Toilet Talk

Dear Dog Lady,

I’m a new dog owner. My Havanese puppy, Boing-Boing, is great, but I hope you understand my disgust with other dog owners. At the park and in the local dog shop, it seems all they want to talk about is dog bathroom behavior. Diarrhea is debated like it’s a pressing world issue. Scolding owners who don’t pick up after their dogs seems like a blood sport. What have I stepped into?

Chelsey, Portland, ORE

Chelsey, you seem surprised by this indelicate potty-mouth on the part of your canine-caring colleagues. For dog guardians, their animal’s daily output is the most readily available barometer of a pet’s health. Hoping to understand the inner-workings of their mysterious creatures, people swap information and seek support. Certainly, this extends to doggy gastrointestinal matters. Dog Lady would never have found out about the holistic benefits of Greek yogurt (a couple of spoonfuls a day has eased darling’s squeaky stomach) if she hadn’t heard the tip at the local dog bakery

Also, the issue of dog waste is a political hot button as cities and towns have laws requiring owners to pick up after their pets. The responsible ones police themselves and carry extra bags to give anyone caught walking away from the scene of the grime.

Chelsey, if you scoop up enough times after Boing-Boing, you will become very aware of your pet’s bowel habits. You might not think it possible now but Dog Lady believes you will soon want to share the latest poop eagerly with others.

Posted by Dog Lady at April 18, 2006 01:32 PM