AIBU dogs on beaches

Oh My. I'm just home from a day trip to the coast. Yes I took my spaniel. Yes we went on the beaches were dog were allowed and kept away from those that had the no dog sign.
It was glorious, lots of happy children and a fair few happy dogs.
Spaniels love water so she swam, a lot. She didn't bother any children or people and behaved really well.
I do understand the objection to dogs who aren't trained, don't come back or stay close to their humans when told to. Of course dog poo should be picked up instantly and carried till deposited in one of the council dog bins.
We must have been very lucky. We only met nice, friendly well behaved dogs. All the families on the beach seemed nice, friendly and well behaved.
We were not at the over crowded south coast, we were in the north west

My favorite beach is a dog beach. It’s not often I find dog poo.

I love a beach with dogs on it. Running, swimming, barking. I don’t have a dog so love watching other people’s.

I meant 10am till 9pm. Maybe I am being ott but I think even if owners pick up and bag poo , people are walking where it has been - sometimes in bare feet. Our beaches and beauty spots are turning into dog toilets!
I think there should be designated areas and beaches where dogs are free to exercise and I would avoid going there.

GagaJo

My favorite beach is a dog beach. It’s not often I find dog poo.

I love a beach with dogs on it. Running, swimming, barking. I don’t have a dog so love watching other people’s.

Hear, hear

But I do have a dog. Wonderful creatures

And eat our picnic in full view of the mess- no thanks! I do get your point however but it was nt a crisp packet!

I love to see dogs on beaches.

In Cornwall where I go they have beaches dogs can go on and those where they are not allowed.

I think humans leave way more rubbish and cause more problems than dogs do!!!

Scissor dolly, there ARE beaches where dogs are banned.

Look it up online and go to those instead. Most of the beaches near me don’t allow dogs in summer. Neither did the beaches near me in East Anglia, where I used to live.

I prefer dog beaches. They’re such happy animals, playing in the sea.

For any GNers planning a holiday in Cornwall - Cornwall has updated the dog friendly status of many beaches in 2020 in a big overhaul. Many restrictions have been relaxed meaning dogs are allowed all year round.

There are restrictions in place on about 47 designated beaches:
from 1st July to 31st August between the times of 10am to 6pm dogs will not be allowed. On the Blue Flag beaches, the ban is longer from 15th May and 30th September 10am to 6pm. Apart from one there's no beach with a total ban.

This link will prove useful for those holidaying in Cornwall.
www.cornwall.gov.uk/environment-and-planning/animal-welfare/dog-welfare-and-enforcement-service/controlling-your-dog-in-public/dogs-on-beaches/

Where I live dogs can only go to a couple of designated beaches. The vast majority of beaches prohibit dogs all year round.

Dogs poo in the sea and nobody collects those deposits, do they? I wouldn’t let my DS play in the sea on a busy beach for that reason.

I’m looking forward to September when the kids are back at school and I can take our dog to the local small beach to run and play in the sea after doing the school run in the morning. No-one’s going to be swimming on that beach as there’s a bigger beach with a proper car park about a mile or so further down the coast that the swimmers use all year round.

At Sandown on the Isle of Wight there is a ban on dogs on the beach during certain months - I was on the beach there last year and saw this large dog being sent onto the beach by woman with it. After it had done a large pile of poo she called and it trotted off the beach to her. I was too far away to ask the woman to clean up the poo; disgusting and I think it was a regular insurance.

Dogs shouldn’t be on beaches, not just because it is unhygienic for people but also because the sand gets into the dogs’ pads and causes sore paws.

At our local beach there are notices about keeping dogs on leads at all times and clearing up any mess. The dog owners ignore these signs and allow their dogs to run anywhere and even up to families with young children sitting on the beach. There are horses which are also on this beach.
I dont know why people think it is acceptable to force others into having their animals close by and at times joining a group of people sitting having a day out.
If it is your dog it is your poo, don't leave in for others to step in. This puts me off dogs

Even if poo is picked up and put in a bag, whats to stop a child playing in sand which has recently had dog poo on it?

I have a dog, but I agree. I think some beaches there is a certain area where a dog can use.Or there are time limit which vary in summer and winter months.
In Australia near my dds there is a designated beach for dogs.

I do not have a dog, but I enjoy watching them running on beaches, going in and out of the sea. They seem to enjoy it too. On the beach area in our city which is more heavily used than beaches outside the city, I think there was conflict between people with dogs and people with children though the two are not always separate. There was a suggestion that a part of the beach should be dog free which seemed a fair suggestion to me. But I don’t think it got anywhere. Dogs can be a problem off lead in parks, in the countryside. A dog whose poo is picked up and that is called to heel if it is being annoying and comes to heel when called is no problem to anyone else. It is some people that are the problem. I don’t think dogs should be always on leads, at home on their own while owners work and so on. It is no life for an animals. But we are selfish and use then for our own ends.

I work with dogs and we had ours 14 years. We only went to the doggy designated beaches and I think that is right. I’m tired of seeing dogs absolutely everywhere because owners won’t take responsibility and seem pretty entitled. I don’t like the abundance of dogs in shops and restaurants either. Don't get me wrong I love dogs but they need to be trained properly and not put on a pedestal.

I have 2 dogs. Firstly in this hot weather they were walked at 6am and 8 pm to avoid the heat. Responsible owners do not leave poo anywhere and certainly not on the beach. I would be worried about covering poo with sand though because the children may play there. If I did see poo on the beach I would move it off the beach if I had a bag of any description. It’s not my responsibility to deal with other dogs poo but I wouldn’t want children playing in it. I hope you don’t take this as a criticism, more a sharing of a viewpoint. Obviously you have to be able to sanitise your hands always after picking up poo in a bag and lets face it, it’s very unpleasant, so I understand that non dog owners would find it hard

Nobody has mentioned the danger of children & pregnant women contracting toxocariasis from dog poo. If children crapped on beaches there would be an uproar: what is more important than the health of humans as balanced against the need of dog owners to exercise their dogs responsibly?

Jaxie

Nobody has mentioned the danger of children & pregnant women contracting toxocariasis from dog poo. If children crapped on beaches there would be an uproar: what is more important than the health of humans as balanced against the need of dog owners to exercise their dogs responsibly?

Isn't this ONLY if they're not wormed? I would have thought that the dogs with owners who take them to the beach will have been wormed.

And my grandson DID poo on the beach a couple of weeks ago. He's 2. Jeez. Sue me. I cleaned it up.

I'd rather share a beach with dogs than with most people. In my experience dog owners are generally better at clearing up their mess than the vast majority of families. (I know there are exceptions) Witness the devastation of litter left behind at the end of a long day and compare with abandoned dog poo. It's not as if food/drink litter is smelly to take home if the bins are full. The amountbif entitled folk who seem to think it's someone else's job to clear up after trm astonishes me.

A lot of beaches have restrictions prohibiting dogs from April to September. The months when beaches are known to be used more often. A lot of dog owners think if they allow their dog to foul a beach it will be cleared away by the tide. I have had dogs for many years and think taking a dog on a beach in the busy months is disgusting.

The thought of sitting on a beach with a dog pooing nearby makes me feel ill. Dogs should not be allowed on beaches.

Our beaches do not allow dogs from mid May until mid September (S E Essex)

As someone who worked in a special school I had dealings with a child who had lost their eye sight through contact with dog poo. Dog owners need to be aware of this risk- and appreciate why there needs to be dog free zones on beaches. I’ve also had a dog cock his leg on my towels. My youngest son was traumatised by an aggressive dog running free on a beach, the owner took ages to act. Took a lot of work to overcome his fears. I do actually like dogs.