# 'Beware of Dog' Signs



## Poxgoo (Feb 24, 2011)

A few weeks ago, I had the phone company come out to fix a pulled down line that was laying in my backyard. They couldnt give me an exact time they would be here, and I ended up noticing later that day that they had let themselves in my gate, and left it wide open. Now, I wasnt letting my dogs out due to not knowing what chewing or pee'ing on that line could do to them, but was still very angered by the gate being left open. 

So, I was talking with my family about getting "beware of dog" signs, as to let people know upon entering my property that dogs do live here. I was told by my sister that if you post those kind of signs, and anything should arrise, like a bite, your dog would be put to sleep without question as the signs are you admitting that you are aware that your dog is aggressive. Is there any truth to this? I would think that if someone entered a posted yard uninvited, it would be on their own stupidity.

Now, neither of my dogs have any agression in them whatsoever, and I highly doubt they would bite, even if provoked, but there is no way I want to chance it if this is infact the law behind those signs. I just want people to know to knock and asked to be let in, or at least shut the gate behind themselves.


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

I've seen signs that say something like "dog in yard, please close gate". That would get your point across without the liability concerns.


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## marsha=whitie (Dec 29, 2008)

Your best bet would be to get a sign stating that there are dogs on the premises, not a "beware of dog" sign. That just automatically makes people think that there is an aggressive dog there, even if there isn't.


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## Shandwill (Jul 23, 2010)

I agree with the other posters! I saw signs at Petsmart the other day that simply said "Dog on Premises." I have wanted to put up signs, as well, but was afraid of the legal ramifications, too. Not sure if it counts, but I saw Judge Judy throw the book at someone the other day who had one of those signs that says, "My dog can make it to the fence in 2.8 seconds, can you?" She felt that it indicated that the owner knew their dog was dangerous. (The case involved the dog biting a neighbor's child, so the sign certainly didn't help the situation."
Not that it will always make a difference, but you can call your utility company and ask them to note on your account that you have dogs and that workers are not to be on the property without you being present.


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## Poxgoo (Feb 24, 2011)

Thanks for the help guys/gals. This information will certainly help my situation!


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## bulldavis (Aug 7, 2010)

I automatically don't like people who put up "Beware of Dog" signs.


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## prntmkr (Jan 17, 2009)

If you’re looking for something specific there is, at least,
one company that makes custom, breed-specific, outdoor signs ... 

As I recall, the pricing wasn’t too bad. 
I have the information tucked away somewhere, 
as we had been intending on ordering some … 

We just hadn’t decided exactly what 
our signs should actually say :eyebrows: .


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## Bones (Sep 11, 2009)

I think a "Please close gate" sign should be enough. Putting out a beware of dog sign can make you legally liable.


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## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

I padlock my gates so I don't have to worry about someone leaving it open.


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## kadylady (Sep 23, 2010)

My MIL has "Keep Gate Closed" signs on all her gates. It's a good reminder for family and friends visiting as well.


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## wvasko (Dec 15, 2007)

bulldavis said:


> I automatically don't like people who put up "Beware of Dog" signs.


Well having trained protection dogs a number of years, I always had "Beware Of Dog" signs posted because if somebody to got bit I was liable anyway. The whole idea with biting type dogs is to monitor them properly, these dogs are never loose without supervision. A dog out of good stock and one that is socialized/trained properly is just not running around biting people. Dogs with courage are very picky about using their teeth on anybody. So having a sign for us was part of a layered program to prevent biting problems. 40 years and never had an accident on our grounds. I guess we were just lucky.


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## xxxxdogdragoness (Jul 22, 2010)

yeah but good luck getting a city person to close a gates lol as a country gal way out in the sticks thee is a scertian rule that if the gate was closed when you came up to it then close it back!!! no need for a sign in many instances, people just know. but more folks are putting signs up because more & more people from the city are moving to the country LMBO, also no one teaches their kids proper manners anymore.

in answer to the question, i actually did have that almost happen to a power company employee when i lived in the suburbs as a kid & teenager. i was visiting my folks & had Izze with me (she was a young dog at the time)they said they would be out yesterday but they didnt show & mom couldnt take another day off work so since it was my day off i decided to stay & wait for the guy just in case he showed. he was supposed to call & had the house phone & my cell (since mom has to turn hers off at work, because she is a teacher) i was watching TV & heard Izze barking very aggressively, since i thought he had arrived i went to see & was shocked to find him half way in the gate, Izze had him blocked in where he couldnt escape nor go fwd lol. she didnt hurt or bite the guy but she gave him quite a scare & on top of that i gave him a talking to about calling before he arrived.


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

A spring latch for the gate that will automatically close it is an inexpensive and simple solution for forgetful kids, friends, and workers. 



> I would think that if someone entered a posted yard uninvited, it would be on their own stupidity.


Well, I agree in principle but it doesn't work that way. One is that telephone workers etc are not entering uninvited, since they came out to fix something. Same with other maintenance workers like meter readers. Also, if you have telephone or electric lines running overhead in your yard, there is probably a utility easement there which allows them to come onto your property to repair their utilities. (Not the lines that run to your house, but regular lines that serve more than one house)

A typical law says something like- its okay if your dog bites someone that comes on your property to commit a crime but not if their ONLY "crime" is simple trespass. And usually that only counts if its an adult that got bit. So, someone is in your yard and smashes your house window is different than kid jumps the fence to cut through your yard.

I'd put up a generic "There's a dog here" type sign or one of the "Breed x-ing" signs.


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## wvasko (Dec 15, 2007)

> I'd put up a generic "There's a dog here" type sign or one of the "Breed x-ing" signs.


Generic is good and now there are also just breed signs that that have no "Beware" just a pic of breed.


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## TStafford (Dec 23, 2009)

bulldavis said:


> I automatically don't like people who put up "Beware of Dog" signs.


Well you automatically don't like me, which is kinda silly. I just put one up last week. We have had a few break-ins here and I want who ever is doing it to know that we do have a dog and he will bite if they break into my house. 



I always heard that if you have a sign up and someone comes into your fence or home that your dog is less likely to be taken away because there was a warning that there is a dog there that could bite and they came into your home/yard without asking anyway. Of course Porter is never out of the house without me, and he only barks at people until I greet them, then he wants to be their best friend. So the only way someone would get bit here is if they did break into the house, and if i'm home Porter is the least of their worries (he's crated when we're gone). Of course some laws are very different in the south.

But for what you want I would go with a dog on premises sign like others have said.


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## Sighthounds4me (Nov 7, 2010)

I've been told that "Beware of Dog" signs create a liability. If your dog should bite someone, it can be argued that you knew your dog is vicious.

So, instead, I have a sign like this:







I also keep padlocks on the gates.

An aside: A few years ago, I was in the family room in the afternoon (I usually work till about 1). It was summer, I was warm, so was wearing little. he family room is in the back of the house, and we cannot see the driveway from that room.

Manero was sacked out behind the couch where I was sitting (there is a walkway there). Suddenly, he jumped up, growling and barking softly toward the patio door that leads into the backyard. I looked out, to see what he reacted to, and saw a random guy walking around my *fenced* backyard.

I ran to the bedroom, threw clothes on, and went out on the deck. I asked him "Can I help you?!"

He replied "stammer...er...uh...No, I have everything I need."

I said, "I am the homeowner, and did not permit you entry. WHAT could you need?!"

He told me he was with the cable company, and was looking to see where the cable came into the house, because a power pole was being replaced. I told him that if he had knocked on the door, as is customary and courteous, I could have told him the power pole had nothing to do with the cable. I went on to say that I have very large dogs, and he better make sure to close the gate behind him.

He no more than closed the gate, and I released the hounds. They lined up along the fence to stare at him. I suspect (rather, hope!) he peed his pants a little.

I then called the cable company to ream them out. This is NOT acceptable, and it will NEVER happen again. They told me my contract allows it. I said no - my contract allows entry to my property with *proper notice*, which I had not received. I said, besides, I was home, he could have *asked me!* I told them they were DAMN lucky my dogs had not been out, or the guy might have accidentally let them out (which would have gotten the cable company in BIG trouble!), or he could have gotten bitten! I was not amused!

That night, we bought locks for the gates.


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## sandydj (Sep 27, 2010)

What I found out when I dug around for laws , was that a Beware Of Dog sign could be used against you in towns that have dangerous dog laws on the books. If they can show that you were aware in any capacity that your dogs would bite , you are in violation of the law. It sounded like a very subjective thing. 

I was going to put them up in my yard , because kids use to cut through all the time to gte to the local large park that is 2 blocks down the hill from my house. However , I was told the signs could hurt my case if one of the kids was bitten or chased and injured.

It is screwed up really..unfortunately we live in a society where you hear of burglars successfully suing homeowners because they were hurt while robbing their homes.

I would like to use those signs to ward off intruders , kind of like "warning alarm system" signs..but like I said , found that in my town it implicated culpability by showing I am under the impression my dog would bite. 

I'm sure the laws really vary by state. I would find out for your particular area before you decide on what sign you want.

Just read this and found it interesting:
Warning signs. Don't worry that putting up a "Beware of Dog" sign is tantamount to admitting that your dog is a menace, landing you in bigger trouble if the dog does ever hurt someone. First of all, the sign will help avoid bites - which is far preferable than winning a legal battle over a bite later. Second, if you think your dog might hurt someone, there's almost certainly already more evidence of the dog's dangerousness than the fact that you put up a warning sign.

From this article:
http://doglaw.hugpug.com/doglaw_081.html

It is possible I was told wrong info , I'm sure if you ask the police , someone in town hall , and a local attorney the same question you will get different answers..but again , all states and towns are different. It can't hurt to just call and ask.

Disclaimer - I am not sure how valid this website is , but it seems to give info contrary to what my local attorney who did my closing told me. It seems you are actually protecting yourself if you put the signs up . Now I have to rethink and double check this whole thing , because my dogs will chase anyone who comes into my yard..I do not know if they would bite ..but they do act as if the guard the property. It is kids I worry about. They hop my 10 foot high chain link fence to shortcut through to the park(if they don;t see the dogs out). I now have gate locks because they have left the gates open a few times on their way through ( which made me furious to no end) . I figure if the dogs catch them unaware (it is a chain link fence but has that ugly 70s style colored plastic fed through it , so you have to look over the fence to see into the yard) , they will run and hop the fence rather than fling it open which would allow my dogs to keep chasing them.

Anyway , they list incidents in various states here ..of particular interest is the "what if the victim was trespassing" 

http://doglaw.hugpug.com/doglaw_082.html


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## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

This is an option...

















or for the most simple signs


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## JiveDadson (Feb 22, 2010)




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## Everyday Miracles (Nov 14, 2010)

Where can you get the breed signs? I did some hunting today and I couldn't find anything. One of the reasons that we got a Rottweiler was for guarding, and I'd rather cut it off at the pass with a sign that at the very least implies that we have a dog guarding the property (and what breed it is). So far every site I've found seems to focus on the toy breeds. :-/


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## Tami (Aug 31, 2006)

Everyday Miracles said:


> Where can you get the breed signs? I did some hunting today and I couldn't find anything. One of the reasons that we got a Rottweiler was for guarding, and I'd rather cut it off at the pass with a sign that at the very least implies that we have a dog guarding the property (and what breed it is). So far every site I've found seems to focus on the toy breeds. :-/


http://www.signswithanattitude.com/dog_signs/rottweiler.html
http://signs-up.com/product.asp?p=68532028085
http://www.amazon.com/Rottweiler-Xi...4A/ref=sr_1_44?ie=UTF8&qid=1298624242&sr=8-44


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## dorothy80 (Feb 25, 2011)

I have one in our gate. My parents love the way I did on the signs...this is what i write on it:

*"Close the gate! My bulldog don't bite but the owners do!*


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## THE_biggest_canine_lover (Dec 26, 2010)




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## prntmkr (Jan 17, 2009)

Everyday Miracles said:


> Where can you get the breed signs? .. :-/


Here's that site for custom signs: 
http://www.allsignsco.com/yellowsigns.html?gclid=CIfwtMubh48CFQp7PAodqhFd4A

And now I have to figure out exactly 
what _our_ signs should say.


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## BrittanieJo (Sep 23, 2010)

We were thinking of getting a sign simply so people are aware especially since Aggie is in the front yard. But I think the dog trolley gives it away. I know in Akron if you have a pit bull you are given a sign to put up that's neon green (it's quite pretty really, the green was supposedly a nod to not be a negative thing but rather an education thing) and says Pitbull on premises as that is part of the law there for owning a pure bred pit. My uncle has that along with the caution dog on premises signs on his privacy fence in the backyard. Of course the signs might as well say "caution, I will jump on you and give you LOTS of kisses". We do have a little magnet on our front and back doors that say we have a dog inside for emergency personnel. My mom bought it as a joke but I think it's adorable lol.


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## MusherChic (Nov 6, 2010)

> "My dog can make it to the fence in 2.8 seconds, can you?"


I have always wanted to get one of those signs to put up in my house just because it's funny. lol!! 

I don't have any gates at my house except for the one leading to the dog yard (which it would be stupid if someone walked in there because there is NOTHING in there that anybody would need to get unless they were stealing dogs or dog houses or something...) so I don't have any problems with people leaving gates open. However, I do have signs on my drive way, one says "Sled dogs use this trail" and then a sign with the kennel name on it just so people know that there are dogs on the premises. I bought one but the other I just made myself by taking a flat piece of wood, painting the words on it and nailing it to a tree. I've had problems with people trespassing so thats why I put up those signs.



> So, instead, I have a sign like this: I also keep padlocks on the gates.


That is awesome!! I think I will make one only I will trade Grey Hounds for Sled Dogs.


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## jesirose (Mar 27, 2008)

prntmkr said:


> Here's that site for custom signs:
> http://www.allsignsco.com/yellowsigns.html?gclid=CIfwtMubh48CFQp7PAodqhFd4A
> 
> And now I have to figure out exactly
> what _our_ signs should say.



They don't have my breed, of course. 

We live in an apartment and keep our dogs crated, but I've been wanting to get a dog sticker for my car, but I can't find one I'm happy with. 
My vet has a sign that says "The day God made dogs, he just sat down and smiled".


On topic: I would seriously advise against anything that is beware, warning, etc. You never know what can happen. When I had a yard, I used locks on the fences. $5 at Home Depot, and no liability.


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## noorsalma (Sep 20, 2021)

I think it’s a good idea. If your dog leaves the property and bites someone, you will be liable. But if someone comes on the property without permission from you and the dog bites, the issue is not so clear. This will vary by country. I would definitely put an outdoor digital signage that implies the dogs bite because I want potential burglars to be warned.


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## Lillith (Feb 16, 2016)

This thread is from 2011 and none of the participants are active anymore. Please feel free to start your own thread or participate in current discussions, but I'm closing this one to further replies.


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