Who's right? Re: dogs relieving themselves

[torinsmom]

I was walking my dog in my neighborhood this afternoon. I walk on the edge of the road and his leash is 4 feet long at most. He tends to pee around the area where people's mailboxes are on the dirt or grass. Well, we were walking and he peed on the grass about 2 feet from the road. This older lady(probably 70's) came out and yelled for him to shoo. Then she started yelling at me that he can't pee and poop in her yard. Now mind you, her front yard is fenced in and the area we are talking about is 2-3 feet away from her fence. Truthfully, I didn't even think that area was her property; I thought it was the shoulder of the road. So she's yelling at me and telling me its private property, and she will call the police, etc, etc.

So, is it wrong for me to let my dog pee on the shoulder of the road in front of someone's house? We are not talking about poop here; I never let him poop anywhere except our backyard or in the woods. I'm trying to figure out how I can get him to the trail without him peeing on someone else's property.

Marsha

 

[DVC Sadie]

I don't know of any county around here that has a dog pee ordinance. Just to be on the safe side I would probably call my local county and find out if such an ordinance is in effect for your area.

 

[ireland_nicole]

Your dog was on a leash and did not leave any solid waste. As far as I know you didn't break any laws. But knowing that this mature woman might be a few fries short of a happy meal, I might choose a slightly different route to avoid further confrontations.

 

[goofy!]

I was walking my dog in my neighborhood this afternoon. I walk on the edge of the road and his leash is 4 feet long at most.

I'm trying to figure out how I can get him to the trail without him peeing on someone else's property.

Marsha

I would walk briskly and keep your dog on a heel until you get to the trail. This way you avoid any question of your dog peeing in anybody's yard. Dog urine can leave burnt spots on grass, so I wouldn't allow my dog to relieve themselves on anything that might even be questionable private property.

 

[PrincessKitty1]

I've only had that happen to me once in all my many years of dog ownership, and I told the person that my dog was peeing on the right-of-way, not in her yard.

I can understand someone not wanting a dog running loose and doing business in their yard, but we can't always control where our dogs choose to pee even when they are on a leash! That said, I do walk my dog in my yard first to try to get her to pee and poop there before I bring her on a walk through the neighborhood. (That doesn't mean she won't find a place in the 'hood to go though!).

 

[torinsmom]

Our neighborhood does not have even close to pristine lawns, so I don't think she is worried about a burnt spot. It was actually dirt he peed on. My dog has no manners, so I do good to keep him from dragging me down the street, so keeping him at a heel is not gonna happen. I do recognize when he is about to poop, and if I pull the leash tight he will keep moving and not poop there.

I think I will walk on the other side of the street from now on. I personally think that space is a right of way as a PP said and not her personal property. Shoot, dogs pee in front of my house every day.

Oh, and she has a cat that I see in her yard, so what do you wanna bet her cat pees and poops on private property?

Marsha

 

[disykat]

I am very careful about not letting my dog even step onto groomed lawns. I'm also careful of areas kids play. I always carry bags and pick up poop. However, the ungroomed shoulder of the road (where people park) is pee space as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Beca]

There is a rather unfriendly woman in our neighborhood who owns two small dogs, and walks them a couple of times a day. This woman is always yelling at kids who make too much noise. She also came out of her house one day when I was helping a family catch their dog who had managed to get off it's leash. She was really ugly to the owners of the dog about being "irresponsible". The dog was super friendly, and in no way a threat, but she had to come out and yell at this family. She's pretty much nuts.

Anyway, she walks her dogs on the same path everyday, and they always pee in the same spot of my neighbors yard. It is now a really yellowish spot where nothing grows. Every year, my really sweet neighbor replaces the spot with new sod. When other neighbors comment on the pee spot, she just laughs, and goes about her way. I don't think she has ever once said anything to this woman about it.

My point....dog pee can leave dead grass if the animals pee in the same spot every day. But, more importantly, people are just people...some nice, some not so much. And usually, the not nice ones seem to be the loudest.

I would just try to make sure the dog pees elsewhere....why ask for trouble, even if you are in the right. Miserable people are really good at making trouble, and you need to figure out what battles are worth fighting.

 

[DISUNC]

Let her call the police, I am sure they aint got nuttin better to do!

You were right!

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

I never allow my dog to go onto people's lawns, not even the area near the road. One of my neighbors constantly allows their dog to pee on our mailboxes or go up into yards. To me, both are rude. I wait until I get to common areas. I also avoid areas where kids or teams play.

 

[CajunDixie]

Why not just wait a few minutes and let your dog pee in your own yard? Seems like a no brainer to me. I have dogs but for the most part we keep them out of the front yard. I have asked people to keep their dogs out of my yard and drive way as I have no desire to clean up after other people's dog. Although the last time the guy with the rottie let him go in my driveway I scooped it up and dumped it on his driveway. He never let his dog take a dump on my driveway again.

 

[JR6ooo4]

I find it rude that anyone takes their dog to someone elses property (or surrounds) for that reason. WHat is wrong with walking in your own yard?! If it is so not a problem.

Our dogs have a specific area in our yard that they have been trained to go to. it is pea gravel so it drains quickly and is easy to clean.

and a dog that pulls you down the street.... that is not good.

Mikeeee

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I think the lady overreacted. My dogs are the masters of peeing while we walk, I swear they must go ten times every walk. They have mastered the art of peeing while walking even. I don't know where they store it all. I keep them out of people's yards, but still. Dogs pee.

Mikeee: She is not going to the lady's property just so the dog can pee. She is walking her dog and her dog decided to pee. Dogs do that. Yes, she should try to keep the dog out of the yard, but if it is a public area I do not see a big deal. I would rather my dogs pee in a public area than on somebody's lawn.

 

[robinb]

No, it's not wrong to let your dog pee on her property. What are you supposed to do? Carry a Dixie Cup?

 

[daisyduck123]

I'm sorry, but I don't want any animals urinating in front of my house. Gross!

 

[Anewman]

Some dogs cause brown spots...

No laws were broken, but it would be nice for animal owners to be considerate.
I might not own the grass on the public sidewalk, but I am the one that maintains it. And I try to keep it as nice as possible.

 

[JimmyPicker]

As a dog owner, I understand that pee happens.

But as a homeowner, I see this as more of a respect issue. Someone's cutting that grass, and it isn't you. Someone is parking their car there and walking across it to get to their house.

Well maintained or barely maintained, it's not even relevent. If she doesn't like it, don't let your dog whiz there. Some people don't care one way or another as long as they don't have to step in doggy doo. Other people do care and you should be mindful of their feelings.

Just because your dog wants to whiz there, that doesn't trump this lady's dislike for dog urine in front of her own home.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Anywhere my dogs pee will instantly kill your grass.

We do not let them pee in other people's lawn area's. It is an easy habit to break.

 

[torinsmom]

Why not just wait a few minutes and let your dog pee in your own yard? Seems like a no brainer to me. I have dogs but for the most part we keep them out of the front yard. I have asked people to keep their dogs out of my yard and drive way as I have no desire to clean up after other people's dog. Although the last time the guy with the rottie let him go in my driveway I scooped it up and dumped it on his driveway. He never let his dog take a dump on my driveway again.

Well, as far as my dog(I don't know about anyone else's), it is really not about having to go. It's about peeing to mark, usually were he smells another dog has peed. I am walking down the street and he is peeing beside the pavement on the dirt usually. I would never let him poop there where people walk or park or on anyone's property(much easier to stop a dog from pooping than peeing). He pees and poops plenty in our fenced in backyard. He is mostly an outside dog, so it is not a matter of him waiting all day and then me rushing him through the neighborhood to pee on everyone's yard. I bet he lifts his leg 20-25 times in the 10 minutes we are walking. I thought this was just what dogs do when you walk them. Seems to be what dogs do in our neighborhood.

Other people in our neighborhood let their dogs pee on the shoulder by my house. It bugs me if they let them poop, but how is dog pee gonna make my mowing harder? That area is pretty much dirt in our neighborhood(no sidewalks) I have to walk by about 10 houses to get to the path to the woods, which is where we usually walk. I steer clear of recycle bins and trash cans, so he won't pee on them(that would def. be gross)

I guess I will just walk on the other side of the street by this lady's house. The way the path is set up, I have to walk by her house either on the way there or on the way back to get to my house.

Marsha

 

[The Mystery Machine]

That is what you are letting your dog do. I don't allowing marking behavior on the walk, period.

It takes away from the walk. However when we walk our dogs it is for at least an hour sometimes more and usually in a park.

You can break your dog from this and it is easy and it will make your walk much more enjoyable.