[onona]

You know, something I never thought of. Should I have signs on my fenced in yard for the dogs ? Two Chocolate Labs and a Saint Bernard.

I never considered that somebody would just walk through the gate.

Not that they would get close without seeing all three up close and personal...

[Salamander]

There’s a double edged legal sword with signs.

If you put up a sign warning of aggressive dogs, you can be nailed for knowing your dogs are aggressive and not “properly controlling them” if some idiot ignores said sign and marches on in, any way.

OTOH, you can also get nailed if your dog bites somebody and they “had no warning”, via the above mentioned sign warning them they’re about to be mauled.

You really can’t win.

You almost have to take a vague, non-committal approach to it, such as “Caution: Dogs In Yard” which could simply mean “Hey stupid. Close the gate. There are dogs in this yard.”

My lifelong approach was a separate yard for the dogs, inaccessible to strangers/visitors and a universally recognizable Dobermann silhouette posted on the front of the house.

You the -know- they’re here but the sign implies nothing more than that they ~are~ here.

Some people opt for fancy little cute yard flags with a Dobe on it or other decorative Dobe stuff in their yard which gives the unaware a heads-up through attractive decor.

You could always take the “concerned owner” approach and post a sign on the gate that simply says “Please close gate. Dogs in yard.”

That way, people know to expect dogs loose in your yard yet you are not overtly threatening them with the dogs and it can legally be construed as your concern for the welfare of your dogs, namely, warning people to kindly not leave the gate open.

[and apparently, some cops would simply take it as a cue to draw weapons and assassinate the dog in a preemptive strike]

They can get you coming and going, can’t they?

:-\

[Salamander]

OTOH, you could go completely rude and post the signs I have:

[I'm getting too old and anti-social for "subtle" and I live where nobody visits, anyway]...LOL

[Paladin2]

I believe that "No Trespassing" and "Beware of Dog" signs alongside the driveway, even with the front of the house could be legally beneficial, though unfriendly. On the gate too.

Of course none of that would stop Eric H0lder.

[BigEdLB]

You only have to have a sign if the St Bernard has his requisite cask of brandy... And then only to be sure that the consumer of the brandy is over 21. ;)
LOL... With three standard poodles, I need a sign warning intruders that the dogs are probably smarter than any trespasser who would come in uninvited...

[BigEdLB]

You only have to have a sign if the St Bernard has his requisite cask of brandy... And then only to be sure that the consumer of the brandy is over 21. ;)
LOL... With three standard poodles, I need a sign warning intruders that the dogs are probably smarter than any trespasser who would come in uninvited...