Follow These Easy Steps
For Clean Downtown Streets
If you've been pounding the pavement lately, you've surely noticed the dog shit left right on the ground.
Some of my dog-walking neighbors might be lazy, but maybe they just don't know how to pick up their dogs' droppings. This handy guide should help them be better neighbors and more considerate dog owners.
You need to be prepared before setting out on your dog walks. A plastic bag for collecting the poop is a must.
My bag comes from Gold's Gym. They supply the plastic bags for wet garments. However, as I told Skid Row Dude, they make for the Cadillac of dog poop bags.
Please keep in mind that the palm will go down when it comes time to actually pick up the excrement.
Now it's time to set out on the walk for three reasons. One is for exercise and the second is to give my canine buddy Ruby a chance to do her duty.
The third reason is to show off the results of the one-handed lat pull-down technique suggested by Master Larry.
The above photo was taken of me by local diva Urban Memo while she was hanging out her window. That little snoop!
Good girl, Ruby! I knew you'd cooperate with this photo shoot.
Yes, now step aside, Rubester. It's time for daddy to take over.
Is this what you've been seeing more and more of lately? Let this expert show you just how to handle this situation.
By the way, I usually do things in triptychs, but I skipped from post number one to this post number three. Burt Green took care of number two for me.
The bag is over my lower arm and I have my palm down. Notice that I'm grabbing a handful of dog shit with my left hand.
My right hand has a camera in it. If I drop my camera, I'm in deep......well, you know.
I collected it all in one swipe! Now it's time to look at it.
I'm serious! You should always examine your pet's poop to check for worms, blood, parasites or anything else that may need addressing.
I even inspect my own for the same reasons.
Now I've pulled the bag backwards over my clenched fist. The poop is firmly in the bag. My own body is unsoiled by the droppings.
I've knotted it up now. That cuts down the smell and it is also a considerate move. After all, people will be digging through that trash can all day long. I don't want them to get all pooped up.
Say! Didn't I first meet Los Angeles Lexi right about here on 6th Street?
Can you guess where the bagged poop is going now? Sure you can! Check out my great hang.
I'm not kidding. Check it out sometime when you have a chance. I'll show you in a heartbeat.
Finally the properly-bagged poop is in the can. I noticed the liner had slid off the can, so I made sure to put the plastic in the plastic.
All right, class. We're done for the day. Are there any questions? If so, don't hesitate to put them into a comment for this post. Your comments are always lovingly welcomed here at Big City.
Now that you know how to do it, there is just no excuse for not cleaning up after your pet.
Let's all work together to keep our Downtown Los Angeles streets as shit free as possible.
I love you, Ruby.
I love you too, Joe.
20 comments:
great show and tell lesson Joe :)
I guess a teacher never truly ever retires.
people that don't pick up after their pets, are the same people that don't flush after a "deposit" aka a dump!
My biggest pet peeve is irresponsible dog owners. I have one in my neighborhood who refuses to pick up after his dog - & he has a pit bull who leaves big deposits!
I'm with you, Cynthia. About a week ago I actually stepped in some dog poop. I had to turn around and go home to clean my shoe.
A responsible pet owner cleans up after his pet. If he doesn't, then he's probably neglecting his pet in other ways such as nutrition or health care or exercise.
If you know where the pit bull owner lives, then print out my post and slide it under his door. He'll know that someone is being bothered by his irresponsibility.
ok ewww.. no hate mail from me, but yeah.. I can see where this is more gross than skidmarks. ;)
Again, I say..it's your blog. You aren't yelling 'fire' in a crowded theatre.. so I say "FIRST AMENDMENT" is definitely in play here.
If they don't like your helpful visual aids. ehhhh. *shrug* whatchagonnado?? ;)
You know, Meekorouse, if people think my how-to-do-it manual is gross, then they should try stepping in some dog poop left on the ground. They should pull their grocery carts wheels over a pile of poop.
Granted, I'm a former farm boy who grew up shoveling shit routinely. Still, what do people with children do when it's time to clean up junior? Yell ewwwww? Or do they just do it, thankful that they know how.
Come to think of it, what do you do when you clean up after yourself, girlfriend? Do you gross yourself out?
Still, I did compromise. I pulled the blowup photo of excrement. The whole thing was becoming about that and the message was being missed.
If enough people ask for it, however, I'll put it back in. As it stands right now, I suspect I've created a minor internet cult classic that will rank right in there with my Testosterone Injection Day (it averages over 150 hits a day).
awww.. and to think I was agreeing with you for your posting this helpful tip. =)
I think dog poop (poops doesn't sound like a good plural of poop...hmm) is gross but yeah, the stepping in it is worse!
personally I hate having to go to the bathroom, but as that little picture book says "EVERYBODY POOPS!" (even doggies! so be like Joe and clean it up!)
i used to shovel animal shit too when i worked as a zoo keep at some camp up in the mountains.
**
i hate it when people do not pick up after their dogs.
i used to live in hollywood where it was REALLY bad. downtown folk are much better about picking up after their dogs than hollywood folk. actually, i think i see more human shit around downtown than dog shit.
Avoiding dog shit on the sidewalk is a (s)hit or miss situation. And yes there is a lot of crap on the sidewalks of Hollywood too.
Don
My ex-gf always wanted to walk my dog, but would not want to take a baggie with her- so I would not let het take her (Jackie was my dog at the time- not White Dog).
If you can't stand picking up dog poo, you shoud not have a dog.
hey joe!!!
i just saw the plug for my blog on this post. :)
im glad i got to meet you!!
are you going to the dog walk tomorrow?
Alexis, I'm glad you had no problem with being linked on a post about poop! Ruby will decide whether or not we show up tomorrow. She turned 10 last month and sometimes is not up for a big walk in the evening. Hopefully we'll be there and have a chance to see you and meet Captain.
Urban Memo, did your zoo work make you more relaxed around animal poop? My farm work sure broke me in!
Eric, did your ex refuse to take plastic bags because she couldn't stand to pick up poop? If so, you may want to screen your next relationship more carefully.
Don, thanks for the live update from Hollywood. Keep watching those streets and reporting in!
Has Sara had any accidents in the house?
Ok.. so I had a horse when I was younger, (like 13) and she was a registered Morgan. I took care of her and that included shoveling the horse poop. I used to help muck the other boarders' stalls too now & again.
I don't care how much you've been around poop.. it's still poop and it's gross.
I'm grateful for folks that clean up after their dogs. I hate stepping in it, it's nasty.
I gotta hand it to you dog owners though for using a baggy.. you won't catch me picking up cat dung with a baggie. I got my kitty litter scoop for that (if needed). =)
As pet owners, we need to all do our part.
Joe- yes, my "screening process" for my next girlfriend involve being willing to pick up dog poo.
And Meeko, White Dog is litter-box trained, so I kind of know what you do with your kitty.
i haven't been a zoo keeper for ten years, so i am sensitive to shit these days.
but i'll work with shit if i have to. like, if having a dog meant picking up its shit a few times a day... i would be happy to do that.
i do not have a dog because i don't have the time to properly take care of one. but i do want a dog someday when i am ready for one. and hopefully i can find one that my cats can get along with (i think its possible since my cats get along with judith's yorkshire terriers).
I walked Ruby for 12 blocks today and she didn't do her duty. It looks as if she's constipated again!
Hey Joe, great expose on a problem I am familiar with, as my little company cleans the sidewalks here at night. We do not, however have authorization to clean outside any Gilmore buildings so this problem will continue there. We actually scrub the sidewalks by hand and use a sanitizing solution to attempt to control some of the odors as well as the obvious health concerns. Our Cityscrub program works well in the areas we can get authorization.
hey joe! Ruby go the bathroom yet? (I hope!) maybe it's time to give her a banana or something. =)
Yes, meekorouse, Ruby finally did her duty....and let me tell you, when it rains, it pours!
Oh, being a dog's daddy is a never-ending job!
Great blog!
I wish people would pick up their dog messes. We have a neighbor who walks her two yip, yappy mutts down the street and she allows them to go on all of the neighbors lawns BUT not on their lawn!
I think I'll print out your blog instructions and slide them under their front door! Maybe she'll figure out that all of the neighbors don't think she's so cute.
HEY ~ PICK UP YOUR DOG/S MESS!!
Ruby is adorable!
Post a Comment