No 1 reason why you shouldn't get a dog.

[myhandslooksoold]

I see so many posts starting with 'tell me why I shouldn't get a dog' and i've just found the ultimate reason. I de-pooed the garden this morning after my dog had been out and obviously hadn't done it thoroughly enough because my one year old DD just found a tiny tiny bit of dog poo and was rubbing it between her fingers. Luckily I was watching her like a hawk and rushed to wash it off. So so upset. So unless you can 100% guarantee that you will religiously walk the dog at exactly the same times every single day, your garden will be used as a dog loo. Which is really not nice when you have small children.

[chickchickchicken]

yes lots of other reasons too - lifestyle changes, cost, hairy house, fleas and worms, being responsible for another living being, to name but a few

just as well we love 'em!

[CoffeeIsMyFriend]

you can also train the dogs to use one area of the garden if they need to go at all.

not the worst thing in the world, although definitely not nice imho.

[silentcatastrophe]

There are so many reasons why not to get a dog, it's extraordinary that anyone gets one. They need commitment and training and time. We are not dogs and often have unreasonable expectations of our canine friends. Dog poo smells awful, but it's not that dangerous if the dog has been de-wormed and de-flead. Fox poo and cat poo is often far worse.

[GrimmaTheNome]

We fenced off an area for the dog when DD was small. Really not hard to find a solution if you want to.

Children will find all sorts of things to stick their fingers in (birdshit, snails, cat shit ...) - shit from your own dog, which of course you know is properly wormed, isn't the worst thing imaginable!

[smartyparts]

As the owner of two dogs who love a bit of fox poo to roll in, I would agree it certainly smells far worse and I don't like to think of what horrors it may contain.

I have just been out with our puppy and he found a mouldy bird to eat. Last week it was a rotten fish. Great.

[Kvetch]

Oh what a delightful puppy you have, smartypants! :o

As has been said, picking up dog shit, whilst not pleasant, is not the end of the world, OP.

[MotherJack]

On the flipside, you could make some bold statement along the lines of it being the number one reason not to have children - they pick things up and inspect them in detail.. whatever it is they have grasped. DIRTY LITTLE BUGGERS! Oh, and dogs take a crap from time to time, bears shit in the woods and the Pope [looks both ways] is Catholic.

Just mentioning it, in case anyone is unsure.

[myhandslooksoold]

Thanks for replies. Yes it is just as well we do love and value our dog as a member of the family but if I could rewind time and have the benefit of hindsight then we would not have her. But as it is she's with us for good. Just wanted those who are thinking a dog would complete the family to really consider the scenario of dog poo being accidentally touched by your baby/children. Of course it can happen in the park etc but in my own garden did upset me today.

[myhandslooksoold]

Lol at motherjack- didn't see your post before I replied. Yes of course this happens i'm just stressing this aspect of dog ownership to those who are uninitiated in these matters. I'm just trying to help. Thats all!

[Fifis25StottieCakes]

Ive got 3 dc and 2 dogs. Just curious but where did you think the dog would poo.

You are probbly better off fencing some garden off or paving it. I constanly picking dog shit up or carrying bags of it around with me.

[myhandslooksoold]

I think that I thought it would be easier to keep to a routine so dog would be used to walking and pooping then. Was also so dog-crazed I probably didn't consider it long and hard enough.

[MrsRhettButler]

My dogs don't poo in our garden. Ever.

I let them into the front yard (tiny piece of grass) every morning and then they have their walk after they eat and I periodically let them out the front during the day and they know that the back garden is not their toilet so the kids can play safely in the garden

I believe the garden is for the dc and the dogs to PLAY in

We had some accidents when they were younger but we just kept putting them out the front every time they messed in the garden, I don't see the problem, the garden is an extension of my living room and can be treated as such imo

[Fifis25StottieCakes]

I would love to learn how to get mine to poo on one spot in the garden if anyone wants to tell me how.

Mine rarely go in the back so its not a huge problem. Mine do it the other way round. I walk them then they poo in the garden

[MotherJack]

Myhands, I can understand your experience being a little unsettling... but it's not the number 1 reason to not get a dog. The far more important considerations are ability to give appropriate exercise, training and attention, in no particular order (assuming you can afford to feed and vet) -they all need all of them and these are the #5 in should I get a dog or not.

It's not about being "dog-crazed". Pooing is just what they do, like all animals. I'm wondering if I should add a note to my homechecking list now - "do you anticipate the animal may do a poo in your garden?"

[Sausagesarenottheonlyfruit]

I've seen a dog eat bum crumbs which had fallen from a small child* perhaps this goes some way to compensate?

*not my dog or child

[nulgirl]

It is the number 1 reason why I won't get a dog. I love dogs and can see why one would make a lovely addition to our family but the smell of dog poo makes me want to vomit and I couldnt handle knowing that I had to pick that up everyday. Am just about finishing almost 5 consecutive years of nappy changing and am relishing life without handling poo.

[DooinMeCleanin]

My dogs are in a routine but the Devil Dog still shites anywhere and everywhere at any given time. Whippy is good wee doggy and only shits in her special corner. I have no idea how I achieved this fete btw, she just did it. It never occurs to Whippy to do anything wrong, so she is utterly untrained.

[MrsRhettButler]

fifi remember when you were toilet training as a puppy? It's exactly the same, every time the dog poops in the wrong area say no and quickly move dog to the prefered area. When they DO go in the right place then you reward reward reward :) simple really

[Fifis25StottieCakes]

God is it that easy even with the 6 year old. Im going to strat trying tommorrow

[MotherJack]

Fifi - I got my (now indeterminate age- she was aged on her very good teeth which have turned out to be rotten) OldLady to actually do it outside... Yayyyy!! She can do it on my doorstep and my son can roll it like a cigar for all I care - she has made a huge step forward, and I have soap

[Fifis25StottieCakes]

Ive got the spot picked out all ready, right next to the neighbours fence who hates my dogs

[MrsRhettButler]

Our dog was one when we got him and he came from a house where he was allowed to POO IN THE KITCHEN! So he wasn't a pup and we managed to house and garden train him so it is possible :)

We basically had to retrain everything about him but he was worth it

Consistency is the key

[MrsRhettButler]

Good luck

[MotherJack]

On a serious note, I agree with MrsRhettButler in that consistency is the key... but you also need to reward the nanosecond they have done whatever it is you want them to, otherwise they will be confused and end up in their minds being rewarded for something different.

[Bast]

I agree that consistency is key.

Soggy shite is a bugger to pick up.