Bodily Functions……and Dog Ownership

Dog ownership provides lots of bonuses. Unconditional love, a four-footed companion, a reason to walk outside, a warm little body to pet and snuggle with on the couch. A watchdog to announce anyone at the door.

But ownership also comes with a whole list of responsibilities - especially if you want to be a good neighbor. Every walk means you, the owner, needs to be ready for "clean-up". You never leave the house without one or two plastic bags in your pocket. Preferably two without holes in the bottom.

My family had a boxer while I was growing up. She was a wonderful pet. And she was trained to stay in our un-fenced yard (not sure how my dad managed that!). I'm not sure who cleaned up after her - I know I never did.

When our kids were little we had another boxer, Daisy, for almost 12 years. We had a fenced yard where she did her "business" most of the time, and yes, "poop patrol" was part of the kids earn-your-allowance-money chores. This wasn't all that long ago….but I know, when I took Daisy for her two mile daily walk, I never had a plastic bag along. If she pooped we just left it I guess.

But times have changed, and we now have Fenway the Boston Terrier and we are good neighbors. We always pick up after him. Sometimes we use a plastic bag from the grocery store, sometimes a clear, empty bread bag (not my favorite). A friend saves all her pink newspaper sleeves and gives me bags full. And every once in a while we even buy the special rolls of dog bags for when we travel. A never ending supply just to take care of one little dog. Fenway is a "good dog" twice each day…..so yes, it's amazing how quickly we go through plastic bags.