Dog owners abusing public places

[simba]

Was in a garden centre with my dog yesterday, buying dog food. She was sniffing about the place as she usually does and she started being intensely interested in the dog beds. I checked out what she was sniffing, as I always do, and realized it was a dried puddle of dog piss where a dog had obviously lifted their leg on the beautiful new dog beds.

 

So I had to go and get the management and be like "Look, I know how this looks, but it genuinely was not my dog, she just found it." Like they would believe that.

 

It's so nice of them to allow dogs in the first place, I've been in there with three dogs in tow and make sure to keep them quiet, bring them in only when they're clean, not let them poke or eat anything. I make sure that I get out of the aisle and out of the way if anyone seems to be nervous around dogs. I do the same on the train, in the train station, anywhere that allows dogs as a courtesy.

 

If that was my shop, and I was the owner, I would sure as hell reconsider letting dogs in if there was dog urine on things I was trying to sell.

 

Just- grrr. So annoyed at whoever it was. It's not that hard to keep an eye on your dog.

 

How do you deal with these things? How would you have dealt with that situation? And have you your own stories about dog owners in public places?

[D'Elle]

It is possible that the owner whose dog did that was occupied and failed to notice.

Although I always make sure my dog sniffs and eliminates outside before we go into a store, and I am massively diligent when I have my dog in a public space (mostly for my dog's protection), I still cannot have my eye on him every single second. Just saying it was not necessarily irresponsibility that caused that to happen.

 

Here, some stores, even grocery stores, have decided to allow dogs to come in as long as they are well behaved. The ones I see in the stores are being good, and I have never seen one get kicked out, although perhaps it happens. I am very happy to see that more places are allowing dogs to come in. It is a trend in the right direction in my opinion.

 

In other countries where dogs are permitted in most places they are well behaved in public. I think given the chance the same thing would develop here. Most people don't want to have the embarrassment of getting kicked out of someplace and won't bring in their dog if it is badly behaved. I have had the discussion with dog owners who have said that they'd love to take their dog with them but won't, because the dog is not well behaved enough.

 

I think most people who take their dogs in to stores have good dogs and are trying to keep an eye on them. That said, there is always the chance of the dog lifting a quick leg unseen. Maybe best not to pass judgement unless one actually sees it happen and the owner really is irresponsible.

[urge to herd]

I was in a grocery store near me. On my way in, I noticed 2 girls, 9 or 10 yrs old, with a good sized dog on a leash - think lab mix sized - hanging out just outside the door, giggling.

 

Went in, headed for the ice cream aisle, and found a BIG pile of dog poop. Found the management, told them about the poop and the 2 girls outside.

 

Management was furious, of course. I sympathized, and they told me that there was pretty much nothing they could do. Corporate had let it be known that they were not to challenge anyone with a dog in the store. Sympathized again.

 

Like D'Elle, I make sure my dog has eliminated and sniffed around before entering a public place. And since I consider most that most of those visits are for purposes of me training the dog, I KEEP MY EYES ON HIM.

 

When I was not such an enlightened dog owner, I did my share of apologizing, clean-up, and offering to buy items that had been sprinkled. Grrrr is right.

 

Ruth and Gibbs

[simba]

D'Elle- that's fair. I guess I was just quite frustrated at having to deal with that person's problem and looking like I had caused the problem, because I go there a lot and I want to be allowed back.

[D'Elle]

D'Elle- that's fair. I guess I was just quite frustrated at having to deal with that person's problem and looking like I had caused the problem, because I go there a lot and I want to be allowed back.

Well, you could have said nothing. It wasn't really your problem unless you made it so.

[simba]

Even if I walk away and say nothing, if someone working there then thinks "Hey, there is a person with dogs, there is dog urine, obvious answer is..." it becomes my problem. Not like there are a lot of dogs in and out of this shop.

 

The other local business that allowed dogs, stopped, because of a similar problem.

[Cass C]

I have seen this behavior in my job. They allow dogs on certain days, and most people are respectful and clean up after their dogs, but I watched one guy let his puppy poop on the floor while he watched and then walk away like nothing happened. When confronted he said the janitor could clean it up. These people are the reason dogs get a bad name in some places.

 

I've actually been complimented a lot by employees in pet friendly places because I am watching my dogs and they are behaving appropriately.

[Liz P]

I went to a Renaissance festival this weekend. Dogs were allowed, though you had to show proof of rabies vaccine and sign a form taking responsibility for their actions. I was probably asked at least 50 times if Tweed was a service dog because of his training. He was by my side when walking through the crowds. If I was looking at vendor's products, he was in a down stay so that there was no chance he would knock anything over. When I dropped my trash by accident he grabbed it and handed it to me. Several times I stepped into the woods behind the buildings and told him to potty, which he did. I had clean up bags just in case, though I did not need them. He NEVER lifted his leg without permission.

 

While watching one of the performances I noticed a lady with a huge dog on a 6 foot leash. She was watching the stage, completely unaware of what her dog was doing (and sure did not seem to care!). He was wandering down the isle urinating on every single bench. While I was watching the various performers, Tweed was sleeping at my feet.

 

Another owner had a dog that would NOT shut up and was barking at everyone. He was disturbing quite a few acts and bothering people who don't like dogs.

 

There were also several piles of dog feces on pathways that I saw.

 

Most people's dogs were dragging them around on their leashes, bumping into and tripping other guests.

 

Stuff like that definitely drives me crazy. It will ruin it for the rest of us.

[Donald McCaig]

Dear Doggers,

 

I am a dog scofflaw and my dogs are almost always off leash. But. Other humans have a right to not be pestered or frightened by my dogs nor should they step in dog shit while going about their normal business. (If they must walk in the weeds, they take their chances.)

 

My dogs arrive at the motel before most other guests and leave before they're awake. If there's someone in the hallway I wait for them to pass or, if needbe attach a leash.

 

If I insist (as I do) that no person or municipality has the moral right to tell me how to care for or where to walk my dogs, the correlative is that my dogs must never, ever worry other humans, their dogs or animals. That's on me.

 

Donald McCaig

[D'Elle]

If I insist (as I do) that no person or municipality has the moral right to tell me how to care for or where to walk my dogs, the correlative is that my dogs must never, ever worry other humans, their dogs or animals. That's on me.

 

Donald McCaig

Well said, and pretty much my philosophy as well. It is unacceptable to me for my dog(s) to be a nuisance to anyone at any time and to the best of my ability I see to it that they are not. Their behavior reflects on me, and I'd no more allow them to annoy someone, or someone's animal, than I would go around being obnoxious and annoying myself.

[D'Elle]

Even if I walk away and say nothing, if someone working there then thinks "Hey, there is a person with dogs, there is dog urine, obvious answer is..." it becomes my problem. Not like there are a lot of dogs in and out of this shop.

 

The other local business that allowed dogs, stopped, because of a similar problem.

Well...............you have a point there.

I really hate it that a few inconsiderate people can ruin things for everyone but that is very often the case. Maybe your saying something in some way ameliorates the bad behavior of the other in that particular case. Hope so.

[diane allen]

Agree with most everything here that's been said.

 

But (I realize I'm kinda preaching to the choir here): I very very rarely take my dogs into stores, even where they are allowed. Pet stores? No way! ("Oh, sure, there are bully sticks right at nose level. Leave them alone!" That's just mean!) Building supply stores? No way! (My eyes burn from the plastics and cleaners in those places, what must a dog think?) Other places? Well, no. If I have business/purchases to make, I can't be paying attention to my very well behaved, pretty well trained dog - but no.

 

diane

[simba]

I often take my dog on the train because it's an easy way to get to local parks.

 

I take her into the shop with me because it means that I can get a couple of minutes of training and mental stimulation in for an elderly dog with a slow body and a busy mind. Plus I feel it's good bonding-and-building-communication-with-the-deaf-dog time, and she can sometimes get a little anxious if I am not there, and it means that I can bring her for a walk and do my errands without having to leave her alone in a car for too long.

 

She seems to like it, and knows by now what the etiquette is and what I expect of her. I usually have planned in my head what I want to get anyway, and know exactly where it is and don't have to spend any time thinking about it, so I can devote attention to the dog. So we can practice heeling past the dog treats and then she gets a cheap tennis ball for her trouble.

 

 

Not at all saying that you should do as I do, Diane, you raise very valid and reasonable points. I'm just explaining why I do it.

 

D'Elle- I hope so too. Thank you for reminding me to see it from the previous dog owner's point of view too.

[speckle-legged dog]

Was in a garden centre with my dog yesterday, buying dog food. She was sniffing about the place as she usually does and she started being intensely interested in the dog beds. I checked out what she was sniffing, as I always do, and realized it was a dried puddle of dog piss where a dog had obviously lifted their leg on the beautiful new dog beds.

 

So I had to go and get the management and be like "Look, I know how this looks, but it genuinely was not my dog, she just found it." Like they would believe that.

 

It's so nice of them to allow dogs in the first place, I've been in there with three dogs in tow and make sure to keep them quiet, bring them in only when they're clean, not let them poke or eat anything. I make sure that I get out of the aisle and out of the way if anyone seems to be nervous around dogs. I do the same on the train, in the train station, anywhere that allows dogs as a courtesy.

 

If that was my shop, and I was the owner, I would sure as hell reconsider letting dogs in if there was dog urine on things I was trying to sell.

 

Just- grrr. So annoyed at whoever it was. It's not that hard to keep an eye on your dog.

 

How do you deal with these things? How would you have dealt with that situation? And have you your own stories about dog owners in public places?

I was in Pet Smart one time and a guy with a huge dog just stood there as his dog lifted his leg and urinated on a building support post, then just walked off. This dog was really big, and left a huge puddle. He let him go in the store like he was outside watering a tree. I should have said something to someone, but didn't.