Dogs defecating

I cannot pretend I am a dog lover, nor even a lover of dog owners, but in their right place both are OK.

A couple of evenings ago I was having a beer with my son who was here on holiday.  It was a little before it started getting dark.   Not a time I usually find myself sitting outside a bar.   I could not believe the number of dogs being walked, and the number of owners, mainly men, who made sure they were looking away when their animals defecated on the footpath.  Even those who picked up allowed their animals to poo in front of everyone. If a human did the same, and in reality the process is just the same,  even if they picked up, I guess even the dog owners would be as offended as I was by the sight of their dogs doing it. 

Walking home required delicate footwork to avoid the piles of mess.

The next time I see a post where someone is asking advice about the best place to visit and or to buy, I will suggest they try to find a town which has banned all dogs.  Of course, unfortunately,  that possibility will only ever be a dream.  Maybe we could get a bylaw passed that all apartment blocks and houses are required to have an automatic shoe cleaning machine installed outside the main entrances !

johnzx

I fully agree but remember it is not the dogs but irresponsbile, idiotic, selfish dog owners and it is the majority NOT the minority as many think.

Why can't they simply train their dogs to dump in their own backyard before they take them out for a walk

Walking a dog is for exercise (owner and pet) and NOT for going to the toilet - simple really

This topic is repeated numerous times throughout Spain every week, without seemingly any progress. 

I do not understand why people are reluctant to have a polite quiet word with offenders, particularly those who don't pick up.

Our son and his partner live in a cottage situated in a Derbyshire village, they pick up after their dogs, however they regularly find a huge pile of horse crap outside their place, why do horse riders automatically think that folk will be pleased to clean up after them?

I'll have it! Great for the garden!

Being serious, concerning dogs.........Guide dogs are trained to 'go' in their garden in a certain place - so it is possible. If I had a dog i would train them accordingly. I'd much rather use a shovel with a long handle after a 'cooling period' rather than with a bit of plastic close up and personal.

Good post johnzx about a common problem not only in the UK but even worse in Spain. Each time we go into Marbella the bling capital of the CDS there is loads of dog cr4p on pavements even around the old town, most inland towns have the same problem too. Beaches in the UK and Spain unfortunately above the tide line where parasitic eggs lie dormant, these can hatch and cause blindness especially in children. UK councils do not enforce fines and blame lack of funds to employ more than one dog warden whilst pouring money into their flower beds.

Just back from San Diego where on Coronado they have a long dog beach where 100's of dogs are allowed and their mess has to be cleaned up whilst it's an offence to take dogs on the pristine public beach.

It is of course a matter of training the owners.  Police dogs do not defecate in the street and my wife even trained her male cat to perch on the edge of the toilet to defecate and pee. (being a male though she was unable to get him to close the seat)

Unfortunately the owners who allow their dogs to go in the street are apparently totally unaware that a dog craping is to many a very unpleasant sight.  As I said, it is the same as a human doing it in public, and even dog owners might object to that !.  

As for explaining politely to the owners. That is an impossibility as if they are so unaware of the problem, mentioning it to them is like a red rag to a bull.   

I have complained to the Town Hall and the Policia Local, and made a denuncia in general about dogs on and off leads in a playground area where there are signs which prohibit dogs in any circumstances.  The dogs still roam though.

As Johnzx says it is about educating the majority of dog owners who are ignorant, selfish, stupid and irresponsible – apologies for the strong words (I could think of many others!) but this is a very emotive subject and should be raised constantly until dog owners get the message and stop allowing their dogs to dump in the street / public place whether they pick it up or not.

They have a house and they should use that for their dogs dumping and not shared public places. Even areas that are assigned for dog dumping is paid for by the tax payer and the few dog owners who do use these areas do not pick up the mess so the tax payer has to pay the cost, and it just makes the area dirty, smelly and disgusting, also they are often next to open public areas for sitting and children’s play areas!!!

No use confronting them as their ignorance and stupidity is as someone says a red rag etc.

The same applies to dog owners walking dogs without being on a lead – again very irresponsible, selfish and ignorant of the owners

NO EXCUSES - fines should be rigorously applied and increased 100 fold for offenders

As for the comment on horses I agree but I am not sure how easy it would be to train a horse and some would say the gardeners love this as horse manure is good for their gardens etc. whereas dog’s dumps are not

I really appreciate the responible dog owners who always pick up, however many of them then either throw the bag on the floor, hang it on the nearest railing or tie it to the branch of a tree, obviously awaiting it to be cleared up by their personal dog s**t collector.

A late friend, who happened to be head keeper of the Chatsworth estate had 4 gun dogs, he took them to the same area of the park to do their business every day, he never cleared up because any area 'off path' was not designated a public area. I digress, but recall him telling me that yesterdays crap had always totally dissapeared when he took then for next day's dump, this is because of the liikes of earth worms, dung beetles, flies, wasps etc.  

Thought this was good

http://www.cesarsway.com/dog-care/housebreaking/Unique-Solutions-to-Dog-Poop-Problems