Walking etiquette

[puggleowner]

I just have a general question- what is the proper etiquette for when your dog goes to the b-room on other people's lawns? Whenever I take Cameron for a walk, she pees in our lot or in the empty lot next to us. It takes a little walking though for her to work up her poo- so by that time we are usually a few houses down. As soon as she goes I always pick it up, but is it still rude to even let her go in another yard? This morning she was sniffing at the edge of someone's yard and the road, and they let their dog out- I think as a signal for us to get away from their lawn...but I always pick it up- it's not like I leave it there. Also, Cameron likes to "mark," so even though her long pee was in our yard, she will do little marking drips on other people's yards as we walk, especially if she smells another dog. But again, this is only like one or two drops and it is not likely to hurt the grass I don't think. What are everyone's thoughts

[Jamiya]

I don't know how you can stop a dog from pooping if they have to go! I wouldn't care if another dog did that in my front yard, as long as the person picked it up. Pee? Who cares!

Realizing that other people don't always feel the same as I do, I sometimes try to encourage Nala to do her stuff on the parking strip rather than the main lawn. Then I clean it up.

Fortunately, since she has been on raw she poops so infrequently that it all stays in our yard.


Jamiya

[winnie]

Hello...I dont let my dogs on anyones lawn...I always remember how mad my mom would get when people would let their dogs on her lawn b/c she spent so much money on the gardner , upkeep, and the grass itself was expensive...what i do is, i live in an apartment building and my whole block has apartments so I let Winnie do her bussnese on my block were the apartments are, then we walk around the neighborhood with all the homes(i taught her not to walk on grass after we pass a certain point)....if theres a part that isnt someones lawn and their is that random apartment building i let her go there if she must(I figure people in aprtments dont pay for upkeep of the lawn in front)...if you pick it up it shouldnt be a problem (the poop that is) but pee kills grass...it might not show up right away but it could turn brown cause if she pees there other dogs might pee there cause they smell it and then the next thing you know the grass is dead. I dont kow, thats just my opinion...I feel bad when Winnie has diarhhea cause how are you suppose to pick that up? ohwell

[Jamiya]

Hehe, Bonnie had the runs at my son's soccer game. I think she was nervous with so many people around. She did it right on the sidelines. I was so mortified!

I have one of those poo-picker-upper things that I got from PetsMart. It is a little handheld thing, and you squeeze it and the jaws open so you can pick up the poo (with a bag inside, of course). I usually get a bunch of grass as well - so I just used that and got as much as I could - I tried to pull up the grass and dirt and everything! Then luckily there was a newspaper right at the top of the trash can, so I tore off a piece and used it to sort of wipe up the rest (or at least integrate it into the ground).

LOL, it was not fun.


Jamiya

[Maisey]

I suppose this will not mesh with everyones opinions..butt here goes. My dogs know that BEFORE we go for a walk they have to go potty in OUR yard. We just don't leave until they do. Now, if it's one of those times when they don't have to go poop...and then later do, I can actually say "no" and keep walking and they will hold it. I like to wait until we are at the park or on some other public property. I don't let mine wander up into someone elses yard let alone go potty on it. Some people don't have animals and would be upset at the idea of the urine burning their lawn, or some other reason they have. As a dog owner I don't want other peoples dogs going in my yard, I have no way of knowing if they take care of their animals by having them utd on vaccinations and worming etc.
I can take Witt or Dooley outside and say "go potty" while they are still on leash and they will go right there. Witt will go exactly where I stop, he is really good about it. Dooley wants to wander a bit, but if he really has to go he will do it wherever I give him to go. I think they learned this because I take them with me everywhere I go, sometimes they only get a little tiny scrap of weeds to go on in a parking lot somewhere. They can be taught like this. I personally think..even if you clean it up, it's rude to allow them to go on someone elses yard, so I don't. Not saying anything negative about you puttin!

[Maisey]

oops not puttin...but puggle.

[puggleowner]

I can understand how you could possibly teach a dog not to poop until you're in a vacant lot, and maybe I could try to work on that with Cameron, but teaching them not to mark their territory? That seems to me to be an impossible task. Sure some dogs do not mark like others do, and their owners are lucky. I always make sure Cameron does her initial, full pee in our lot, but that does not stop her from wanting to mark in other places on our walks, and I don't want to walk in the street the whole time either because it can be busy at times, and that is what the sidewalks are for, so I prefer to walk on those.

[karma]

My own lawn bears clear testimony to the fact that pee does indeed hurt lawns. And letting dogs repeatedly go on the edges of lawns near the sidewalk means the same small area is being hit.

But for me, bottom line is- people's property is their property, and without permission I (and my dogs) don't belong on it. Just my own thoughts.

[puggleowner]

Ok but that doesn't answer my question as to how I am supposed to stop my dog from "marking."

[Mary_NH]

we live in a pretty rural area and lots of spaces between people's front yards...those spaces are usually covered with brush and dead growth - that's where I will let Sadie mark. If she tries to squat on someone's front lawn I pull her along over time she has learned somehow that if there is just grass she mustn't stop she'll readily squat in the bushes at the side of the road. I do this cause I HATE it when someone else's dog uses my lawn as their toilet so I have to extend that same courtesy while walking my dog.

If Sadie poops in the brushy area I don't worry about picking it up. I don't even have to carry anything with me anymore cause she has one spot where she'll poop every walk. She's 10 years old now and she knows the routine.

[Maisey]

Puggle, you have a hold of the leash don't you? You can walk on the sidewalk, keep your dog on a short lead at your thigh or leg side. If she/he starts to pull towards someones lawn correct her. "leave it" or "walk on", checking her leash and pulling her back to your leg side. I have three male dogs, yes they like to mark, but I do not allow them to do that on other peoples property.

[winnie]

i agree with maisy...it shouldnt be that hard to keep your dog off other peoples property if they are leashed, just watch her as you walk...I think eventually she will learn she should go at home and hold it in the rest of the time or untill it is appropiate.

[2pyrs]

Your going to love this one. Where my mother lives it is a $50.00 fine if you don't clean up after your dog goes and it can only go on the tree lawn where there are sidewalks. Where we live it is country roads to walk our guys on, but I feel one should attempt to clean up after there dog and not let them go up into other peoples front yard. I usually take a walking stick with me and flip it into the drain if close by,or try to make sure they go before we leave. When a Pyr goes well its like a small horse and I just refuse to carry a shovel around with me. When they do go I try to make sure they are by empty lots other wise I do the I did not see anything act but keep it near the ditch (we don't have very many drains here and no sidewalks.) If some one gets that upset about it I ask them for a shovel and a place to put it or tell them I well come back in my car and clean it up.As to my guys taking a leak I keep it close to the road and try to explain to people that dogs are not like us they just let go where ever. I don't want people to hate my dogs or with all the nuts out there theses days follow me home and do something to hurt my guys.... A few years back we had some guy that would save it and drive by the homes of dog owners and throw it on peoples cars. SO the moral is the sh** you give others may just come back to you.
Should I be getting my waders on for this ??

2pyrs

[Rene]

When i walk Sebastain and Jasmine i walk them in the street (untill a car comes of course) if we walk on the sidewalk and they went toward someones lawn I would pull them back and not let them. People in my neighbor hood just let their dogs run free and do what ever they want in other peoples yards and that really bothers me. My own dogs dont even go to the bathroom on my front lawn why should someone eles get to and they dont clean it up. I cant ever seem to find the owner but one of these days i will be out there at the same time and let them know i dont like it.

Yesterday a lady was walking her dog on a leash and when i came around the corner (comming home from work) she was in the street with her dog and a loose great dane was running towards her she was pulling her dog back and yelling HEY YOUR DOG IS OUT no one came she yelled at the dog to go home finally a lady opened the door and called the dog like nothing was wrong THAT REALLY BUGS ME even if it is a nice dog it should not be allowed to run up on someone like that.

If i were walking mine and that happend i would have a heart attack that Great Dane is huge and my Yorkies are tiny.

Rene

[elizavixen]

I have this problem but in the opposite direction. My neighbor likes to walk his little dog near my yard and lets him do his business in my yard. TWICE I have stepped in it. That p#@#%s me off to no end. I would prefer the dogs not to go at all, in case they have some sort of disease such as parvo or something, but if they got to go, then at least clean it up. He only lives one house down. He could walk to his house, get a baggie or something. I mean, honestly, it's ridiculous. and downright rude.

So my question is: If he does it again, what would be the best way to handle it? I don't really want to cause trouble with my neighbors (I just moved here) but geez. I swear if it catches me in a bad mood one day I'm going to take some of my dog's poop (they're both St. Bernards so it is ALOT) and put it by his front door. See how he likes to step in it. Sorry, I'm ranting. It just really makes me mad.

But I guess as my opinion to the original post, I think you should try to prevent it but if it happens and you clean it up, no harm done.

[Jamiya]

[2pyrs]

Bag it tag it and return it to it's owner with a note saying thank you but at this time we have enough Sh** and don't wish any more.

2pyrs

[puttin510]

I think the same as Winnie. I let mine go on apartment grass becasue no-one ever sits or plays there. Picking it up of course. When I walk with hubby he has a different set of rules. I am always on his case telling him not to let rufus even walk up on personal property. He always has to anoint the grass, rocks whatever. When I'm walking him I just say off, or off the grass. He knows to listen to me. With Sasha she has a mind of her own. I have to pull her along. On hot days Sasha loves to pick the yard with the nicest lushest grass and run the length of it and roll in it. Pnce in a while a home owner will see and I just smile, while getting her off saying she only picks the nicests lawns to do that. They usually smile.
As for the dogs leaving their poop on your lawn, you don't have to feel bad about letting someone know, not to leave their dogs business on your lawn. Tell them to pick it up. Hand them a bag too. They will learn not to come your way.

[klf]

I hate it when my neighbors let their dog go in my yard! I don't allow my dog to go in theirs, Wes knows trees, bushes, plants and grass are off limits! He finds poles, fences and more poles! I just say ahh ahh and tell him to leave it after some sniffing we go on! Before we lived on a country road...now we live in a small town and after a month he learned not to do it on yards that were not his. He is 6 years old. so if he can do it your dog can remember treats! My dog also will not poop on our walking leash. don't know why just doesnt that made training easier!

[loonyluna]

I let Luna pee & poop on the grass between the sidewalk and the road since it's city property. And I pick up the poop of course.

If my neighbour's dog was pooping in my yard and it was not getting picked up, I would definitely say something to my neighbour. And not worry about being new and not wanting to make waves. The first time, you can mention it in a really polite and friendly way. If your neighbour gets mad about that, it is his problem, then you can start returning the poop to him.

Just out of curiosity, anyone know why it is unacceptable for dogs to pee and poop on private property but it is perfectly ok for cats to come and rip up your garden and poo in it? Dog owners get all the flak.