Dear dog walker
Dear dog walker,
Thank you for not cleaning up after your dog this morning.
My four-year-old, wearing her new Mary Janes, stepped in the big blob just as we got to the schoolgate. It got all over her tights, and her book bag. Then it got all over my tights, and my book bag. It kept spreading. That was one big blob. Do you mind if I ask what you feed your dog?
We decided it would be best to detox the four-year-old at home. She was a bit distressed, as this would make her late for the register. I wanted to send a note explaining why four-year-old was late, but she would have nothing of it. She was too embarrassed.
Thanks again,
Your eternally grateful neighbour
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Michelloui | The American Resident | 6th Jun 11
People can be lazy and self centred, and one of the most obvious places this shows up is when they don’t bother to clear up after their dogs. Doubly bad in front of school gates. Poor you and poor little daughter. Dog poo is completely vile.
Michelloui | The American Resident | 6th Jun 11
What?! That is just so unbelievably crazy!!! Stupid woman.
Jody Brettkelly | 4th Jun 11
I love dogs but dog poop everywhere is one of the final straws in making our decision to leave London eight years ago. Notting Hill was just filled with it and we were constantly hosing the kids down or using baby wipes to clean up the carpet! We just returned from London and it’s so much better and cleaner I regreted leaving…but what are people thinking?
jason | 27th Feb 10
That is terrible! I think everyone should pick after themselves and the world would be much better for everyone to live in. You made a great point.
Jason “Dog Walker” Mahlin
http://www.dogswalkerguide.com/
Matty Batty | 15th Dec 09
I’ve seen a lot of poo on the pavements recently and have been silently cursing dog owners. But have noticed that there are a lot of foxes in the area so thinking they could well be responsible as well…?
Swapna Raghu Sanand | 7th Dec 09
Loved this post because so many pet owners in India have no qualms about leaving their pet poo lying around. I’ve found this in pathways, lifts, roads, other people’s parking lots and that makes me so mad.
Amy | 2nd Dec 09
rude & disgusting
Muummmeeeee! | 28th Nov 09
How gross – there are so may dog owners who are so inconsiderate and don’t give a stuff. We recently did a canal boat holiday on the River Wye – I reckon that canal path is the most densely populated dog-sh*t area in the entire world – avoid at all costs!
Hope your daughter has got over her eventful walk to school x
Dulwich Divorcee | 27th Nov 09
Poor daughter! If you ever get blob on a carpet, coffee grounds can really take the smell away. That’s my top tip, apart from banning dogs!
Metropolitan Mum | 25th Nov 09
There is not a single day where I won’t have to scratch dog poo out of the tires of the pram. It’s so disgusting. They say they’d fine the owners when not picking up the crap, but I have not even once seen a warden.
Btw, what a funny job title: ‘Dog poo pick-up warden’.
Expat Mum | 24th Nov 09
In most US cities you can be fined (about $200) for not picking up poo. We also have plastic bag dispensers in Chicago so there’s really no excuse. Unbelievably, one woman opened my garden gate and let her dog in a few weeks ago. I was right next to the window so legged it to the door and just stood there. I’m sure she would’ve let it poo if I hadn’t been there.
Hannah | 24th Nov 09
How awful. This is a real bug bear of mine – we spend half of our walks on the canal paths and in the woods with our heads to the floor, checking for dog poo instead of enjoying the beautiful countryside scenery.
Potty Mummy | 24th Nov 09
And I thought that was just a central London problem… Yuck, yuck, yuck!
Rebel Mother | 24th Nov 09
Your post did make me laugh….although not your poor daughter. How distressing for her.
The stink is awful!
We have a similar considerate neighbour, who leaves a little message right outside my house. the times I’ve stepped in it….vile!
Love RMxx
Heather | 24th Nov 09
Aren’t people just lovely?
A Modern Mother | 24th Nov 09
Mummy — being late is a trauma for the little ones, espcially mine as she is super shy…
Lorna — forgotten about the beach … are dogs allowed?
Liz — it’s the embarrasment!
Maria — night walkers! yes, it’s them
Hot Cross — shoes have not been worn again in fear!
Rosie — I think I felt more hassled, writing the letter sure helped!
Then there was three — I wish there were more like you!
Too many — we have somehting else in common!
TooManyHats | 24th Nov 09
That’s one thing I cannot stand – irresponisble dog owners.
THen there were three | 23rd Nov 09
I am a dog walker and people like this really piss me off. It gives us all a bad name. I have actually pulled people up on it before, with a sickly sweet “excuse me, your dog just poo’d on the path, would u like one of my bags if you’ve forgotten yours”. They ALWAYS take one!!! And I hope they feel a little shame!
Rosie Scribble | 23rd Nov 09
Oh no, that is just awful. Your poor daughter. Hope she is okay. That would make me SO angry.
Hot Cross Mum | 23rd Nov 09
Oh god, it just makes me feel sick. My youngest is a bit of a dog poo magnet and seems to tread in it whereever we go. Sooooooooo anti-social. Hope her shoes were OK!
maria | 23rd Nov 09
Poor darling, my son was horrified when he once stepped on a disgusting turd with his new white trainers! I am convinced it is the night walkers who don’t pick up the mess their dogs leave behind when nobody is looking.
Liz (LivingwithKids) | 23rd Nov 09
Honestly some dog owners really do make me so cross. We always always pick up. We don’t let kids stroke the puppy (they always ask) without a bit of careful preparation (dads in particular seem oblivious to the don’t-let-your-kids-go-up-to-strange-dogs rule), and sometimes not at all.
Here’s a story that might make you feel a little bit better (and your little girl, when she’s bigger). When I was younger we went to see a performance at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre(Midsummer’s Night Dream). Halfway through there was a loud crash above, from the trees. Then SPLAT! We suddenly realised that a bird had pooed all over my poor mum – her hair, her glasses, everything. Everyone – including the actors on the stage – burst out laughing. My sister and I were MORTIFIED.
Lorna Harris | 23rd Nov 09
How awful.
I can’t tell you how many times I see people not picking up after their dogs at the beach. I want to scream.
Hope you’re daughter recovered after her detox.
Yuk!
nappyvalleygirl | 23rd Nov 09
How infuriating!
I haven’t noticed much dog poo in the US…maybe Americans are more into pooping and scooping??
MummyAlmighty | 23rd Nov 09
Brit, I wish dog owners were like you too, I am scared of dogs and really have heart failure when people are standing right outside the school gate (usually either side) with a nasty looking pit bull type dog. And they always say the same ‘oh my XXX wouldn’t hurt a fly’. Well, as every dog owner says that and I have been bitten before (the dog owner said, oh I’ve never known poppy to do that before) I know it’s not true.
So my phobia continues!!
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http://mummyalmighty.blogspot.com/
MummyAlmighty | 23rd Nov 09
Your poor girl! I’m not a dog fan anyway, but I really hate when people do not clear up their dogs mess. There are so many responsible dog owners out there but for every 10 responsible ones I reckon is one careless one. Makes you wonder what else they don’t do too!
My son too gets distressed if we are late for register (usually rain delays) it’s a terrible trauma for them! He likes routine!
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http://mummyalmighty.blogspot.com/
A Modern Mother | 23rd Nov 09
Brit — I wish all dog oweners were like you
Stig — I love your outlook on life
Mwa– lovely
Mwa | 23rd Nov 09
That’s horrible.
My kids call the alley next to their school “kaka-street”, because it’s always full of poo. Must be lovely for the teachers in the morning.
Stigmum | 23rd Nov 09
Beautifully put. Very very infuriating. I have told myself though, and my son, that accidently walking in dog poop, accidently being the target of a shooting bird poop, is ‘lucky’…. I of course do not know if it really is ‘lucky’ but it makes me somewhere in my psyche look forward to something POSITIVE (no exclamation here as the thought is actually usually an angry one as I try and find something to clean the shite off us…)
Brit In Bosnia | 23rd Nov 09
We are dog owners and there is no excuse for not picking up dog poo. Ever. Especially in the UK where there are bins everywhere.
I have to confess to being guilty to tying the dog to the railings, but I do always tie her a long way from the gates so that people who don’t like dogs don’t need to go near her to get into the school.
A Modern Mother | 23rd Nov 09
Erica — You have cats?
Alice — exactly!
MadHouse- we have the same thing, ughhh
TheMadHouse | 23rd Nov 09
It is horrible, the boys school is next to a childrens play park and there is dog poo bins, but the pavement ins always covered in it. Plus another bug bear is when people walk their children to school and then tie their dogs to the railings. My children are scared of dogs – arggggggggggggggg Monday morning rant over
Alice | 23rd Nov 09
grrrrrrrrrr … How annoying! We are ‘responsible’ dog owners and it makes me mad that people can’t just pick up the poop!!!!
Erica | 23rd Nov 09
That’s disgusting.. and the cats are just as bad. My garden’s in a terrible state 🙁