Pissing Contested

Dear Dog Lady,

I recently moved into the city from the suburbs. I’m still getting used to the dog culture in my neighborhood. On the one hand, I like to see a lot of dogs on the streets because it makes me feel safer. On the other hand, I don’t like to see so many dogs relieving themselves on the granite cornerstone of my townhouse. The stone always drips with dog pee. Makes me nuts. How do I deal with this, other than becoming the local grouch and shooing away dogs 24/7?

Lucy, Brooklyn Heights, NY

Lucy, sounds like your granite cornerstone is quite juicy, but don’t become the neighborhood loony over it. You could post a cute sign on the stone urging dogs to move on. They can’t read English, so their owners might get the message – especially if you add a little humor to your warning: “Dogs, urine private property. Please use the nearest hydrant or tree.”

Your cornerstone has obviously become a pee-mail posting site. You want to take away the odors that compel canines to leave their markings of spurted messages. A solution might be Simple Solution, a solvent that not only cleanses dog drippings but the smell. Simple Solution (www.bramton.com) works on tile and brick, so it must be effective on granite, but you can do your own research on this. The product washes away the evidence so dogs are unlikely to lift their legs on the same spot again.

Such is life in the big city. Some dogs love Lucy’s. Deal wisely and humorously with this new nuisance and you might even make new friends. Caring dog owners are sensitive to the boundaries and will not take it personally if you also ask politely for them to curb their animals.

Posted by Dog Lady at January 14, 2005 12:01 PM