first mate

Fox poo can also be very dark and hard, it can also be tinged with green- depends what they have been eating. I would think it was fox poo or a stray dog or someone walking their dog offlead.

But it is alleged that an 8 year old girl was indecently assaulted... that was viewed as wrong in the 60/70's as it is now. I suppose part of the problem is that different categories of sex crime are being mixed together. A fifteen year old 'developed' groupie one might be able to explain in terms of the permissive society, but not an eight year old. I found the questioning under caution of the 80 year old from Berkshire even more shocking. If something comes of that I would feel truly disillusioned.

garnwba, Merry Christmas and enjoy your bright new future out in CPZ land.

Perhaps garnwba is a councillor/developer in disguise, or he hasn't moved and is making all this up. I too would like to know the name of the road he lives in now.

I remember when one section of Southwark Council moved fromn their rather down at heel but serviceable premises in the Elephant to the new, flashy building near the river..hmmm.

Garnbwa, clearly you are stoking the fire...or trying to, and there's James ready to jump in just in case. We've done CPZ to death, we don't wnat it. However, I fear for the fallout from the forthcoming Garden Centre development which has lots of new falts but no provision for parking.

Older pups, young dogs do go through a 'kevin' stage when they are likely to shoot off after the anything that looks/smells interesting...and gundogs are generally very food orientated. I'd really recommend a long line (14-20ft) this way you have a better chance of getting your dog back under control when recall fails and the dog can still free run.

I have and will continue to ask other dog owners to put their dog on a lead where there are signs requesting this is done- the Japanese Garden and so on. Some people do get grumpy and I have been accused of being interfering, but since I know my motivation is to avoid pressure for Dog Control Orders I feel justified. I have not yet had someone refuse to comply, especially when it is explained why I am asking them. I would urge all fellow dog owners to do the same, or we'll end up losing out big time. I would also ask professional dog walkers to keep dogs leashed on walkways and signed request areas and only let dogs off in the open field areas. I think that for concerned parents with toddlers and for those who are scared of dogs it is pretty terrifying to be confronted by 4-6 dogs all offlead....even if they are the best beahved dogs in the world. The lead gives the other person a sense of safety...this is all about perception. I do feel that dog owners have to wake up and smell the coffee a bit and see that if we don't try to change ourselves we may end up losing out in much bigger ways.

I feel a little concerned about a hospital site not being used for that purpose. One gets the feeling that NHS services are oversubscribed. We also need to think about protected/social housing for the elderly in the area. Clearly we need to look after the future of our children but a balance needs to be struck and it sometimes feels it tips more in the direction of catering for younger members of the community and less for the elderly and for the physically and mentally disabled.

I would ask this is not done. Dog Control orders can be pretty draconian and there are sections in the council that would probably be happy to see dogs barred from parks altogether unless on a lead at all times- this would be a step in that direction. Why not try asking dog owners to put their dogs on a lead in areaas where there is clear signage requesting this. If enough people do it I suspect social embarassment would make most comply.

There are specific areas where there are notices asking people to keep their dog on a lead, however some ignore this. Other areas may not carry a notice but surely it is a matterof common sense and judgement. The area around the cafe may not require dogs to be on lead but I imagine if there are lots of children milling around, it is probably sensible. As ever, the fear is that certain members of the community get really hacked off and stringent dog control orders are broguht in as they have been in other boroughs.

Perhaps Southwark could put some money into funding a few more parkies on bikes. On another note I do see a fair few parents pushing toddlers in buggies with a dog or puppy running around as they walk. Often the dog is off lead, especially around the cafe area.

Did the success of the Hackney scheme depend on residential streets being closed off? I don't think Southwark are advocating this are they?

But even if the whole borough is reduced to 20mph it won't stop those who routinely exceed 30mph- what precisely will be different? If they can get away with it now they will do so in future. There a are number of kids I see who race up and down roads, flying over the speed humps as they go...how will this affect them? They keep doing it so either never get caught or have bottomless pockets. I was driving in central London last night and it was a nightmare. There is a proliferation of street signs, road markings, cameras.... all utterly confusing and still drivers were speeding all over the place. As for the lunatic cyclists, all dressed in invisible black, weaving in and out of cars and their blind spots just as fast as they could. I saw one cyclist, clearly at fault, narrowly avoid getting hit.

I'm sure someone can come up with research to justify this but frankly I cannot see why further reducing the speed limit would impact on those who already drive well in excess of 30mph- surely the punishment will be exactly the same? I guess the rationale has to be that there is research to show that many people/children are being injured ot killed by cars operating within the current speed limit of 30mph.

littlelau, actually you go one step further than many dog owners in that you have said you even put your dog on a lead in the park around certain other dogs and children. So, you are a model owner in my book!

ED, Sorry, I really wasn't having a go. 'Twas my sense of humour that obviously didn't come out. What I meant was we all like fireworks (therefore we all have a fiend within..me too) and I have no problem with them being let off, even in back gardens on certain nights of the year. My point is that provided we all know what those nights are and stick to them we can all cope- its the lack of forewarning that is a problem..for me anyhow. So you letting your inner fiend out on 5th Nov is fine by me because I expect fireworks on that night. It's just about knowing in advance, that's all. Hope that makes sense.

Worrying if it is a scam, which it sounds to be. Where/how have they got the jackets? Sounds like it is large and well organised. Definitely one for the police.

e-dealer, I like to let my inner fiend out to play with fire every now and then so I think it's about moderation and consideration. I don't care what date it is, just keep it to a few dates that we all know about in advance. So, yes, you probably are a fiend...sorry :)

It is irritating when PC point scoring is brought into what should be a common sense issue. Most of us like or tolerate fireworks a few times a year, organised events are fun for family and kids and safe..... These events can be promoted so that most know when they are happening and can avoid or accept a few nights of disruption. Some pets can be driven mad with fear by fireworks and so pet owners need to prepare and if they know when the fireworks are happening this is possible. What I object to is what feels like a stream of low level fireworks harrassment that lasts from November through to the New Year with bangs often going off out of the blue in the late evening/early hours. As I have said before, these make me jump and I hear neighbours' dogs going into cycles of barking as a result. It's the back garden firework fiends that are the culprits. I don't know what research there is on it but I hate to think what effect this has on local wildlife too.

Littlelau, I would agree that nearly all pure staffs are brilliant with people. Some staffs are not so great with dogs and that goes back to the fact that they were bred to be fighting dogs, amongst other things. That is not to say that you cannot teach a puppy staff how to behave with other dogs, as yours does. As you say, it is down to the owner to put in the time, do the training and know the breed they have. If your dog is on a lead when you are out I see no reason why people should demand you muzzle him. The problem is when people have their dogs offlead- this makes life very difficult for people who dislike or are afraid of dogs, some people have been badly frightened or bitten by a dog as children and it is obvious that they are going to be more scared of a dog offlead than on a lead. The type of dog you are most likely to see offlead on the streets is a bull breed type. I saw a huge intact mastiff male the other day being walked offlead near ED station...why? It would be so easy to put a lead on. The situation in the park with the retriever may have been sparked by the other woman panicking and yelling so her own dog thought yours was a threat. It is hard for people who own a well brought up staffie. But congratulations, it sounds like you have a lovley dog.

Catzy, If you own a pet that is terrified/highly reactive to firework noise you have to prepare believe you me..Forgive me if I don't go into the detail right now, but if you think it through a little you might get there.

They sure do. The big problem is not quite knowing when they are going to go off- if you know its going to be for three nights and then that is it you can prepare, but now it goes on for weeks with no way of knowing at what time they'll begin and end. Late night ones make me jump too.

Guarding behaviour is initiated by stress- the fear/anxiety of losing a resource or of incusrsion onto territory by strangers. Dogs with in a state of high arousal put their hackles up- this indicates stress. So, as you suggest the dog for whatever reason felt under threat and reacted accordingly to warn the threat off- this is also known as guarding.

Frenchpolisher, Just to balance your point, joggers can also be very intent on doing THEIR run- often plugged into their phones and presumably in some kind of alpha state. With some joggers there seems to be an expectation that you get out of their way so they do not deviate from whatever route they have in mind- it's a matter of perspective I suppose. I do think that if owners could keep dogs on lead along walkways, enclosed gardens and around the cafe we would see a great difference, but other park users need to be more considerate too. I'm thinking about the dog that was sitting outside the cafe offlead. I completely agree that it should have been on lead and tied, but this would not have changed the fact that it did not feel comfortable being approached by children - this does not necessarily mean it is vicious or aggressive. Many children today can treat dogs and other animals like toys and view them as readily accessible for their entertainment at all times. The dog owner was also at fault though because if her dog is stressed enough by people/children approaching it to lunge and snap (the dog's way of saying you are making me nervous) the owner should not be leaving it outside on its own.