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Original poster

To ask dog walkers to be considerate

209 replies

hestialou · 15/04/2015 08:33

I have a garden to the side of house and people seem to think it is fine to allow their dogs to do their business in it, i asked one dog owner to not allow his dog on garden his response -but I'll clean it up, fine but why cant they clean it up off their own gardens or even clean up off pavement....why allow dog to go in someone elses garden in first place?

OP posts:
Reginafalangie · 15/04/2015 08:39

Is your garden fenced off? If so they are out of order allowing their dogs to roam in your garden. I suppose if not fenced off then dogs do tend to wander to the nearest grassy bit to do their business which does make it more difficult. However at least they are cleaning it up as I know many who don't.

MrsFlannel · 15/04/2015 08:42

Isn't there a fence?

cashewnutty · 15/04/2015 08:47

I walk my dog on lead in a place where many of the gardens don't have fences. She sometimes pulls onto the grass in these gardens to do her business. Most of the time i catch her and pull her away to a more suitable bit of grass. However, sometimes i don't quite notice in time and the job is done. I always pick up and am usually slightly mortified.

My dog poos in our own garden but she always likes a second poo of the day when out walking. It is also much harder to pick up poo cleanly off a pavement than it is off grass.

Does this happen on a regular basis or is it just once in a while when a dog owner hasn't quite noticed?

WizardOfToss · 15/04/2015 08:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
hestialou · 15/04/2015 08:53

Not fenced off as not always owned it and we are saving up to change to parking area. It happens a lot but I just usually see the after effects he was just stood there with dog did business despite me telling him and asking him not to allow dog to go there. When I had a dog and was out walking always made the dog go near the gutter.

OP posts:
LarrytheCucumber · 15/04/2015 08:53

I had a similar problem. Trouble is, once one dog has done it the others are more likely to, or at least to leave a scent mark, which in turn attracts more dogs. No solution I am afraid OP but you have my sympathy.

WizardOfToss · 15/04/2015 08:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

cashewnutty · 15/04/2015 09:00

I never let mine go in the gutter as it seems very dangerous having a pooing dog where there is moving traffic. Also dangerous when you bend to pick it up. I wouldn't trust drivers to notice i was crouched down by the road.

Reginafalangie · 15/04/2015 09:00

Even putting down a row of large rocks as a barrier may deter the dogs/owners. If the grassed area was not always owned and dogs have been able to use it freely as pp said they have scent marked and that is what the dogs will continue to do.

MrsFlannel · 15/04/2015 09:00

I would create a sort of barrier with pots of plants. Use large pots with little fir trees in them perhaps....in a tight row that will put dogs off as well as walkers...they'd have to lift the dog over in order for it to go there.

BexSmumof2 · 15/04/2015 09:01

We have a dog and when were out walking we try and avoid non fenced gardens but sometimes if their desperate. There isn't much you can do apart from pick up after them. My dog goes to the loo in our garden too. You could get some cheep chicken wire fence and some stakes. Will not move much and will solve your problem

Dr0pThePirate · 15/04/2015 09:06

What difference does it make if it's fenced off or not? It's someones garden not a free for all dog toilet.

I don't buy the "dog behaviour" excuse either. Dogs will shit on the living room rug if you let them. Presumably their owner do want that to happen so stop them. They should be stopping their dogs from shitting in your garden too.

hestialou my neighbour had this problem (front garden with only a small hedge and no gate) and put up a sign stating her garden wasn't a dog toilet. It was a big ugly sign but seemed to do the trick.

TheoriginalLEM · 15/04/2015 09:09

Is it obviously your garden? if so i wouldn't allow my dog on it let alone poo on it. However if it isn't apparent then i wouldn't know not to walk there. Its, err, quite difficult to stop some things once they have started!

Reginafalangie · 15/04/2015 09:13

The garden is not fenced and was originally not the OP's so I am assuming it was "free land" then yes it makes a difference if it is fenced or not. The dogs and probably the owners do not know the OP now owns the land as there is no fencing/borders.

I believe most dog owners would not allow their dogs to shit on somebodies garden so if the OP wants them to know it is now her land then she needs to make it obvious.

Original poster
hestialou · 15/04/2015 09:13

Thanks droptheprirate will pop up a sign for time being. I think telling this person and being ignored has infuriated me. So yes he knew I was our garden. Cashewnutty it is a quiet road clearly visible so no traffic issues.

OP posts:
shouldigetascooter · 15/04/2015 09:14

A sign nailed on a post to say 'while your dog poops you're on camera - smile :)'

UncleT · 15/04/2015 09:15

You 'need' to put up a fence says one reply - perhaps people 'need' to stop letting their animal shit on someone's property.

AmateurSeamstress · 15/04/2015 09:25

Agree you need a fence or people will assume it's common land and fair game. I'm not sure a sign will work, the dogs will have no barrier to using their usual spot but I hope it does work.

TheoriginalLEM · 15/04/2015 09:33

a sign should suffice. As a dog walker i would respect that and not allow my dogs to walk there.

sweetkitty · 15/04/2015 09:34

YANBU as a dog owner I would be embarrassed if my dog pooed even near someone's house. If she did I would pick it up straight away. One of my bug bears not picking up your dogs shit.

InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 15/04/2015 09:40

Is now a good time to mention that I FORGOT my poo bags this morning, and no handy dog walkers around to borrow bags from. Blush Oh, the shame! But don't worry, I'm going back out in a minute to pick em up. And OP- a sign should do the trick.

popalot · 15/04/2015 09:42

Pop a little fence up that they have to step over. That might make them think twice about trespassing on your property.

SistersofPercy · 15/04/2015 09:49

Also add a sign that says

"area treated with poisonous weedkiller, keep animals off!"

Grin
SoupDragon · 15/04/2015 09:50

perhaps people 'need' to stop letting their animal shit on someone's property.

Perhaps the point is that it appears to be common ground and wasn't part of the property until recently.

cashewnutty · 15/04/2015 10:08

Inspace I also forgot my poo bags the other day and stood and stared at the pile of poop in horror. Then i realised we were in the woods so i took a stick and flicked it away from the path into the undergrowth. I've once had to leave my DD guarding a poo while i rushed to a shop to buy some bags.

Anyway, i digress. OP hopefully over time people will realise it is not free land anymore and will stop their dogs pooping on it. Meanwhile a notice should hopefully help.