No Pile Left Behind

Responsible dog owners love our dogs and we love our community. By cleaning up after our dogs every time, we keep our parks and sidewalks clean for everyone to enjoy.

Please join us in our affirmation of responsible dog ownership! Pledge today to Leave No Pile Behind!

Do you carry an extra plastic bag to pick up a pile that someone else may have left behind? That's going Beyond the Call of Doody! Anyone who loves dogs and loves clean sidewalks can pledge to go Beyond the Call of Doody.

Please take a moment to make your responsible dog owner pledge: No Pile Left Behind or Beyond the Call of Doody.

See who has made a pledge on the Responsible Dog Owner Appreciation Page!

The Scoop (on poop)

via Beverly Animal Resource Coalition (BARC)

Top Ten Reasons to Pick Up After Your Dog

Every responsible dog owner agrees... picking up after your dog is a MUST. No matter where or when it occurs, there is NO excuse for not scooping the poop. So here are 10 reasons why EVERY dog owner MUST be responsible for picking up EVERY TIME.

1. It's the law.   Just like littering, it's unlawful NOT to pick up after your dog, and your violation is subject to fine. The Somerville Dog Owners Group strongly supports tough fines against people who do not pick up after their dogs.
2. It's common courtesy.   Cleaning up after your dogs shows respect for our neighbors and our community. Only irresponsible dog owners leave their dog's poop for others to look at, step in or clean up.
3. Dog Poop is unhealthy.   Abandoned dog poop can host diseases and/or parasites which can infect other dogs who come into contact with it, or be transmitted to people who accidentally step in it and track it home. Particularly at risk, of course, are children who play on the ground. Disposing of dog poop immediately helps all dogs stay healthier and reduces feces-borne parasites and illnesses.

   If your dog has diarrhea, and you cannot clean it up, you should not allow your dog to defecate in places where dogs or children may come in contact with it. If your dog has prolonged diarrhea (more than two days), you should take her to the vet.

All dogs should have a stool sample tested by a veterinarian annually. My vet recommends that dogs who frequent places that are visited by many different dogs should have their stool tested twice a year.

4. Dog Poop bio-degrades slowly.   Some people think it's okay to leave dog poop because it will break down naturally. However, the biodegration process is very slow, and, especially in places where the dog population is high, abandoned dog poop can accumulate faster than it breaks down. In the cold weather, poop freezes and, because poop that is frozen to the ground is almost impossible to clean up, it will remain where you left it for several weeks to several months.
5. It's not fertilizer!   In fact, poop impedes landscaping efforts. Leaving dog poop encourages other dogs to mark that spot (by urinating over the previous dog's scent): poop left on the grass contributes to the problem of "nitrogen burn."
6. Dog Poop pollutes the water.   Somerville is located in both the Charles River Watershed and the Mystic River Watershed. Dog feces, like any feces, contains high levels of nutrients, like nitrogen and phosphorus, which actually pollute the water.

   Dog feces and urine contain relatively large amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus. These nutrients feed and stimulate the growth of algae in water bodies in much the same way as fertilizers help lawns to grow. This can cause the water body to become depleted in oxygen, making it less healthy for fish and large levels of growth can impede recreational and aesthetic value of water as well. ("The Scoop on Poop," Scituate Reservoir Watershed Education Program)

   Cleaning up after your dog is environmentally responsible. And please don't dispose of dog poop in storm drains: storm drains are a direct conduit to our rivers!

7. Dog Poop is unsightly.   Everybody knows that. It's disgusting. Pick it up. We all deserve to live in a clean city where we can be proud and step lightly.
8. Dog Poop tops the list of complaints against dogs.  More than dog aggression, nuisance barking or unsupervised dogs, most complaints against dogs are about people not cleaning up after their dogs. This is true for city parks, sidewalks, and your neighbors' lawns.
9. Dog Poop makes dog owners look bad.   For everyone who cares about options for off-leash recreation in Somerville, the worst thing about dog poop is that it is bad for public relations. Dog Poop is the number one reason for negative public sentiment against dogs. Every time you don't pick up after your dog, you are giving one more reason for others to dislike dogs and dog owners.
10. Your actions set an example for others.  When you pick up after your dog, you are part of the solution! And your actions will help convey the message that it's the right thing to do. Many people even carry extra bags to offer to others as a subtle and neighborly hint that cleaning up after our dogs is what responsible dog owners do.

    More and more people are taking it upon themselves to pick up "orphan poop." These people are truly ambassadors. You can set a good example, too. If you see orphan poop, pick it up with one of those extra bags you are carrying. I know, I know! Nothing like picking up somebody else's cold poop, but what a message it sends to others! Your actions will encourage others to do the same, and soon, this will be a non-issue, because everybody will simply pick up without giving it a second thought.

It's up to each of us to do our part in keeping Somerville clean and poop-free. Make sure you carry bags with you. In fact, carry extras and offer them to dog owners who aren't prepared or may not yet be educated about the importance of picking up after their dogs. Spread the word that Poop Destroys Our Good Reputation as Responsible Dog Owners!

For Kids!

View an animated cartoon about cleaning up after your dog from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) Animaland website!

Dog Owner Etiquette

By Gerilyn Bielakiewicz, Canine University, Malden, MA
Originally published for Canine University

As dogs are becoming more popular family pets, fewer parks and recreational areas are allowing people access with a dog in tow. Many parks ban dogs entirely leash or no leash. Much of the reason for this is our own fault. As dog owners we need to police ourselves and be responsible for our dogs behavior and considerate of others. The longer you have owned dogs, the more you can appreciate how hard it is to find a park or other open space to exercise them. There are a lot of things we as dog owners can do to give dogs a better image to the non-dog owning public. I call this " Dog Owner Etiquette". Below is a list of things you can do to not only be a responsible dog owner but an asset to the community.

1. Don't leave your dog outside all day while you are at work. Even the quietest dogs will bark and become a neighborhood nuisance.
   
2. Wherever you walk your dog ALWAYS pick up his poop. There is nothing more disgusting than a sidewalk covered in dog poop. Bring along a ziploc bag, put your hand inside, pick up the poop and turn it right side out. Bring an extra bag along just in case your dog goes a second time.
   
3. Always keep your dog on leash on public streets for his own safety as well as the safety of other people, especially children.
   
4. Don't allow your dog to urinate on other people's property, shrubs, decorations, and trees. To responsible dog owners and the non-dog owning public this is rude ( it's almost like you urinated there yourself).
   
5. Keep your dog close to you when walking where other dogs are also on leash. Letting your dog run right up to other dogs is rude and can cause both dogs to react aggressively.
   
6. Never allow your off-leash dog to run up to dogs on leash. Not only is this irresponsible on your part, other people may not have a dog that gets along with other dogs and the leashed dog may attack your dog.
   
7. Always carry pick up bags with you even when walking on wooded trails.
   
8. Don't take your dog to public places if he's dog or people aggressive. You can't always prevent a child or another dog running up to your dog.
   
9. Respect other people's space don't allow your dog off-leash if you don't have voice control, meaning you call him and he comes right back.
   
10. Don't leave your dog outside unattended if he barks or acts aggressively to people or children walking by. Not only is this dangerous for the passersby but it reinforces a dangerous and undesirable behavior that is difficult to change.

These top ten tips for good dog owners are common sense and may seems over simplified to the average responsible dog owner. However, there are too many folks who are not managing their dogs responsibly as is evidenced by the very strict leash laws and no dogs in parks rule that Malden has adopted. We can only change the attitudes of the non- dog owning public by showing how responsible dog owners are an asset to the community not the nuisance they are presumed to be. So go out on the town with your pooch and set an example others will be proud to follow.

© 2000, 2005 Canine University. All rights reserved.

Zen and the Art of Off-Leash Recreation

A wise dog walker once told Dog Lady that there are three strata in the off-leash muttropolitan crowd: There is the lower caste - the deluded "Oh my Fifi, she is so cute" folks. They are blind to the misbehavior of their dogs. The muddled middling group - the "oh, it's good for his socializing" people - explain away their dog's disobedience as healthy behavior. And the elite circle - the "I'm talking to you but I'm focused on my dog" owners - are the most valuable citizens in dog park nation because, even when sipping coffee and swapping pleasantries, they remain ever-vigilant about the doings of their animals. They instantly clean up the poop without being reminded, and they are ready to step in at any moment when the going gets rough. They take complete responsibility for their dog's actions.

I'm happy to say that the Nunziato OLRA is often host to several members of the "elite circle"!

Quoted from "Zen and the art of dog park maintenance," by Ask Dog Lady, Cambridge Chronicle, Thursday, September 28, 2006 (via Brookline DOG PAC).