05-Mar-11, 16:35
Hi all,

Was wondering if there is an unwritten etiquette for having dogs down on the beach?

A few times now, my husband has been down to give Jake a run, and being a sociable puppy, Jake has run off to other dogs to say hello... no barking, no jumping, no growling, just running over at speed to say hello. On these occasions, owners of other dogs have been fairly rude in telling Dave to put Jake on his lead, and to control him, despite them having their own dogs off the lead and running around free.

Jake is a big dog for his age, people dont realise he is only 5 months old, and still learning, but how is he supposed to learn if he is kept on the lead at all times? Is there an unwritten rule that unless your dog will ignore every other dog or person in the area, they have to be kept on leads?

Todays comment really upset us as foul language (will you keep your ******* dog on a lead) was used in front of our 3 children, who are only 6,5 and 3yrs old.

Sorry, needed a rant, Jake is very precious to us, and he is still learning, and we thought was getting better every single day, but Im prepared for constructive criticism if its warranted!

achingale
05-Mar-11, 16:53
They have obviously forgotten what their dog was like when it was just learning. Most doggie people do not mind a dog running up to them and playing with their dogs. And you are right, there is no need for foul language in such circumstances. If that happens again I would ask them not to swear in front of your children and ask them how they dealt with their dog when it was a puppy when it did exactly the same thing. That should give them something to think about. But keep letting your dog off the lead - he has as much right to the beach as those other dogs off the lead.

wrightchatterbox
05-Mar-11, 17:26
Maybe these owners dont like sociable dogs![disgust] Dont worry lindsaymcc,even worse is there are ppl like that with other ppl:lol:

Commore
05-Mar-11, 17:55
I would agree with the previous twp posts, I would say don't take it to heart and that these people are the ones needing to learn some manners
Jake has every right to jump leap and play and be social just like everyone else who is fortunate enough to have access to a beach,

As far as we can see you are doing just fine.

lindsaymcc
05-Mar-11, 18:03
Thanks all of you.

I wondered if there was a secret code I was unaware of LOL

Considering the beach was full of people with their dogs today, it only took 1 person to ruin the afternoon for us all.

Maybe we need to stick to taking him down there in the evenings when it is less busy and just walking him in the forest or out on Dunnet Beach during the day!

scorpion
05-Mar-11, 18:10
Unfortunately with the recent new laws passed regarding the control of dogs , owners can now be fined for allowing thier dogs to run towards people and other animals , the only other problem i can see is that not every dog that sees another dog running towards it knows if it is going to be friendly or not so if the dog defends itself against a dog running at it then who is responsible . If a person comes out of a pub or nightclub and someone comes running at them , how do expect that person to react ?

Commore
05-Mar-11, 18:56
Unfortunately with the recent new laws passed regarding the control of dogs , owners can now be fined for allowing thier dogs to run towards people and other animals , the only other problem i can see is that not every dog that sees another dog running towards it knows if it is going to be friendly or not so if the dog defends itself against a dog running at it then who is responsible . If a person comes out of a pub or nightclub and someone comes running at them , how do expect that person to react ?

I think you are taking this out of context altogether, no disrespect intended but the majority of dogs do recognise a puppy when they see one, whereas, it's owner may not.
Most puppies are submissive to other dogs and will lay down or seek approval from other dogs, few puppies have the brain to be hostile.
I think it suffice that the person /s who ruined this young families day out is no more nor less than a very selfish person whose attitude clearly toward people with children needs addressing.
Swearing at an adult is rarely acceptable, swearing in front of wee ones shows the person as plain and simple downright ignorant.

buggyracer
05-Mar-11, 19:08
Whilst I've never complained about a strange dog running upto my dogs I'm afraid it's one thing that does bug me, one of my dogs used to not get along with strange dogs and if another dog would approach him, he would certainly try to fight with it, he would be on a lead the moment other dogs were on the beach but I would also have another 2-3 dogs walking at heal with me, and trying to control all of them when one strange dog albeit innocently joins in is not easy :( I certainly would appreciate if dog owners didn't let there dogs run upto other dogs no matter how friendly they are the others may not be, can I ask if your dog was a small breed dog would you be so happy with it running upto much larger strange dogs where it could be seriously injured within seconds?

pepsimax
05-Mar-11, 19:16
I dont see what the problem is with letting your dog off the lead on the beach so long as they are not aggressive or jumping up on other peoples kids. I usually put my dogs on the lead if another dog walker is coming with their dog on the lead. I walk the riverside/boating pond area quite a lot with and without the dogs and too many people have let their dogs come bounding up and frightening my kids - they might know that their dogs are harmless but how do we? My 4yr old has even been knocked over by a big dog who jumped up on him to give him a kiss. This really gets to me and I love dogs!

lindsaymcc
05-Mar-11, 19:19
Well then, in light of the last few posts, should all dogs be on the lead in a public place at all times then?

Im not being malicious at all, and making out that Jake is an angel, he is a 5mnth old puppy with lots of enthusiasm! I can totally see from other points of view - Jake has had a much bigger dog than him come for him and jump on him, it scared the hell out of him. Im just not sure how to go about this, in some respects I think we should keep him on the lead if other dogs are around, and then in the same breath I think that he needs to learn to be social, and is as entitled as any other dog, to run free.

Will definately be avoiding Thurso beach at weekends from now on though, Dunnet is bigger and quieter.

Liz
05-Mar-11, 19:32
I choose to keep Benjy on a lead when out for a walks but that is for his own safety as the poor dog has been attacked a few times!

I do have a problem with dogs which aren't on leads if they are not sociable and whose owner has no control over them.

However, Jake wasn't doing any harm at all and there was absolutely no need for that person to be so rude!(I would only be angry if a dog attacked Benjy)I do have to say that I am wary when I see a strange dog which is off the lead and coming in our direction as I don't know whether it is friendly or not.:confused

So I would say the only etiquette is to respect other dogs and their owners and only let your dog off the lead if you know it is okay with other dogs and people and has good recall.

Don't let this incident spoil your walks Lindsay and let Jake continue to enjoy his runs on the beach.:D

lindsaymcc
05-Mar-11, 19:56
Ok, we have decided to work more on Jakes recall, and only let him run free if the beach is quiet. We take him over the green a lot, were he is usually the only dog there so he will still get good runs, also Dunnet Beach and forest are favourites.

Thanks for all the advice.

sweetpea
05-Mar-11, 21:24
I too keep my dog on the lead, firstly because he is quite nervous and not that big so if a big dog comes up to him he will react by trying to fight. The other night a german shepherd did this in the Bignold Park and my dog was wanting to fight it so I had to lift him off the ground as I didn't know what the other dog would do. The dog did go back to it's owner who was a fair way off after a few calls but I was a bit scared myself.

Sarah
06-Mar-11, 00:54
I agree with them, sorry. Not every dog is friendly and not every person likes dogs. I would keep him on the lead until you have him better trained. It would annoy me if he came running up to me, as both my dogs have been attacked by dogs being offlead. If you had him on the lead, then asked if he could play, then that would be fine.

Really, what if one day he ran up to someone or some dog and he was attacked? It happened to my parents Lurcher, and someone kicked my dog in the face. It was entirely our fault, but it just shows how some people reacted.

ducati
06-Mar-11, 01:00
Lyndsay, we will have to get Jake together with Baz & Kayli on Dunnet beach when it is quiet and they can run each others legs off :D

Dadie
06-Mar-11, 01:22
It is polite to leash your dog before meeting and greeting.
Espesh. if its someone or a dog you dont know you meet..then if the other owner is ok let them meet, then lead off time...
Not just for the fact your dog may attack...which sounds unlikely ..but the other dog may not be as nice!
As well as the fact little people may be on the beach as well who wont appreciate over enthusiastic loving from a puppy...even if they are used to their own dog.
If the beach is free from people, then unleash...if not and you dont trust the recall then dont.
Your dog could get a nasty scare or worse from another dog that isnt tolerant of others and that wont do him any good.
Ps if you use Dunnet forest a lot get him covered for ticks before ticks cover him! Its notorious for the little bloodsuckers!

dragonfly
06-Mar-11, 08:15
have you not been up Naver Moors with him yet Lindsay? hardly anyone but dog walkers and dirt bikers go up there and he can run off lead to his hearts content - just wear old clothes and wellies.

I'm not getting involved in the ettiquette bit, my 3 lose all manners when out and about :eek: but would just like to say that dogs are able to tell what others are like by their body language so would soon be able to tell a happy bouncy puppy from an aggressive grown dog.....thats why when they see another dog coming towards them they stop, look, assess and then meet and greet or take a wide berth

Skirza
06-Mar-11, 08:38
Naver moors? Can you give directions please :)

dragonfly
06-Mar-11, 08:57
head up to Naver Business Centre/football field, in the pennyland estate in Thurso (sign posts for Naver business centre near Frasers supermarket) entry is just at Naver Gym and its a case of following the well trodden footpaths

Skirza
06-Mar-11, 10:24
Many thanks

donnick
06-Mar-11, 16:44
My dogs are usually off the lead but when i see other dogs approatching i call them in to heel until the other dogs have passed. I can usually tell if the other dog/dogs are friendly enough .My dogs are small and are usually thretend by larger dogs plus one of them have been attacked ,so can totally understand that people are concernd but no need to be rude about it just a simple explanation would have done

k1rst1n27
06-Mar-11, 20:30
in my opinion, i wouldnt take my dog to the beach if it wasnt sociable with other dogs nor would i go if i didnt like or want dogs around me!

obviously anyone can use the beach when they want but there will 9/10 times be a dog there!

babybunt
06-Mar-11, 21:44
Whilst I've never complained about a strange dog running upto my dogs I'm afraid it's one thing that does bug me, one of my dogs used to not get along with strange dogs and if another dog would approach him, he would certainly try to fight with it, he would be on a lead the moment other dogs were on the beach but I would also have another 2-3 dogs walking at heal with me, and trying to control all of them when one strange dog albeit innocently joins in is not easy :( I certainly would appreciate if dog owners didn't let there dogs run upto other dogs no matter how friendly they are the others may not be, can I ask if your dog was a small breed dog would you be so happy with it running upto much larger strange dogs where it could be seriously injured within seconds?

Dog should be kept on lead in public places. I have a small breed dog and this is a huge fear of mine that he will be injured by a larger dog who is off lead. My dog is always on lead and gets very uncomfortable when he is being sniffed at by a dog who is off lead and boisterous.

Dog-eared
06-Mar-11, 22:14
Or go up to Ormlie , straight past the shop turnoff to the dead end. Theres access to Wolfburn Moor right there.

As far as the dogs on beach etiquette goes, if there are other dogs on the beach, the lead stays on, unless you have guaranteed control of him to keep him close by. You can't assume the other dogs ( or owners !) are going to react well to your dog.
Owning a dog comes with it's own responsibilities.
They're not simply " pets " .:)

lindsaymcc
07-Mar-11, 09:48
Thanks for all the advice, we have taken it on board.

We checked out Naver yesterday, and it was a brilliant walk - and as no other dogs around, we were able to let Jake run free.

On the beach, he is on the lead unless it is empty.

jinglejangle
07-Mar-11, 10:39
I have 3 young children who are scared of dogs so I believe that dogs should be on leads in public places especially beaches and the forest etc and I do believe this is the law. They used to be fine with dogs until they were on a beach and there was 2 large dogs running around not under the control of their owners. The dogs were running towards them and we picked the kids up as the dogs were large. The dogs proceeded to jump up at my husband and I whilst we were holding the kids in our arms. The owners, who were some distance behind were shouting at the dogs but the dogs taken no heed. Eventually they got them under control but that has remained in my kids memory now whenever they see dogs off their leads they become anxious and I don't blame them!!! Everyone says their dog is friendly but no-one knows 100%. Also, it scares me when people give their dogs toys like dolls or teddies and the dogs are shaking these - who knows what the next step will be if a small child is holding a teddy. A dog may not bite a kid but the speed some of them are running around on the beach could easily knock a child over if the dog were to run into it. We hardly go to the forest now as any time we have been there have been large dogs running around off leads with the owners trailling behind - so irresponsible and selfish!

Commore
07-Mar-11, 11:24
I have 3 young children who are scared of dogs so I believe that dogs should be on leads in public places especially beaches and the forest etc and I do believe this is the law. They used to be fine with dogs until they were on a beach and there was 2 large dogs running around not under the control of their owners. The dogs were running towards them and we picked the kids up as the dogs were large. The dogs proceeded to jump up at my husband and I whilst we were holding the kids in our arms. The owners, who were some distance behind were shouting at the dogs but the dogs taken no heed. Eventually they got them under control but that has remained in my kids memory now whenever they see dogs off their leads they become anxious and I don't blame them!!! Everyone says their dog is friendly but no-one knows 100%. Also, it scares me when people give their dogs toys like dolls or teddies and the dogs are shaking these - who knows what the next step will be if a small child is holding a teddy. A dog may not bite a kid but the speed some of them are running around on the beach could easily knock a child over if the dog were to run into it. We hardly go to the forest now as any time we have been there have been large dogs running around off leads with the owners trailling behind - so irresponsible and selfish!

Your experience is unfortunate, you are obviously now afraid of dogs and I cannot think of anything more irresponsible or selfish than allowing your children to grow up with that in built fear, the best thing you could do for your children is allow them a family pet, a dog of their own.

_Ju_
08-Mar-11, 11:34
Well then, in light of the last few posts, should all dogs be on the lead in a public place at all times then?


I don't think you need to do that, Lindsay. Your dog is young. You just need to work on his recall untill it is consistent, even in the face of exiting dogsto say hello to. Avoiding populated beaches untill then will help in training him. You might also try training classes. Once his recall is good, you will feel more comfortable with him off the leash.

The Music Monster
08-Mar-11, 12:48
My sister who has three big dogs has taken to walking with a big stick because she has found that other people let their dogs off the lead and her dogs can't properly defend themselves whilst on the lead (one of hers is a Siberian husky and she had to sign a contract to say he would always be kept on the lead because they apparently get something called wander-lust). Personally, I'm terrified of all three of them!!! She has only had to use the stick once as having it in her hand is usually enough of a deterrent to loose dogs.

And for those of you who are wondering how she manages to walk three big dogs and carry a stick - good point!!! She has a special belt that the leads attach to - so she's sort of on a lead too!!!!!

ducati
08-Mar-11, 12:54
My sister who has three big dogs has taken to walking with a big stick because she has found that other people let their dogs off the lead and her dogs can't properly defend themselves whilst on the lead (one of hers is a Siberian husky and she had to sign a contract to say he would always be kept on the lead because they apparently get something called wander-lust). Personally, I'm terrified of all three of them!!! She has only had to use the stick once as having it in her hand is usually enough of a deterrent to loose dogs.

And for those of you who are wondering how she manages to walk three big dogs and carry a stick - good point!!! She has a special belt that the leads attach to - so she's sort of on a lead too!!!!!

Sounds like a recipe for dangling up a tree from three dogs :lol: You know, squirrels :eek:

GruesomeTwosome
08-Mar-11, 14:22
I have 3 young children who are scared of dogs so I believe that dogs should be on leads in public places especially beaches and the forest etc and I do believe this is the law. They used to be fine with dogs until they were on a beach and there was 2 large dogs running around not under the control of their owners. The dogs were running towards them and we picked the kids up as the dogs were large. The dogs proceeded to jump up at my husband and I whilst we were holding the kids in our arms. The owners, who were some distance behind were shouting at the dogs but the dogs taken no heed. Eventually they got them under control but that has remained in my kids memory now whenever they see dogs off their leads they become anxious and I don't blame them!!! Everyone says their dog is friendly but no-one knows 100%. Also, it scares me when people give their dogs toys like dolls or teddies and the dogs are shaking these - who knows what the next step will be if a small child is holding a teddy. A dog may not bite a kid but the speed some of them are running around on the beach could easily knock a child over if the dog were to run into it. We hardly go to the forest now as any time we have been there have been large dogs running around off leads with the owners trailling behind - so irresponsible and selfish!

I am so so sorry your kids had such a horrible experience which has left them with this fear. Irresponsible owners like the ones you experienced really annoy me and all they come back with is 'oh but they are just over friendly' - that is a disgraceful response from people too lazy to train their dogs.

I really wish you would try to introduce your kids to friendly dogs of a friend or someone you know to try and get past the fear, I think kids can gain so much pleasure from interacting with friendly, well behaved dogs. I have two huge monsters and my neices love sitting on the breakfast bar shouting commands at them, and the dogs answer as they are trained well.

Just an idea, I hope this experience has not tarnished your opinion of the few responsible dog owners out there who do take this responsibility very seriously.

The Happy Humanist
19-Apr-11, 17:52
Lindsay
I have sent you a pm

brandy
19-Apr-11, 18:01
we have a springer.. and quite often have him off lead at the beach.. but we do put him on lead when coming up towards people or other dogs, just in case that the people/dogs do not like other dogs.
this is a really good way to help train your dog as they will soon learn when to come and sit for you and how things have to be. they will also learn that the lead is not a bad thing, and that they will soon be off it again as soon as it is safe to be so.

Dadie
21-Apr-11, 15:11
Ooops forgot my manners on the beach!
Poppy dog on the leash until we got to a quiet bit, then off the leash...having a nice picnic with the kids..saw 2 horses so Poppy dog went back on the leash until they passed ..and back on the leash when they passed again...then on the way back I couldnt find the leash to pop it back on her when we got near the entrance to the beach but she obeys me so just used her recall of close..stay close..but if the leash wasnt at the bottom of the buggy under all the wet clothes, towels and picnic stuff she would normally be on the leash then as well.
Not because I dont trust her behaviour, but, because I dont trust other dogs I dont know towards her.
But thinking more about it...what would I actually do if another dog attacked her?
I had the buggy with Euan in it and Iona on my shoulders and Lauren dancing around ...
Probably drop the lead and remove the kids from the situation first...

brandy
21-Apr-11, 18:23
prob. same as me .. grab kids and dog jerk them all back.. scream bloody murder and if attacking dog still coming towards you to get to poppy dog.. kick it as hard as you can while saying many bad words!
i have a great fight or flight instinct.. but i tend to get really defensive and aggressive when the kids are involved.