PUP (pick up poop)

I'm here.

I don't have anything to add about the hospital because I don't care one way or the other...but I'm more for it than against it; you can never have a hospital that is too close.

That being said, my 'amen' was to Homer rather than Boomer. What Boomer suggested goes too far in the 'let kids be kids' argument, you have to get them medicine when they're sick and provide them with helmets. But like Homer said, everything nowadays is spun towards what effect it will have on 'the children' and that's what I think is bogus. You have to protect/treat your children from the obvious dangers (illness, abduction, the street *ahem*)

I do agree that most of those dog bites are from the family dog and most are cause by the kid slapping at the dogs food bowl or pulling it's tail or something equally deserving of a bite and that most statistics/surveys are conducted/compiled with a specific bias in mind. Alas, I'm just restating everything Homer has already said.

 

There was an episode of the Simpsons where Bart gets put into a bubble. Of course it was used for mayhem....

 

I was also respondong mostly to Boomer. The dog bite statistic was in the context of dog safety. Never touch a dog you don't know without asking its owner etc. I do believe that all Homer's stuff was in there as well.

Bottom line for me dogs are required to be on a leash and if I see my neighbors pit bull loose on my lawn again dropping a huge ...., I'm calling animal control and the HOA.

 

I'd be mad about that too! I'd pick up all that mess and dump it on their door step if talking about it didn't stop it.

 

Am mostly a lurker on this forum, but wanted to say something as the owner of a dog with issues. My dog is a rescue (big), and after some time showed aggression towards other dogs and children. The way I see it, he's mine, and I am absolutely responsible. He is never outside without a lease and muzzle. If I see other dogs coming, I turn away. I have even had to look like the bad guy when parent's say to their children, "Do you want to go pet the doggie?" and I have have to say that it's not a good idea. He's never bitten anyone, and because I don't want to loose him, he'll never have the chance too. I do pick up after him, and hope that if someone thought I didn't they would ring my door bell and talk to me before leaving me a present.

 

I bet there is a pet psychologist around here somewhere...what with all the yuppies in the area

Brim, I never said don't give kids medicine.

As for helmets, you don't need them either. Maybe if you are doing crazy stuff or riding along a busy road, but not just to ride over to Joey's house across the way.

I never wore a helmet as a kid.... err, wait a minute, I guess that explains it....

[]

 

I bet the pet psychologist would say the dogs are just pooping to get love and attention. Maybe even prescribe doggy Ritalin.

 

My sense is that the unpicked up poop is growing. My four footed friend and I walk in many areas of Broadlands. Most dog owners pick up after their companions. How often do we here about the responsible dog owners? We pick up trash and dog poop on almost every walk. Dog walkers are in a natural position to do this. We walk all over our community and have a supply of plastic bags. We can all do more.

 

My gripe is not with the dog poop .. that's easy enough to pick up ... but with the owners allowing their dogs to urinate on the grassy strip between the sidewalk and the street. I've given serious thought to embedding a metal grate that would give the dog a shock once they started to whizz.

Seriously, most of the grass in that area in front of my house has been killed off by the amount of urine that has been left. I'm in the middle of killing off the rest so that it won't look so bad.

What ever happened to 'Curb your dog' ... which in my old neighborhood in New Jersey meant that you yanked your dog by the leash into the street when he stopped by the hydrant.

Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

 

I know the urine is a problem but only female dog's urine burns the grass. The only way to stop it burning the grass is to pour water over the area immediately after the dog has gone there. I try to make my female dog go in common areas or on my lawn where I can control it. You'll notice lush green areas of grass at the moment - that's where the male dogs have urinated.

jaeris

 

Like Philan, I'm a lurker on this board, but this has been an interesting topic with some good points.

I think that every dog owner should do a better job of cleaning up after their pet. As you can tell from my screen name, I own a big newfoundland. He can leave quite a specimen, but my wife and I are diligent about cleaning up after him. I've got a fanny pack filled with clean-up bags that I strap around my waste every time we go for a walk. It's frustrating to find places around the neighborhood, even by the "deuce bins" where owners haven't cleaned up after their pet. Broadlands does a pretty darn good job of placing "deuce bins" in neighborhoods and keeping them filled with the bags. I've rarely found empty bins!!

For those of you that are having problems with the neighbors pet, I agree with Homer. Talk to them first, then start returning gifts to sender!

The leash rules are an interesting topic in Loudoun. There's nearly no place to take a dog to run and play off the leash around this area(no doggy parks). I went to the Shenandoah Park this weekend to trout fish and let Yogi roam through the woods, off the leash. Most of the time, I keep him on the leash when walking him in the neighborhood. He loves to go great everyone, but his size intimidates a few folks. I do let him off the leash when our walking route is away from the houses and people. He is a big teddy bear that loves to play with people.

Our pet(breed)selection process a couple of years ago addressed the topic of children and which breed would be good with little ones. Yogi has been nothing but outstanding with my daughter and other children to date, except for a few slobbers left on a shirt or pant leg. I think every owner needs to know their pet and make cautious choices about controlling your animal.

Lastly... jaeris, I don't think burnt grass is limited to the female dogs.

Sorry for being long.

 

Well in the case of my two dogs (one male and one female) it is. I have lush green areas on my lawn where my male dog and my neighbor's male dog have relieved themselves and round brown patches on my lawn where my female dog has gone. Up the road there a house with a female dog who relieves herself on the front lawn and it's full of brown circles. I guess female dogs hold it longer and leave more of a concentraton of nitrogen whereas male dogs save theirs for marking purposes so only do a little at a time.

jaeris

 

The large amount must be it, rather then gender.

newfdog

 

I feel shame - like I said, I allways pick up after, but I never thought twice about him doing number one on the hydrant. It's what he seems to live for and I am sorry to say it never occured to me that the hydrant marking would annoy anyone. I will try to change his habit and appologize if I'm the one causing the brown spots that bothered anyone. Also, newfdog, I think I've seen your dog walking, beautiful dog.

 

Yesterday I watched a woman with a large dog let the dog poop (a large amount) and walk away without cleaning it up. This took place on Claiborne Parkway, next to the new apartments - near the new path.

Unfortunately, I was running late to my appointment and did not stop, however, when I do see her again...I will stop and ask her why on 3/31/04 she let her LARGE dog poop and walk away without cleaning it up?

We have two dogs and always take baggies when we walk them. I do not understand why people do not clean up after the dogs?

 

Maybe we could carry digital cameras around and take pictures. Then we can post them in the news letter. What fun.

 

Here's my 2 cents worth: Maybe she's having back problems and was unable to bend over to pick it up. And don't start in with "if she has a bad back, she shouldn't have a large dog". I'm sure most of us at one time or another have found ourselves in a similar situation - whether it's back or something else. Now - if she's observed never picking it up then we have grounds to complain.

 

A bad back or otherwise, should not prevent you from your responsibilty of policing your dog. If you cannot bend over to pick up the crap then walk your dowg in your own yard.

And IF you have a bad back, you should not be walking a large dog that can pull significantly on a leash possibly causing more damage.

 

Or get one of those "pooper scooper" contraptions from PetSmart, so you don't have to bend over!!!