Do you take "Beware of Dog" signs serious?

[Miss Molly May]

this is our sign at camp it is just to keep strangers away!

[Good_Karma]

Well, I figure there is a 50-50 chance the dog is dangerous, and those aren't good enough odds for me. I take the signs seriously.

[Rua]

Yes and No. I've known a LOT of people who had those signs but didn't even own a dog. They just used the sign to keep people away. LOL

[CarrieJ]

In my neighborhood, "Beware of Dog" translates into untrained, unsocialized, D/A terrier type of various size, and an owner too lazy to build a proper fence.
So, yep....I tend to take them seriously. As, it could be an angry Chihuahua or a Pitty type that comes charging through the loose fence board.

Maybe instead of Beware of Dog, it should read "Stoopid Human Dog Owner" as if anyone broke into their house.....the angry Chihuahua would be stepped on and the Terrier could be led into a locked room with a steak.

[JakodaCD OA]

Yes I take them seriously especially when I don't know the person or their dogs..

Kinda strange, the other post of the Postal person getting bit, here in CT, I am in CT, in my town, the AC has told me, "Beware of Dog Signs" are no good, indicates you are aware your dog has the potential to bite, they advise using a No Trespassing, that way, if someone got "bit" , well they are trespassing and shouldn't be on the property to begin with

I have NO Trespassing, and another sign with GSD on duty/Aussie Crossing ..

[vicky2200]

I think most people use those signs as a way of scaring people away from the idea of messing with their homes. Yes, some people use them when their dog has a bite history and it may be the law in some places that they have to be placed in the yard of a "dangerous" dog. I never really give these signs much thought because I never going into a strangers yard. I wouldn't be afraid of a dog just because of a sign though. I'm pretty good at telling if a dog is friendly or not.

[zyppi]

Originally Posted by GSKnight

Yea... I take them as a seriously bad idea. It's like saying, "I know my dog bites, please sue me"

exactly!

[DharmasMom]

Yes, I take them seriously.

There is a guy I was talking to at the dog park that was telling me about his doberman. He had "Beware of Dog" sign up. A guy showed up at his house one day to ask for directions, as he got out his car and approached the house, my friend was getting ready to take his dog for a walk. He opened the door. The doberman noticed the stranger walking up to the house and ran out the door before my friend could grab the leash. The dog bit the stranger on the butt as he ran back towards his car. The stranger came back an hour later with AC but AC refused to ticket my friend. All they did was make sure the dog's shots were up to date. They said because my friend had the signs up the stranger shouldn't have stopped at that house and should have heeded the warning.

[Gracie's My Girl]

If someone has taken the time to buy/make a sign and put it up...I am going to take that as a hint that it would be pretty stupid to enter their property.

[KZoppa]

Yes i take it seriously. There are some people who put it up and never have a dog but really not a chance i'm going to take. Then you have the people who have chihuahua's named killer but have a warning sign anyway. I've also known people to post signs simply because their kids have dogs who stay over every now and then.

Personally we have a Dog On Premisis sign posted clearly at our front door. Sits right there IN the screen door. Hard to miss. Its simply there to let anyone know there are dogs on the property. If they wish to tempt fate and enter to find out whethere the dogs are crated or free roam is another story. The sign also reminds maintance to keep out unless we're home.