The Scoop on Man's Best Friend
By Andrea Peck
Violet has been pooping in my onion bed.
At first, I paid no attention. I watered the onion bed and saw a few extra-large offenders on the outskirts of the bed. I picked them up and threw them away. I've learned that it is best to ignore problems at the outset.
It's a bad habit.
Because, soon after, I spied her from my kitchen window, making a deposit, the white tip on her black tail squiggling in the air as if she were writing a receipt.
I ran out immediately, slipping on my lime green garden shoes, risking that fall that would knock a tooth out, and squawking in a tone that should alert the neighbors, “no, no, no, no!”
She stepped out of the onion bed, ladylike. She did not immediately run off, she's more of a skulker. Instead, she looked at me with those brown eyes, her head lowered. I gave pause. On first glance you'd imagine she was penitent, but her look is more granny- over- the-glasses than apologetic. I thought back to the time she pooped in our house. At the time, I mentioned it to my mother who slowly asked what I had done to her. The evidence was clear: Border collies are sneaky creatures capable of exacting silent, yet effective revenge.
I guess I've gone on. I should introduce Violet.
She is our dog. She can be breathtaking and striking. She is a bit impish – more tomboy than intellectual Border collie. We love her. The way she tucks her extra-large body onto the smallest chair. The way she bowls you over when you so much as utter a syllable in her direction.
Border collies are known for their intelligence. I suppose so, since the onion bed is the furthest place that she can squat away from the house. But, does she have to be so geographically technical? It seems that she would know that her 58- pound frame, no matter how delicate it's carriage, was literally chopping my onion tops right off. Can she not, with those doggy ears, hear the little snapping?
But, let's take another point of view. Do we not hear the sound of our dog droppings? Recently, I read two articles discussing our pets and their “product.” According to the EPA, dogs leave us with 10 million tons of waste per year – that is just in the United States. If we are conscientious sorts, we stop as our dog does its business, bag it up and walk home with it. People in this genre are labeled “civilized.”
Approximately 45% of us own at least one dog. We have three dogs. But, the other two are little, I swear. I try to be “civilized,” but sometimes I am not. I try to make up for missed poops by picking up other dogs' abandoned treasures.
It is precisely those abandoned lumps that have environmentalists worried. Bacteria love these canine patties. Then, when it rains, the entire load slides ocean toward. Feces that ends up in the water is particularly destructive. Not only does it spread dangerous pathogens that can sicken sea life, but it also depletes oxygen in the water as it decomposes – oxygen that fish and other aquatic creatures need to survive. When the problem is severe, ammonia may be released. The combination of low oxygen and ammonia is lethal for fish. Below is a list of pathogens linked with pet (dog and cat) fecal matter.
Campylobacteriosis - bacterial infection
Salmonellosis - bacterial infection
Toxocariasis - roundworm infection
Toxoplasmosis - protozoan parasite infection
Giardiasis - protozoan parasite infection
What to do with poop? Well, surprisingly, the EPA recommends flushing your dog poo. I was shocked to hear this. Once my shock wore off, I wondered how to get in that habit. Like, what's the procedure? You'd have to come up with that one on your own, but apparently, because black water (toilet water) is shuttled off and treated, it's a viable solution. Your second best bet is to bag it securely and throw it away. Remember, however, that this does add additional heft to the volcano that is our landfill.
What not to do with your poo:
Do not compost it. Despite what your friends say, this is not a source of nutrients. Composting is great for many things, but it does not reach the required heat levels to ensure adequate pathogenic demise.
Do not leave it. Some consider this to be a legitimate method of handling pet droppings. But, this is not a method. Leaving feces on the street, in the park and your backyard contributes to disease.
While you cannot compost your dog's remnants, some people have had success creating their own mini-septic tank. You can purchase one, called the Doggy Dooley or make your own. I've included a link to give you the basic idea. The dog feces will eventually decompose, but it should never be located near edibles for obvious reasons.
And with that, I guess it's time to walk the dogs. One of them is giving me that look.
For a DIY look at a Doggie Waste Digester: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if_nHfA93Mk