AIBU to think I should be able to visit my local green without having to navigate my children around piles of dog crap

[Plentyofshit]

It’s everywhere, I don’t want to think that most dog owners are irresponsible, but from the amount I see - it’s not just the odd owner. Also - please don’t let your dog bound up to my child saying “don’t worry - she’s harmless”. How the f@@@ do I know that? And I don’t want to hear you then say “Christ - she’s never done that before” - after my child has been maimed...

So many dogs & dog owners round here, and there is shit on the pavements constantly. I don’t understand how you can’t know your dog has shat, it’s just pure laziness to leave it there for people to step in.

The “don’t worry, he’s friendly” absolutely infuriates me. I’m not scared of dogs but I really hate their germs, and I categorically do not want them slobbering on me, and certainly not on my children.

Dog owners are a strange breed though. They are mortally offended if you don’t express utter joy that their “fur baby” wants to jump up at you. It’s honestly so weird.

Thankfully the majority of dog owners round here at least use a lead. Suppose I should be grateful for that.

@alittlepeachy you are completely tarring all dog owners with the same brush. And just because people let their dog off a lead doesn't make them any less responsible

It's disgusting. We have the same thing here. Rural village, miles of lovely walks but the lazy feckers exercise their dogs on the kids football pitch.

Me too. I live right opposite a school with a large playing field attached for PE lessons and school sports events. Both gates have a 'No Dogs Allowed' sign on yet countless lazy manky dog owners bring their dogs here and let them shit all over the place. Kids and their clothes/ sports equipment are always getting covered in shite, including my DD's.

Also disgusting was my DParents former neighbour who would put her dog shite in their bin instead of hers (2 doors apart). Manky cow! My DF called her out on it and shamed her in the middle of the street when he finally caught her

Urgh YANBU.

This is the season for dog poo all over the pram wheels. Pavements covered in leaves, which cover the dog poo and inevitably every trip to the park results in my wiping it off my pram wheels.

I have a dog and I honestly can’t fathom how people just let their dog poo on the pavement.

In the US, some apartment complexes and other communities have started using a DNA type system on dog poop to keep their communities clean. When you get a dog or move in with one, you have to give a sample of the dog's DNA (i think swabbing their mouth). Part of the fee you pay to have a dog there pays for the test. Then, when poop is found, they test it. The owner has to pay a big fine. From what I understand, it's been pretty successful.

As a dog owner I agree with you. I have started to challenge myself to pick up at least one extra dog poo (left by someone else's dog) per walk. Minimal effort/unpleasantness for me, but if every responsible dog owner did it we could have a big impact.

Mind you, I do litter clean ups as well, and it is just an extension of that.

I have noticed in our park, though, that birds do go through the bins and throw out bags, so if there are bags of dog poo next to the bin it might not be the owners fault

It is revolting. I would think we need to build a culture where walkers are challenged if the fail to clear up. It might be smaller village greens should be dog free and bigger greens segregated. There are usually off road public places to take dogs away from large numbers of children playing.
I suspect that the fenced dog paddocks are a growth area.
Personally, I’d remove and rehome or destroy dogs let out to wander unsupervised. Sad, but would quickly reduce bad ownership. I’d also increase fines to a much higher level with community service in form of clearing dog faeces from public areas added in for all offences.

It’s not unreasonable. On balance it annoys me marginally less than people with bloody cats who don’t bother to even try and train them to use a litter tray. There are a lot of those around here and it’s equally disgusting really

@whatkatydid how do you know they aren't litter trained?

YANBU. There’s a field near me which has signs saying ‘no dogs’ because the local school kids play sports there. Nearly every time I walk in the field I see a dog owner merrily walking through, deciding the rules don’t apply to them.

Dog owners are a strange breed though. They are mortally offended if you don’t express utter joy that their “fur baby” wants to jump up at you. It’s honestly so weird.

Thankfully the majority of dog owners round here at least use a lead. Suppose I should be grateful for that.
Quite a good post here for ticking off the inevitable generalisations and the 'off lead = out of control' implications.

It's the minority who ruin it for everybody. There are plenty of responsible dog owners but we have a real issue round here with dog poo, especially since lockdown and I'm sure it's down to repeat offenders.

I had to drag DS (2) home once with it all on his front. He had tripped while running ahead of me and managed to land in a pile of shit in the middle of the path.

I don't buy the off lead excuse. With a regular feeding and walking routine we all know when our dog is likely to go and how many times so it's pretty easy to keep and clean up.

As a mother there is nothing grosser than having to scrape dog poo of your pram wheels or kids shoes... as a dog owner it really pisses me off because you it brings out the dog-hating idiots who would secretly like to have dogs wiped off the face of the earth or at the least banned from every green space within a 10 mile radius. If dog owners want to maintain access to green spaces it is imperative they respect them- and that includes picking up the poo! Mind, I was just thinking the other day, how during lockdown the dog poo problem seems to have almost been eradicated from our little village. Perhaps it’s because there are more people out walking- the lazy non-pickers-uppers are being watched!!

I hate this too. I also hate the cat owners who say "they are wild animals what are we supposed to do?" - how about not keep hordes of animals that shit all over my garden and the children's play things?

Our park is absolutely horrific for it. I’m always on high alert after several times running the buggy through it. Once I didn’t realise and I’d wheeled it into a toddler group, spreading shit through the whole hall. I mean that could potentially make a child ill. I just don’t know what can be done about it. I wish they’d bring in some sort of ‘dog owners license’. Maybe that would filter out some of the more irresponsible owners. Why why why do people think it’s acceptable for someone else to clear their shit up?

In the US, some apartment complexes and other communities have started using a DNA type system on dog poop to keep their communities clean

This is such a bloody good idea!

Do you think anyones going to say you are unreasonable?

I own 4 dogs, i HATE rolling through dog shit, my dogs rolling in any sort of shit, i spectacularly dislike cleaning human shit off my dogs which I have had to do much more (particularly shitty nappies which apparently are ok to be left lying around)...

I also hate having other peoples dogs run up to us, as much as I hate having other peoples kids hurtle up to us and want to pat the doggy/cuddle the doggy/have to be physically prized off the doggy and then be told 'ah she loves dogs, she hugs our dog all the time' whilst MY dog stands there petrified with a 'GET IT OFF ME' look on her face.

I can't imagine the people who let their dogs shit all over and fail to pick up are going to be posting on MN.

Whilst we are at licencing owners to cover the fees for DNA testing shit and cleaning it up....

Can we licence parents to cover the costs of cleaning up shitty nappies, and the broken glass and cans that teenagers take great delight in smashing and crushing everywhere?

Oh... i think thats called council tax...

Agreed, it’s really grim. If you can’t pick up poo then you shouldn’t have a dog, because you’re obviously unable to tend to all of its needs.

LST
Thanks for your reply, whilst I have every sympathy for you having limited mobility, I still don't think that is a reason to let your dog defecate on a sports pitch.

I don't doubt that you pick it up but are you 100% certain you are getting every last bit up? every time? does your dog never have diarrhoea?

If a dog crapped on the carpet, would it be ok just to pick it up and then let kids play there? Of course not, most people would shampoo the carpet and use disinfectant on it.

Dogs and sports pitches just don't go together well IMO.

Well no, YANBU. I don't believe that every pile of poo is dog poo though. Our huge population of urban foxes, and cats, definitely contribute too.

All dog owners I know say they pick up after their dog so who are these dirty buggers turning a blind eye?! It’s all on all the pavements around us.

OP I hear you on the dogs jumping up. We were on the beach this summer when a youngish Visla came bouncing up to my young children (who are nervous anyway) and started jumping and snapping because they were holding their sandwiches. My toddler was hysterical. Owners nowhere to be seen. Eventually they ambled into view. I just don’t understand why they didn’t have their dog in closer view so they could call him back. Now both children are even more nervous, my son nearly leapt into the road this week to avoid an otherwise friendly looking (on lead) Alsatian.

God it makes my blood boil. And for those who pooh pooh children being maimed - both my brother and brother in law are facially scarred from being bitten in the face as children.

There are too many dogs. Everywhere you go there is dog mess. It's revolting and stinks. So do the dog mess bins.

@serin it has no signs to say dogs aren't allowed and it is used 1 morning a week for 4 months of the year. My dog doesn't poo in the open. He prefers the brambles at the side so no fear of any footballers getting near to where he had pooed anyway.