Friday, March 29, 2013

The Dark Side of Dog Walking


I carry the garbage bag like a badge of honor, dangling it in my right hand so all can see it. I want to make sure that any passing neighbors or window witches staring as I walk my dog, Darcy, have no doubt whatsoever that I cleanup after her.

Through the grapevine, I heard that a dog owner, just a few doors down from where I live, never cleans up after her pooch. I can’t blame her. Bagging dog shit ranks up there with colonoscopies and anal exams. In short, I find it gross and disgusting.

But it goes with being a dog owner. In my town, they passed a law requiring dog walkers to pick up after their dog. If you don’t and you get caught, the town will fine you $100 for each incident.

Cleaning up after your dog makes sense if she poops in front of someone’s mailbox or in the middle of a driveway. Who wants to walk into that by accident? However, given that I live in the boonies, I think the crap can safely rest in peace in some spots, alongside the moose, bear and deer droppings. And that is where I draw the line. 

If Darcy craps in a secluded space, well off the road and not near any homes…and if no one sees her (other than me), I let the poop lie and allow nature to takes its course in the disintegration process. Now I have to figure out how to train her to poop only in those hidden spots.

So for now, I swing that garbage bag, scoop up the poop and literally hold my nose. 

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