On Being Considerate

I just got back from a lovely walk through my neighborhood. I'm always on a leash because, well, if I weren't I'd probably find myself in all sorts of trouble. And because the neighborhood asks dog owners to walk their dogs on a leash or have one nearby. Most of the folks follow these rules. But tonight we encountered one of the truly inconsiderate ones...A dog without a leash. The owner just shrugged and announced she didn't have a leash. Thankfully the dog was relatively well behaved and decided not to come meet me. Now I know that some dogs do great off leash, but what if...What if he sees a squirrel across the street? What if she sees another dog down the block? What if there is a group of kids playing that sparks his attention. Chances are the dog will go running after one of these distractions, regardless of what you, the human says or does. What if running after one of these distractions puts her in the middle of a street, busy or not, only to get hit by a car? Or if he decides to "play" with the kids but his play ends up injury one of the children? Any of these things can happen. And the outcome may not be pleasant for anyone. So why not be responsible and keep your dog on its leash while talking a walk. There are lots of other opportunities for your pooch to be off leash, like your fenced backyard or the bark park. (and if you don't have a really cool leash yet, check out www.tailwags.com for a great selection of leashes!)

The other thing that really gets me (and my humans) is those people that don't pick up after their dogs. It's also a rule in our neighborhood (and most places). I guess some people think that common area means they don't have to be responsible or considerate. Not only do we see lots of stray poop on the common area but tonight we saw several piles right in the middle of the sidewalk. Yuck! So, in addition to being the right thing to do, here are some other reasons to pick up after your pooch:

1. Tapeworms

2. Roundworms

3. Cryptosporidium

4. Salmonellosis

5. Giardia

6. E. Coli

7. Parvovirus

8. The smell

9. Poo on shoes

10. The flies (which could bring with them: Shigellosis, Polio & Eye Diseases)

We all know that we dogs love to smell other dogs' stuff. Why risk getting another dog sick? And conversely, do you want your best friend encountering some other pup's poop? And if a human is unlucky enough to step in it watch out! I don't know of much else that makes humans as mad as stepping in dog poop. So, please be considerate AND responsibl. Remember your poop bag and pick up after your pooch!

Now I must rest because the day has ended and the walk did me in! Wags!