To not pick up dog poo...

[Moonfishstar]

... when in a quiet forest, but to flick it with a stick into dense undergrowth instead?

I don't see any issue with this, but I've got a feeling lots will disagree with me, so I wanted to get some other opinions.

You’re offended by the word “shit”? Have you actually used this site at all ever? 😂

It's actually you who is being ridiculous, the smell of dog shit is completely disgusting, there's no comparison to other animal faeces. If you don't realise this, you're spending far, far too much time with your dog!

Wild animals. Yeah. What’s your point?

@Simonjt "We always pick up ours, even in autumn when we have to have a good stare to work out whats a poo and whats a pile of leaves, which can be traumatic when you go and grab the poo to discovers its cold, and so someone elses poo."

😂absolutely this 👆you feel pleased with yourself that you're doing the right thing picking up after your dog, and then your hand closes around it and...oh god. Oh no. But by then it's too late and since you've spotted and grabbed you have to proceed and pick it up AND then look for your own dog's one too...

I was on a forest walk recently and the amount of filled dog poo bags left on branches and paths was absolutely shocking. I said at the time it would be much better for the environment if people just left the poo rather than the plastic bags!! Also our local forest has signs saying to stick and flick.

I always do anyway as my children were always in and out of the trees.

I think of you can see where your dog has crapped you should pick it up. Surely when you commit to getting a dog you realise that’s something you’ll have to do for the entirely of your ownership of said dog. I think if they do a sneaky poo in undergrowth and you can’t find it there’s less of a problem.

the hysteria and antipathy exclusively towards dogs in areas where other animals are also pooping is ridiculous

No. You are being ridiculous. Allowing a dog to poo in a public area is utterly disgusting. And saying people who think that are "hysteri[cal]" is gaslighting.

The 'Wild animals Poo in the Forest' argument is ridiculous.

1. yes they do, but dogs aren't natural to the local fauna and their poo carries different parasites and components which damage the environment and ecosystem, even if they ARE wormed and fed decent food, which many aren't!
2. it wouldn't be reasonable to ask an animal without the capacity or anatomy (e.g. opposable thumbs) or access to a supermarket to pick up its poo. Humans who are in the company of a domestic animal, on the other hand....

And I say that as the owner of a dog whose poos are larger than most human's poos.

I've only not picked up dog poo twice.

Once, when dog was a pup (but a huge one) and hadn't quite got the hang of things. Crossing a busy road and she decided to go for a poo. I got us both out of oncoming traffic by a thread but she'd already deposited it all over the road and it was busy. I stood for a while hoping for a gap so I could pick up but realistically, it had already been squished by traffic. Just one of those things IMO, not much I could do.

Another time, dog offlead, ran a few 100 yards from me in a country park, came bounding back but stopped to have a poo. Dense undergrowth. I searched for several minutes but could not find the poo. And it was getting dark. I wasn't willing to put myself in danger in a dark park for the sake of one poo. I did however pick someone else's dogs' poo up on the way back-which was on the path, so far more hazardous from a human's POV at least, than what my dog had done. Again one of those things that's sometimes going to happen.

In your case I wouldn't but generally I would.

@WhoIsnt or you end up getting your hand mauled by an angry bramble or thistle! 😂

You shouldn't have a dog if you can't clean up after it.

Laziness on every level 😡

I never understand how dog owners with dogs running around off lead can keep track of where the dog poos and find it.

Why do the dog defenders always cite wild animal poo as a defence? Case closed m’lud, a squirrel once pooed in the vicinity so it’s a free for all, now – my dog and I will BOTH be curling one out, QED, we’re the animals of farting wood.

Yes in the New Forest.

Used to walk out dogs in Ashdown Forest, thousands of acres, years ago it was stick and flick, now you are expected to pick up. I had my grandkids staying,DGD wearing a light pink tracksuit, wellies, playing through brambles etc. got in the car "ok who's trud in it". I was all up the leg of her tracksuit!! We go to local forests,woods,there are a lot of dog walkers, often with 4 or 5 dogs. A lot of people don't pick up, imagine if none of us did! My dogs are regularly wormed and I am a country girl, I don't want my dogs or myself trending in someone's dog muck thanks.

Yes - this. So many people seem to just put a dog poo in a bag and then leave it next to the path, hanging on a bush, or just lobbed into the undergrowth. Its awful, and some places are very badly affected by this - it makes me wonder if this is part of the reasoning behind forests allowing dog owners to flick it off the path.

My preference is for it to be removed and put in the bin, but in very remote places it is probably better for the environment to just flick it into the undergrowth rather than using a bag (and doubly so if the person is lazy enough to leave the bag behind).

Only on fucking Mumsnet would we descend to people being accused of gaslighting by page ten of a dogshit thread, Jesus H Christ.

Fwiw I'm on team bag it and bin it, I have three very big dogs who do considerably bigger poops than any fox or badger ever would. Most people in my area seem to still be very good about picking it up though, I don't live in one of these dog poop epidemic areas that a lot of Mumsnetters seem to.

It's much better to flick it under a bush than put it in a plastic bag. It will break down under the bush.

You do need to make sure it is completely clear of paths and anywhere a child might wander though, so it needs to be thick undergrowth.

They do. In some areas the fox population has massively increased due to the ready availability of highly nutritious dog poo. This in turn poses a threat to ground nesting birds. So best to pick up if you can, particularly in places like close to car parks where foxes may learn to come for a ready supply.

"Water companies shouldn't be dumping huge amounts of raw sewage into our waterways"

"Fish poo in seas and lakes, ner ner ner ner ner!"

That's what you sound like 😅.

All these people saying “but what about foxes, deer, badgers etc…?” The forests are their homes. I’m sure if a few foxes and badgers walked into your houses, had a poo in your front room and flicked it under the sofa, you’d object.

Stop being so selfish. You obviously wanted a dog, so pick up after it.

Ha ha, they can't, and that's part of the reason for letting the dog off lead. If it's at heel they know when it's pooing and will have to pick up, If the dog is wandering all over the place they won't know and it's not their fault, gov.

People get dogs because of FOMO and as a status symbol - look at me, I can afford two big dogs and the SUV to convey them - but forget that responsibilities attach,

By not bagging and binning or taking it home with you, you're helping to destroy a forest. The forest wasn't put there by Mother Nature for lazy people who can't be arsed to clean up after their doggies. Then there's all the plastic poo bags that are just left to rot with the poo.

GROW UP all you selfish arses.