Please explain the "rules" of dogs/walking/peeing and neighbors' property

[Anonymous]

We have a puppy and no sidewalks in our neighborhood. We of course pick up every poop, but I haven’t figured out how to train her to pee in my yard before we go. She will stand around for 10 minutes and doesn’t go on command. So yes she pees on other’s lawns, and I have never seen yellow spots in our own lawn where she pees also, so I didn’t realize it was so common! I would never let her wander into others hard past the length of the short leash we have, and I don’t let her walk through flower beds, etc. But we live near Rock Creek Park and have deer and all sorts of animals wander through our neighborhood peeing and pooping everywhere, so I figure my dog’s pee isn’t making that much of a dent!

[Anonymous]

I've been screamed at by homeowners for letting my dog use the strip between the sidewalk and street, which I think is fair game.

That said, I'm stunned that neighbors think it's okay to let their dog use the entirety of my front yard, including flower beds. Come on, people.

[Anonymous]

I don't allow my dog to poop on anyone else's yard ever.

He was transferred to VA from a NYC rescue and has zero issues pooping without grass (road, sidewalks, driveway, mulch, etc.) so once I realized this after adopting him, I had to quickly learn his "I'm going to poop" signs to avoid him pooping in those locations. Now, if I see him making the sign, I give a swift tug on the leash and say no. I redirect him and make him walk to a location that's appropriate for pooping. Those who say they can't make their dogs not poop somewhere just haven't tried, IMO.

As for peeing, no, I never let him IN someone's yard to go pee. I keep him to the strip of grass between the sidewalk and road. Peeing is harder to catch because he doesn't have a "I'm going to pee" sign. We can be standing at a corner waiting to cross and he'll just lift his leg and go on the pole. Luckily, I usually begin our walks near the end of the walking path in my neighborhood. There's a doggy poop station there and someplace that most neighborhood dogs go. 99% of the time he'll poop there, it'll get picked up and tossed in the can, and by the time we're really starting our walk, he'll be all peed out.

Like a PP said, you may see him lifting his leg 20 more times on our walk, but nothing is coming out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dog poops, you clean it up. Dog pees - the grass is a little greener in a few days.

This has got to be a troll. No one can be this dim.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a dog owner, and I do try to keep my dog off of people's lawns, and of course pick up poop. I will say though that my dog is a boy, and he lifts his leg about 100 times per walk, and after the first couple times, nothing is really coming out. I still don't let him run into the middle of someone's yard to do it because anyone watching doesn't know what, but just saying.

Also, I have a question about this - I was once yelled at by a woman because my dog pooped on the patch of grass between the sidewalk and the curb (so not really her yard, but I'm not really sure if that's technically private property or not.) I picked it up but it was a whole ordeal because I was actually wearing headphones, and she apparently called to me from her car and thought I was ignoring her. I just apologized and said I wouldn't let him but curious to get other's opinions.

The area between the sidewalk and the curb (shoulder? median?) is the appropriate area for dogs to do their business on a walk. Never in people's actual front yard, unless there are no sidewalks, and then it should be as close to the street as possible. I have two large dogs and we manage this just fine - SO annoyed by people who let their pets (I've seen cats on leashes do this, too) wander into other people's yards!

[Anonymous]

I'm a dog owner. C'mon fellow owners, you KNOW your dog shouldn't pee in other people's yards and you absolutely know that it kills the grass. Don't be rude.

[Anonymous]

I'm pretty sure that my neighbors with dogs have let them pee on our grass. I don't really care and haven't noticed any yellowing of the grass, either.

Is that really a thing? How many dozens of dogs are peeing all over you guys' lawns, anyway??

Admittedly I think lawns are environmentally irresponsible in the first place, so I wouldn't care if a few blades by the sidewalk went yellow....

[Anonymous]

I don't let my dog go anywhere there is a sign saying "no dogs." If you don't want dogs to pee and poop on your lawn, put up a sign. And do it especially if you don't want them to do it on the utility strip between the sidewalk and the street because I really think you're way too fussy if you care about that strip but I will respect your fussiness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a dog owner, and I do try to keep my dog off of people's lawns, and of course pick up poop. I will say though that my dog is a boy, and he lifts his leg about 100 times per walk, and after the first couple times, nothing is really coming out. I still don't let him run into the middle of someone's yard to do it because anyone watching doesn't know what, but just saying.

Also, I have a question about this - I was once yelled at by a woman because my dog pooped on the patch of grass between the sidewalk and the curb (so not really her yard, but I'm not really sure if that's technically private property or not.) I picked it up but it was a whole ordeal because I was actually wearing headphones, and she apparently called to me from her car and thought I was ignoring her. I just apologized and said I wouldn't let him but curious to get other's opinions.

The area between the sidewalk and the curb (shoulder? median?) is the appropriate area for dogs to do their business on a walk. Never in people's actual front yard, unless there are no sidewalks, and then it should be as close to the street as possible. I have two large dogs and we manage this just fine - SO annoyed by people who let their pets (I've seen cats on leashes do this, too) wander into other people's yards!

I'm the PP and that's what I thought, but at least one other person in this thread has been "scolded" for letting their dogs use that space so obviously not everyone agrees. It's a bit frustrating sometimes because what's fine for some people is not for others, and presumably, you have to live near these people for at least a couple years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't let my dog go anywhere there is a sign saying "no dogs." If you don't want dogs to pee and poop on your lawn, put up a sign. And do it especially if you don't want them to do it on the utility strip between the sidewalk and the street because I really think you're way too fussy if you care about that strip but I will respect your fussiness.

...If the dog doesn't go on the lawn OR the utility strip, where are they supposed to go? The sidewalk? The street?

[Anonymous]

Generally people's dogs pee and poo on my lawn and as long as they pick up the poop, I don't care. But he should have respected your request which was polite and about YOUR own property. He's being an ass.

[Anonymous]

You are supposed to have your dog use your own yard as a toilet. The purpose of a walk is exercise, not to find some other sucker's yard to use as a toilet. If on the walk your dog HAS to go, you avoid other people's property and clean it up afterward.

[Anonymous]

Let's all get over our lawns: https://grist.org/article/lawns-are-the-no-1-...ca-they-need-to-die/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are supposed to have your dog use your own yard as a toilet. The purpose of a walk is exercise, not to find some other sucker's yard to use as a toilet. If on the walk your dog HAS to go, you avoid other people's property and clean it up afterward.

Given all the deer, raccoons, rabbits, squirrels, birds, insect life, and overhead birdlife that are no doubt pissing and pooping on my lawn at all hours of the night and day, I'm not going to freak out if old Mr Smith's beagle pees near my mailbox a few times a week.

I don't sleep or eat my meals there. Have at it, beagle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are supposed to have your dog use your own yard as a toilet. The purpose of a walk is exercise, not to find some other sucker's yard to use as a toilet. If on the walk your dog HAS to go, you avoid other people's property and clean it up afterward.

I've fostered a LOT of dogs. Many will only poop while being walked. Despite taking them out in the yard often. I don't get it but, whatever.