Dog walking - Is this reality?

[grammafreddy]

The whole mentality of community has changed, and not just in Vernon, and not just by young people. Some of these dog poop crimes are done by older folks whom I believe don't feel connected and responsible to their new area. My Vernon mum lives up the road from a gated community. It is not so bad now, most of the guilty ones and their dogs have gone to the great beyond, but a few still persist. They walk their dogs up the country road, letting them do their business as they go. Some, but not all, clean up, and take the deposit away.

And these are not young punks, these are seniors, who are not cleaning up what their dog leaves. I am sure if the country people took their dogs into the gated community and let the country dogs crap on the fine lawns, there would be a big commotion. What is the mind set? I think these gated seniors feel no connection to the ones living on the country road so they think it is okay to not clean up after their dog. And of course that thinking is totally wrong. It got so bad a few years ago the old fellow across from my mum put up a very direct sign saying 'No Dog S**t Wanted Here'. That helped alot. I think if a person suspects they are being watched it is a good deterrant. I would use my front or side door alot more. If there are certain times of the day when dog walkers go by, be out in the yard. Even use reverse pyschology and wish them a good day. They may not say anything and hustle off, but I bet they won't be as brazen about letting their dog crap on your front lawn. Most people don't want to 'get caught'.

In the old days alol of Vernon homes had front porches and front steps where folks sat out. When a person walked by with a dog and it did its business, that person would clean it up, because there would be beady eyes from those porches watching. So they learned from a young age to get it done. Then the whole scene changed. Instead of front porches, where folks could keep an eye on the front of their place, and the neighbourhood kids riding around under watchful eyes, the focus was now on the backyard, the patio, the deck, and to stay inside in a/c, the home theatre, kids plopped down in front of machines.

So there is a whole generation of people who are disconnected from their front yard and their street, they are disengaged and just don't care what they do in other people's neighbourhoods, and probably their own, because there has been nobody out there to challenge them. And now if they are renters, that could be bad too, if they are not connected to that house either. I have thought for a long time that we need to get homes with front porches again and people sitting out there. There is alot less monkey business when it is known that eyes are watching.

Excellent post - and I agree totally with you about front porches and being connected to your street, your neighbourhood and your community.

[superbee]

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[OnTheRoadAgain]

I walk up and hand them a bag, and let the offending owner know that they can tie one onto their dog's leash.

[Ken7]

Sadly it is no different in the dog parks.

People who shouldn't own dogs allow them to pack up running about as they sip on coffee, not paying any attention to their dogs behaviour be it humped up or bully of the park.

There is allot more to being a good dog owner then feeding them, no different then parenting truly!

[kgcayenne]

To the person on Wednesday morning around 6:30am running eastbound on Guisachan between Stillingfleet and the roundabout: I noticed that you left your bag of crap from your golden retriever right where you scooped it up off the grass. Unless you picked it up on a second pass on your way home, you are a lazy pig that makes it difficult for real dog owners.