Question for dog owners..

[GrapesAndCheese]

Would you be offended if I informed you (politely!) that your dog had done a poo if I knew you hadn't noticed (and that it was definitely your dog too!?

Very often, whilst pushing the buggy round the park, I'll see a dog walking behind its owner, stop and take a poo, and then trot back to its owners side and all the while the owner is unaware and the poo is left there to be stepped in/poked at by a toddler. Not that it should make a difference but this is in a city park so not a field in the countryside.

This happened today and I really wanted to say 'excuse me, you didn't see but your dog just did a poo over there' but I wasn't sure if it was not the done thing. What would you suggest I do?

Wouldn't worry me, but then I always keep an eye on the hound so I know what it's up to! Owners should be aware of what their animal is doing.

It wouldn't offend me OP, would be glad you told me. I might be a bit embarrassed that I had taken my eyes off my dogs for it to happen though. Dog mess gets me quite angry, and I have dogs and toddlers, I wouldn't think twice about telling someone their dog mess needed cleaning up either. Please tell them.

I’d be mortified if I missed one, but thankful that you’d told me. The thing is though, a lot people who “miss” them won’t thank you, because often they had no intention of picking it up in the first place.

As long as you don’t do what one of my neighbours did, and point out the poo near his gate, knowing it wasn’t my dog, but apparently thinking I should pick it up anyway! 😂

Definitely tell me. But as the owner of a spaniel he is never behind me.

I'd be grateful that you'd told me as my dog often poops while waking, doesn't stop, slow down or anything 🙈🙈

I wouldn't mind at all. I'd be embarrassed that I hadn't noticed.
The only thing that would put me off doing that to others, though, is the possibility of a mouthful of abuse.

Definitely want to know! Dog poo is bloody disgusting and I’d not be offended at all

@ UrsulaPandress, 😁. I nearly wrote that about mine, always in front, never behind.

i was searching for a ninja poo the other day.....pup had squatted in the long grass, I found it eventually after many changes of position! It's really hard to find in the long grass!

I have offered bags to people before now if they "miss" the action..a little less confrontational than accusing them of leaving it behind on purpose.

I am actually very vigilant but if I did miss my dog having a poo, I would be thrilled if you told me.

I'm extremely angry that some people still think it's acceptable to let their dog poo and not clear it up.

No, I wouldn't be offended. Dog poo on the streets is disgusting and I can't stand it!

I'd be mortified that I'd missed it though.

Nope please tell me too. Although, my dog is quite small/low to the ground, and she curls around/raises a leg when she wees, sometimes it looks like she’s doing a poo when it’s actually a wee. I’ve had someone yell at me before for ‘not picking up poo’ when she’d done a wee not a poo.

Dog poo left around is revolting; I have told people before very politely and offered a poo bag and received some very aggressive responses!

I'd be embarrassed and glad you told me, but I think the kind of owners who blindly walk on not giving a shit watching what their pooch is doing will be the same owners who won't clean up the shit......

You also won't get a single person on here saying they would be offended or it's none of your business, they would get eaten alive

I think the problem is that responsible dog owners will know when their dog pops and pick it up. The ones who pretend not to see can be trickier to deal with. I’m off dog owners atm after losing 8 chickens and a peacock due to off-the-lead dogs that came into our garden and attacked the birds. One of the attacks was on New Years Day and the dog owner told me her dog killing my birds had completely spoilt her day as she’d only come out for a nice walk with her dog. As if somehow it was my fault she was an irresponsible owner! The next dog I found in my garden with a bird in its mouth, the owner called me a cunt, a whore, a fucking slag bitch and that it was my responsibility to keep his dog out if I didn’t want it in there. I called the police on this one, and the aftermath of that attack has led to me buying several hundred pounds of fencing, because while it is the responsibility of a dog owner to have control of their dog, I am gutted for my children who own the birds and can’t keep having this happen.

I’ve also pointed out a dog pooing on a part of my garden that is unfenced and beside the byway. I got told it was public land (not what my deeds say!) and to mind my own fucking business.

And if you bag your dogs poo, take it with you as there is an increasing problem with livestock eating poobags where they’ve been hung in or thrown over hedges. Most commercial dog feeds are high in cereals and that attracts cows, horses and sheep to have a nibble (wouldn’t tempt me but hey, animals aren’t always the brightest!)

I'd be mortified if i missed it! Definitely happy for someone to point it out to me

Wouldn't bother me at all. I'm often taking three out at once, so have missed one doing a poo whilst picking up another ones poo and been told by someone else and it's fine.

I'd be mortified to have missed and would appreciate you pointing it out, but many people wouldn't, DH was chatting to another dog owner on Christmas Day their dog did a poo and the owner shrugged and said he didn't have any bags with him, then declined when DH offered him one.

DH picked it up and walked off.

Yes, tell me. I'd thank you, apologise for not noticing and go and deal with the mess.

Yes would be helpful, when your dog is off lead it can happen (though my dog will only go in long grass or shrubbery no where near people, we joke he likes privacy!)

It wouldn’t offend me , but it wouldn’t happen to me as my dog is always where I can see him . You will get people who still deny the poo is their dogs though . I told someone on the promenade at Minnis Bay once that their dog had done a poo and they said it couldn’t possibly have been as he had already been and he only ever does one , it definitely was his dog as I saw it do it .

I'd feel awful that I'd missed it as I keep a close eye on her but if I'm out with my DDs too I could be distracted so would be grateful to be told.

As long as it's not said in an accusatory or judgemental way - like you think I did it on purpose and am trying to get away with it - then I'd be grateful!

Same as the others, I'd not be offended at all. I'd be embarrassed and deal with it straightaway.

It wouldn't bother me. But I did once meet a mum with her pushchair on a bridleway who got most irate when she asked me if I was going to pick up 'that massive shit your horse did, now I can't get my buggy past'

My horse with her ex racehorse mentality soon got fed up with standing for more than one second and fucked off!

Poor woman sounded like she was about to have a coronary