So you made a decision and became a dog owner… so what now? Do you or do you not put a sign on your gate advertising the fact?
Well, this is a question that some of us find very troubling. I guess this simple task of screwing a nice metal or plastic plaque onto your gate can have some consequences. So should we or shouldn’t we advertise the fact that we own a dog?
I wish there was a simple answer to this question but there isn’t one. Things to consider…
Trespassing… A beware of the dog sign can be a nice little reminder that you are about to enter someone else’s property, just in case the fence or gate wasn’t a big enough clue, but isn’t this an admission that your dog is dangerous and might bite? Some people think it is… This doesn’t mean that the sign shouldn’t be there but you might want to rethink what it should state… unless you have a truly protective dog like a serious guard dog and it probably will, in fact, attack the intruder, then a sign stating the fact is fair game in my eyes.
Security… of both your dog and your property… yes, you are reading it right… dogs might protect your property and a sign like this might make some robber think twice before picking on your household but what about the dog? I remember a few years ago there was a huge spike in reports of household dogs being stolen…a sign like this may make it easier for some nefarious individual to identify what house comes with a dog. I assume people stealing dogs isn’t your everyday situation but still, it is worth a consideration.
Ease of access… depending on your property layout and how gated it is, it might be nice to warn a delivery person for example that you own a dog, especially if it is the barking type. I can imagine that being surprised by a “barking monster” on the other side of the fence isn’t a pleasant experience for them. Just remember to keep your gate locked at all times, you don’t want to risk the dog running away simply because someone didn’t lock the gate behind them.
Choice of signs… beware of the dog isn’t the only sign out there, there are a lot of different dog signs to choose from or you can even design your own sign. You might want to consider something like “Dog running free”, or “Dog in the yard” or “I can make the gate in 3 seconds, can you?” – They all suggest you have a dog without implying that the dog is a vicious killer.
All of these thoughts to consider and we still aren’t any closer to an answer, should we or shouldn’t we…
I don’t think there is a right or wrong answer here. It all depends on why you want to put a sign up, what the sign will say and what breed of the dog you own… think about it and make your own mind.
Do you have a dog sign on your gate?
Did you ever consider putting one up?
Its a really difficult one. In one respect telling somoene you have a dog by using a sign and them being injured makes you liable and if someone gets injured and you don’t have a sign, you’re liable! So annoying. I would be inclined to have something like ‘Dog roaming free’ or ‘Dog lives here’ something non threatening but still warns the person.
I think if I did have a dog I’d have a sign up to let people know x
I don’t have a dog but I think I would probably have/ want to see signs just as a little warning! xo
As soon as we got a dog we got one of these signs. My dog is not at all aggressive, but you never know! x
I’ve never had a dog and to be honest I doubt non-dog owners take much notice of them - other to avoid houses where the featured dog is portrayed as an aggressive breed. I don’t think sticking a sign up abdicates you from the responsibility of ensuring the post person doesn’t get a nip!
I have had dogs in the past but never considered a sign. I do appreciate one if I am visiting though - especially with the children. Kaz
We don’t have a guard dog sign, but what we do need is a “DON’T LET YOUR DOG POOP ON MY LAWN OR IF THEY DO HAVE THE DECENCY TO PICK IT UP”!!!! Ha! I am such a courteous pet owner and I always carry a bag. In fact, I carry 3! I’ve never understood why people don’t clean up after their pets.
I am there with you on cleaning up front. Once I confronted the owner about it; his answer was but they are too expensive to buy… next time I gifted him with 200 nappy bags from Tesco at cost of 60p
Ha! I am always looking for deal on bags. There’s always the bags you get from groceries too. And his answer makes no sense…does he expect you do go through the expense to pick up his dogs poo? Sad of him to act that way. If he cant afford bags, he can’t afford a dog. Ack! People! 🙁
We have a sign at both the front and back of our house. Some of these items on your list I hadn’t really thought about before. We mainly put up the signs just to warn people cause of our big mouth loud and obnoxious dog.
We had a sign on the gate when I was little - and my dog would only have licked any potential burglars rather than barked or bitten them, haha! I think they’re useful because I know quite a few adults who are scared of dogs and so some pre-warning would be useful for them.
Although I’m not a dog owner I do appreciate it when there are signs, so that I know what to expect 🙂