Picking up dog poo - is this ok?

[HoggleIsMyFriend]

I'm pretty fierce about picking up dog poo. There is never any lying around in my garden. Out on a walk it had barely touched the ground and it's in a bag. I also pick up poo that is lying around if it's on the street or somewhere kids play. It's rank picking it up though.

Anyway fast forward to today when out on a stomp overt the moors and ddog disappeared off the path into very long thick grass to do a poo. I didn't pick it up. I don't think I could have found it. Is this dreadful? Did I commit a doggy sin?

Also I'm taking ddog hillwalkingin a couple of weeks. It'll be a 5ish hour walk. I'd very much like to not have to carry poo in a bag for hours. Could I take a little trowel and bury it instead?

[HoggleIsMyFriend]

Hmm not sure that's clear. I pick up other dogs' poo too if it's somewhere unacceptable.

[pimmsgalore]

If its in long grass, where children won't be playing, then it's fine. You could bury if you feel the need but most forestry commission, national trust (off main area) places prefer you to stick and flick as it helps the local wildlife. If you don't want to carry your poo bags why not get a clip lock lunch box you can put in your backpack. You pick poo up in a poo bag then shut the poo bag in the lunch box which contains the smell and protects from accidents

[HoggleIsMyFriend]

Thanks Pimms. What's stick and flick?

Clip lock box is quite frankly genius!!

[MajorMassSpecsMistriss]

Stick and flick = pick up a stick and flick it off the path and into the undergrowth.

[MajorMassSpecsMistriss]

*flick the poo, not just the stick

[HoggleIsMyFriend]

Ah so undergrowth is ok to leave poo? Oh good it seems my judgement want to bad. I'll take bags and a box as a back up.

[pimmsgalore]

Can't take credit for the clip lock box a friend told my DH about it but yes it is genius
Stick and flick (flicking the poo, not the stick, gravel or anything else in the area) is as described above and an excellent choice for when your puppy does 6 poo's on a walk and you only have 5 bags with you

[ihatethecold]

Sounds fine to me.
We do the same with a stick if we are in fields.

Also bag it if on a path or park or public area etc.

[nicename]

I am sniggering a bit about the lunchbox (great idea though). Don't get your lunchboxed mixed up...

[HormonalHousewife]

Oh god can you imagine getting the boxes mixed up

[nicename]

Mmmmmmmm. Nutella.

[HoggleIsMyFriend]

Thanks guys what a lovely image in my head. I think I'll buy a coloured one only for poo.

[nicename]

Will you put it in the dishwasher (just taking notes in case you invite me over for tea)?

[sleeton]

Like the 'lunchbox' idea. Good for longer walks ... I always end up walking along with several poo bags dangling from my fingers, as I don't want to put them in my backpack.

The only thing I would add to what has been already been said, is that I do pick up when walking in fields, even if it's rough grass. In the past we have had our own grazing land littered with dog poo, not very healthy for the animals grazing.

I think a good guide is if off the beaten track and on rough land that is in the public domain (forestry, mountains etc) it should be okay to leave it (or 'stick & flick' ), but if on land that belongs to someone (farmland, for example) or is anywhere near human habitation, then should poo-pick.

[pimmsgalore]

Sleeton I totally agree but would also add in grazing land, as my 2 don't have 110% recall away from animals, I would need to pick up as it would be on the path as they wouldn't be off lead even if I thought the field was empty.

[ErrolTheDragon]

The NT guidelines are :
Never leave poo where people walk, play or picnic. We ask that if your dog fouls, particularly in car parks and on paths, you pick up and remove the mess. Flick it into rough grass or woodland, or take it away with you and dispose of it at home. There may be dedicated bins to put it in at heavily used sites.

but IIRC a notice on a walk near us had similar but also said to pick up on grazing land.

[nicename]

And please don't decorate trees and bushes with the little bags!

[YoureBeingADick]

"And please don't decorate trees and bushes with the little bags!"

aww- not even for Christmas? would be lovely if everyone used different coloured bags

[nicename]

Although I do enjoy watching the faces of tourists in the park when they go in for a close look at the odd things that the Brits decorate their park trees with. Religious significance, cultural... No it's poo!

[YoureBeingADick]

I would love to be there to see the realisation dawn on the tourists' faces.

[ErrolTheDragon]

heck yes. People often do it in places where there's no bin but where it'd be perfectly reasonable to 'flick'.

Its mostly common sense. e.g. f your dog decides to go in among the bluebells, much better leave it than trample them - kids shouldn't be playing there.

[VBisme]

I had a specific rucksac that I used, the procedure was:

Nappy bag to pick up poo, all poo bags into a plastic carrier, plastic carrier into rucksac.

Rucksac was referred to as the "sack of cack"

[VivaLeThrustBadger]

I've never flicked in my life, didnt realise it was ok to.

I've been on long walks in the wilds of the Peak District, etc and have bagged it and then tied the bag to the outside of my rucksack so its swinging off that till I find a bin!

[TheCunnyFunt]

My friend picks up and if it's still at the beginning of the walk she'll pick it up and put it in her coat pocket. One morning she stuck her hand in her pocket to discover the previous days bag of poo :o

[ijustwant8hours]

My kids like to off road a bit on walks, so I always pick up everywhere! I hate it that the local beauty spot is littered with dog poo because people just leave it if its not in the middle of the path!