Pick up the S#!T

It is a lot more important to pick up your dogs poop than many people realize.

On top of being very inconsiderate when you leave it lying at the side of the road, path, on in the park or anywhere, it has other impacts as well.

Understanding how your dogs poop should be and knowing that when it changes there could be a health issue or a dietary issue which needs to be addressed.

For instance, watery stools may indicate an intestinal problem, while small pellet-like poops can mean your dog is dehydrated. More serious issues that warrant a vet visit include mucus (possible inflamed colon), blood, white bits (may be tapeworm), or black, coffee-like stool (possible internal bleeding.)

By not picking up, you are actively ignoring this potential.

Leaving poop lying around can create a real health risk to children and other public area users.

The parasites and bacteria in dog poop can spread disease to other dogs, other animals and humans. E. coli and salmonella are just some of the bacteria which are carried in dog poop. Even if your dog does not show symptoms of being sick their waste can carry diseases.

Last but not least, leaving it lying around will certainly create complaints to public authorities who in some instances may ban dogs from certain areas. This would be a shame for all dogs and their owners.

So, pick it up.