I was going through my google reader when I came across this article from Pawcurious titled 3 Dumb Things that Dog Owners Do (That Make Us All Look Bad).  I immediately clicked on the link to see if I agreed with Dr. V’s short list (I did).

I’m not going to tell you everything on the list, but I will tell you my personal #1 Dumb Thing That Dog Owners Do and that’s not picking up dog poop!  My #1 pet peeve was number 2 on Dr. V’s list.

For some reason I’ve been talking about dog poop a lot lately.  I spoke about the biodegradable dogs just a few days ago and before that I wrote an article about the many different kinds of green dog poop bags you can buy to make your pets more eco-friendly.

However, today it’s more about venting then the dog poop.

Why Do Dog Owners Not Pick Up Their Dog Poop?

It’s sad, but I ask myself this question daily as I walk my dog through my neighborhood.  I live in a nice affluent area and you would think that people would have the consideration to pick up after their dogs especially when they are pooping right outside my front door!

Here are a few other reasons why dog owners should pick up their dog’s poop:

• Not picking up dog poop contributes to the source water contamination.
• If you’re caught not picking up your dog poop you could get fined anywhere from $10 – $2,000.  Is it really worth it?
• Pick up your dog poop!  It’s not fertilizer!  It contains bacteria and viruses that can be harmful to people and pets alike.

Those are just a few reasons, but most of all just be considerate to your fellow neighbors.

Don’t forget to read about the other dumb things that dog owners do at Pawcurious.

I often times think about what I would do if I caught someone not picking up after their dogs right in front of my house.  Mostly just fantasies from chewing out the owners all the way to repackaging the dog poop, putting it in a paper bag, lighting it on fire and ringing the neighbors door bell (I know I’ve been watching too much Billy Madison).

Anyhow I’m curious, have any of you caught a neighbor not picking up his dog’s poop on your own lawn or anywhere in the neighborhood?  What did you do?  I’m interested to see how far people have gone when someone leaves dog poop on their lawn.  Tell us about it in the comment section below.