Stick and flick gives me the pip: dog owners

[GoogleMe]

I noticed on the BBC website that an MP is calling on people *not* to bag their dog poo but to use the stick and flick technique (which the Forestry Commission endorse in some areas.)

This is a response to people bagging and then leaving... sometimes (although not always) in non-biodegradable bags. Instead of encouraging them not to leave them...

I reckon that few people anti-social enough to deliberately leave a filled poo bag behind are going to hunt around for a stick and then, successfully, flick every bit of poo away from the footpath far enough that no-one is going to stand in it. (Bearing in mind that if you want to look closely at a plant you might step off the path, or you might be an orienteer)

I am however mystified by how few people take anything to put the used bags in so they are not having to walk along swinging a stinky bag (and tempting some to leave it, but not necessarily remembering, intending to collect on the return, . I didn't last long as a new dog owner before I researched this. Sadly the brilliant but perhaps not aesthetically lovely Muksak is no longer produced (due to retirement) but there's the Poop Pot and the Dicky Bag. If those seem pricey, then there's always tupperware type containers.

Aside from that, although dog poo breaks down, it has an impact on soil conditions thus damaging the local flora.

[Fran182716]

As a dog owner who picks up every poo (and uses biodegradable bags) I agree, it incenses me when I see (or tread in) other dogs poo, it gives responsible owners a bad name as well as being bad for the environment and just disgusting to pick out of hiking boot treads. I carry a bigger stronger re-useable carrier bag (the 5p orange sainsburys ones are good) in my rucksack to put the smaller poo containing bags in avoid swinging the stinky poo bag which inevitably gets ripped on brambles! I do wish some places would have bins at the exits though, I'd never leave it behind but don't want it in the car if we've driven a fair way for a walk - so I hang it from the rear windscreen wiper and hope it doesn't start raining !

[GoogleMe in reply to Fran182716]

An old ice cream tub could do very well for you.

It's a really shame the Muksak isn't available any more. It was hard grey plastic but the seal was so effective that you couldn't tell you'd got a couple of bags in there and left in a hot car for several days (although definitely not something to open in an enclosed space!)

[Fran182716 in reply to GoogleMe]

Hi yes I remember the mucksak, my friend had one but the lid broke and she couldn't find a replacement, the tub sounds a good idea, will have to try that 😀

[suige in reply to Fran182716]

Yes I am with you their where I walk my dogs regularly their are no bins or very few and if you have 2 large frequent pooers like I have it can get a bit heavy

[suige]

At crufts last week I looked into the discky bags yes good but too pricy for most but taking some idea from then a resealable food bag with one of those car air fresheners would work just as well very little cost and when you put them in a bag of any sort they are not awkward to carry. As a responsible dog owner I have found just using the poo bags they make any bag you put them in stink and their is nothing worse than opening my rucksack to thgzt smell saying that any other idea

[GoogleMe in reply to suige]

The point of these bits of kit is that none of them need to be put in another bag (otherwise any kind of a tub with a good lid would be fine and into your backpack) These all have carabiners or lanyards.

The Poop Pots are cheaper than the Dicky Bags. The Dicky Bag was a Christmas present (for my son, who claimed he was going to walk the dog if we got one, but didn't like the Muksak)

[GoogleMe in reply to GoogleMe]

The fancy kit is certainly less important if you are already carrying a backpack and you don't go running, but I'd want a rigid container to go in a bag rather than just double bagging.

[misswobble]

If you have a dog on BARF there is much less poop to shovel, which has to be a boon 😀💩

I wish my hounds owners would get him switched to it 🙄 I walk a pug who is fed a BARF diet and all the grub is digested completely so there is very little to deal with afterwards.

[GoogleMe in reply to misswobble]

We had too much coming out at the front end when we tried that But a very good point about diet making a difference to how manageable things are and doesn't get raised in the discussions.

(Incidentally I have just ordered a pair of Dicky bags as a wedding present... they come with poo bags that say "Shit happens... it's what you do with it that matters")