General Discussion
Leatash got me thinking, stating they haven't been to the beach for 5 years
We go at least one a week for a stroll, geerally the warren
Do you go ?
Why did you move to DAWLISH ?
Yes, being by the sea was the main attraction, but then there's also the phenomenal countryside - whichever way I drive in, I see stunning vistas - Powderham, Mamhead, Luscombe, Ashcombe, Teign Estuary.
We're blessed to have all this on our doorstep which is why I don't like to see parts of the town looking run down. Leatash said tourists don't notice rusty railings etc, I disagree. We'd get more tourists if the town was spruced up. Happily, things seem to be improving, and maybe the silver lining of the events in February will be a resurgence of pride in Dawlish.
A better quality of life for the whole family with so much on the doorstep that is the envy of people in big cities
I used to go to the beach a lot, but now it's been taken over by dog owners who think that it's their god given right to let their dear little poop machines leave their mess all over the beach and not pick it up, + letting them bark and yap incessantly.
And there's Carer yet again providing an invaluable service for the Dawlish Tourist Board! What is it with these negative people around here? Why do they get so much pleasure from being such doom mongers??
Many heavily used beaches (certainly in the SE) have zones that ban dogs in summer months for lots of good reasons.
Go to the beach all the time that's why we are here .
As for dog's never had problem's with them or there owners most are good and clean up .
Dawlish & the warren are great places to live We are lucky don't you think ?
Clive, it's the same in Dawlish, only certain parts of the beach allow dogs in the summer.
I'm a responsible dog owner and am alert to others leaving mess in case anyone think it's me. I've yet to come across anyone not clearing up, though of course it's more likely to happen when no one's looking. Same with the yellow polystyrene takeaway cartons and lager cans that surface overnight.
@ MrsC
Oh, I get it now. When someone aske a question, I am supposed to lie about it then!
Afraid of the truth are you? Live in a different Dawlish do you?
Get those rose tinted glasses off.
Since when is telling the truth being negative?
If you like treading in dogs mess, good for you. I happen to NOT like it.
Some people.......
Oh you little ray of sunshine you. You've totally surprised me with your reply - I was expecting it to be full of shouty capitalised words like "OPINION" and "FREEDOM OF SPEECH". So, well done you.
The beach is full of dog poo is it? Full of it?? Dogs bark and yap incessantly do they? Incessantly?? It must be the truth, just because you wrote it. Just like your cynical (but epicly failed) attempt to slag off the fantastic work being done at the train station.
Thankfully only "some people" are like you Carer, imagine what a dark world this would be if everyone were as negative as you? Still, I guess that your existence provides you with lots of opportunities to top-up your beer glass. After all, it's permanently half empty.
May I suggest a bare knuckle fight between Carer and Mrs C next Sunday on The Lawn at 2.30 pm .
All in the pub , before and after.
the sad thing that i find is that both @Carer and @Mrs C both have valid points in what they are saying.
I walk most of Dawlish with my dogs first thing in the morning and in the evening and it is evidentially visual to me that there is way too much dog mess about, owners not picking it up, not seeing thier dogs do it, either that or it belongs to a lot of desperate people who decided they can hold it no further and squat in the middle of the path! However it goes without saying that if you decided to own a dog, you need to take care of it and it's nature, that means buying poo bags, picking it up and disposing it! If there is not a dog bin about you can place it in the green litter bins too!
so no @Carer is not wrong at all, infact he/she is perfectly right that items such as the dog mess needs to be cleaned up and dealt with, but that can only be done by those who take that responsiblity of owning a dog.
and @Mrs C tourist should not need to read such items about dog mess, but truth behold it happens in every town, city, country path or costal path. whether you may reside in, people just don't pick up such excreation, so yes toruist reading it will understand i'm sure that while meassures are in place, some people just can't seem to do a simple task. bag and bin.
but then here we are, in dawlish very own version of eastenders well @elvis presley might be quite right, either love each other tender and always be on each others mind, or be nothing like a hound dog and ain't no friend of mine and leave differences assidde, as @elvis presley rightfully said sunday, 14:30pm and if you don't want to turn up and show the public this is real well atleast we can all enjoy a drink before and after too.
Oh well, at least one upside of the storms was getting the beach totally clean.
But seriously, I think tourists from urban areas are very used to dog issues. In G.London it is almost impossible now to find a park where dogs are not a thorough nuisance in all respects including being threatening. The best that can be hoped for is to find the 5% of a park that is defined as 'no dogs' fenced off zone. Outside of these rare areas you have to be on your guard at all times.
I have a 'friend' who is God fearing, a very upright member of the community, intelligent and polite. He also has a large dog who is very kindly and well looked after. However, he also believes that it is perfectly acceptable to let him run loose in Richmond Park, startle the deer (blamed the deer who head butted the dog in self defence) and devour parakeets whole, yes literally whole. Then thinks it funny when other parakeets swoop in a deparate attempt to save their mate.
'What can you do?' he innocently protests, 'I have to let my dog have its freedom'. No the dog's name isn't 'Fenton', so sadly not a one off case.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmpONxJ7JSw
Sadly, in my general experience and inspite of the many many genuinely responsible owners I see, my conclusion is that an enforced 'dog ban' zone is the only thing that really makes a meaningful difference.
It goes without saying that yes some people though are respectful, really nice people, do still undoubtedfully find it ammusing to allow such things to happen. It's easy to set up "dog ban zones" however imagine that in Dawlish, where would you allow a dog to be let off, where could you go to allow your dogto excrete, who is going to pay for it to be monitored who will be responsible for ensuring it is carried out.
We used to have many Dog Wardens in our area, now we only have one. Who is going to employ more? Who is going to find somewhere sutiable dogs could be walked. The thing that gets me is that this council has done loads to improve the situation, free bags to encourage owners, bins available, the choice to use a normal bin to dispose, etc etc, yes people chooice not to.
We have a dog, walk it in the restricted zone o the beach, pick poo up where ever we are, I agree too much poo around
We have been here 18 months, we absoltely love the area
The people are generally nice, and I've met carer
Love
The beach
Esturary
Mamhead
Newton
Exeter
Coincidentally I had to sort out someone elses doggy-dos deposited right infront of my little front (not Dawlish) gate yesterday. 
@Andyasport is quite right, there is too much poo, it does not mean that you should not like the area or not visit Dawlish, because it's a lovely place to come and visit. And I'm sure most visitors will understand that dog mess is of a problem everywhere. I would say if any body can come up with some fantastic ideas to send them to our Council.
I know that in Jersey they set up teams of volunteers who could be walkers, ramblers or just volunteers for that situation who go around with leaflets, free dog poo bags and encourage people to pick it up, they also are permitted to take pictures of anyone in the act whodon't pick it up and can issue it to the dog warden who in results will if can indentify them, issue a fine of £500.
You are quite right, there many places that are far, far worse. e.g. Paris, as was infamously featured in an episode of SITCity when Carrie steps in some doggy-doos, in her Manolo Blahniks! Doesn't stop Paris being a tourist destination.
Andysport. I have given some thought to why i dont visit the beach anymore its probably because the children have now got there own friends and do their own things. When they where young it was a great way to entertain them its free healthy and safe but i have decided that at least once a week i will have a walk along the wall and take the air looking forward to it all being open.