"Beware of Dog"

 I'm a fan of the "My Border Collies LOVE people!  They think they taste of chicken." sign.

It says what it needs to without really 'saying' it. 
 

Or the signs that say "One Way" so people know if you break in, you wont be coming back out. lol Ya thats corny.

My parents have a "Dogs in Yard" sign on their fence.  I don't have anything since we don't have a fenced yard, but I do have the "Pets inside..." sticker by the front door for emergencies.

we don't have a sign here. Back when I did it was one of those "Insertbreed" Xing" ones that look like a street sign. It was cute!

The problem with the "Dogs Running Loose Inside" sign is that folks who use Guides cant read them.

 My wife and her Guide have been accosted twice by "shop dogs" while out running her errands. One was in (of all places) a childrens music shop, where she had stopped to inquire about a certain type of keyboard for our youngest daughter. The "shop dog" was a big GSD that actually chased my wife and her Guide out of the store onto the walkway, down about three doors until the owner got control of it. Yes, the owner was very apologetic, "Hes NEVER done anything like that before" and all that, but the thought that a blind person with a Guide might come into her store never even crossed he mind, plus it wasnt leashed or tied down. The local police had a talk with her, and the problem was rectified.

 The second time was when we went into a pawn shop (hey----they have some GREAT deals sometimes), and there was a big Golden that was behind the counter, unleashed and unminded. It growled, got up and started around the counter when one of the employees saw what was happening and grabbed it mid-lunge. He then started to tell us how they dont allow dogs in the store (?), whereupon we informed him of the service dog laws. The Golden was taken to a back room, and we found some good deals on cd's. We now are good friends with the Golden, as we frequent the shop often. Oh, yeah.....with the shop owners/employees as well.

As for the house, our local disability service organization obtained for us a "Service Dog On Site" sign that informs emergency personnel of the presence of her Guides in a medical or fire/police emergency. It is in the front door window, at the back door, and outside our exterior bedroom door.

Just our view (and experiences) from here.

Dogleadme

The problem with the "Dogs Running Loose Inside" sign is that folks who use Guides cant read them.

Well yes, that's true and surely true no matter what the sign actually says, but this is for my HOUSE...not my garden, or a shop.  I can't NOT have my dogs in my house, and the overwhelming majority, if not everyone, who is ever going to knock on my door will be able to read the sign. 

Well, the OP did mention that they had seen a shop that had the sign. That is the perspective I was writing from.

Dogleadme

Well, the OP did mention that they had seen a shop that had the sign. That is the perspective I was writing from.

Sorry for the confusion, all I meant was that I had seen it for sale in a shop.

My friend gave me a sign that says "Pawtected by German Shepherd Security".

As far as liability, I think you are liable for your dogs on your property regardless of what a sign says.  So if Kenya bites someone on my property (not saying I think she would) I am liable even without a "Beware!..." sign.

Liesje

So if Kenya bites someone on my property (not saying I think she would) I am liable even without a "Beware!..." sign.

Correct.... however any ACO will tell you that you are more liable if you post a sign saying BEWARE. What is there to "beware" of if you are not housing an aggressive dog? That's just the way the ACO/Humane Officers look at it.

erica1989

Liesje

So if Kenya bites someone on my property (not saying I think she would) I am liable even without a "Beware!..." sign.

Correct.... however any ACO will tell you that you are more liable if you post a sign saying BEWARE. What is there to "beware" of if you are not housing an aggressive dog? That's just the way the ACO/Humane Officers look at it.

Makes sense but....you are either liable, or you are not.  I've heard the "beware" thing many times, but so far don't know anyone where the outcome of their bite incident was at all effected by the presence or lack of a sign. So it seems if anything, the sign might help keep people away and prevent an incident.  If the dog bites someone, the home owners are liable anyway.  Like the recent case where the GSD bit a man coming on the property even though the home owner warned the man to stay back and the man allegedly threatened the home owner's wife.  The home owner was liable and the dog was removed.  

I guess if the home owners dispute the liability the sign might matter, but I've always been told the home owner is pretty much liable no matter what.  If we want to 100% prevent bites on our property the dogs basically should be crated or in a separate room.

Liesje

erica1989

Liesje

So if Kenya bites someone on my property (not saying I think she would) I am liable even without a "Beware!..." sign.

Correct.... however any ACO will tell you that you are more liable if you post a sign saying BEWARE. What is there to "beware" of if you are not housing an aggressive dog? That's just the way the ACO/Humane Officers look at it.

 

Makes sense but....you are either liable, or you are not.  I've heard the "beware" thing many times, but so far don't know anyone where the outcome of their bite incident was at all effected by the presence or lack of a sign.

3girls

CoBuHe

 

That's the sign I want!!  

That one can get you in trouble too.  My coworker's son had this on their fence and the insurance people saw it and threatened to drop their insurance if they didn't get rid their their GSD.  My coworker (who owned the house her son lives in) called the insurance agent and had it out with them, and they agreed to let them keep the dog and their insurance policy but *insisted* that they remove the sign..... 

 I'm for just posting "No Trespassing" if you want to protect your dog and not bear any liability for the stupidity of others.  Anyone who is invited is not a trespasser.  My sign says, "If we are available, we will answer the door after we have safely contained our dogs."  So, even a guest will think twice before just barging in, and a burglar might decide to go on to the next house LOL.