Pick Up Poop

I went for an early, snowy and cold hike this morning with my dog on a local trail. While the trail was quite and lonely this morning (it was 15˚ snowing...), on most days it's one of the most heavily used trails in Boulder. Lots of people in this part of the world hike with their dogs, and this trail is a hot-bed for dog activity. As I was nearing the end of my hike I stopped to look at the trailhead signage and saw this sign:



I was a welcome reminder to all who enjoy the trail that picking up your dog's waste is the right thing to do. The City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks estimates that 40 tons of pet waste is deposited on lands they manage. Much of this waste is picked up and properly disposed of but there is a large quantity that remains on these lands.

From the City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP):

Why is dog waste such a big deal? Who cleans up after coyotes?

Besides its bad smell, dog waste can pollute water sources and encourage noxious weeds to grow. Coyotes and other wildlife eat what is available to them on OSMP land. Dogs eat dog food or table scraps, so their waste is different from wildlife droppings. Dog waste can harbor microbes and drain to Boulder's resevoirs. It is also rich in nitrogen, which encourages noxious and invasive weeds to grow.

Check out this video done by OSMP on dog poop: http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=11515&Itemid=1082

Why?

As a dog owner, I'll never, ever understand the idea of bagging your dog's poop then leaving it on the trail. All too often I've heard the justification, "I'm hiking right back by here so I'll pick it up on my way back." The problem is that, without fail, there are just too many bags full of poop left on trails everywhere. Either people don't actually come back and pick it up or they simply make the decision to leave it there.

I just don't get it.

Hiking with our dogs is a privilege, not a right. As pet owners, we need to do all we can to ensure that we are good stewards of the lands where we spend time with our dogs. Otherwise, we may not have access to beautiful places in the future to hike with our dogs.

How do I pee and poop in the woods?

Ever wondered how to pee or poop in the woods? Ever wondered how to broach the subject with a friend or kids you are taking outdoors for the first time in their life? Ever wondered why backpackers seem to love those orange trowels? Wonder no longer... Trailspace has put together a highly organized and well written summary with lots of useful information.

Dealing with Dog Poop

Make no mistake, pet waste is an issue in the out-of-doors. Particularly when it's not dealt with properly. As more and more people and their pets enjoy the outdoors, the problem just keeps growing. For example, City of Boulder (CO) Open Space and Mountain Parks estimates that 40 TONS (80,000 lbs) of pet wastes are left on open space lands (40,000+ acres) each year. This represents a 10 ton increase in just the past 5 years. While most dog owners simply use either a poop bag or a plastic grocery bag to pick up their pets waste, some enterprising people overseas have come up with a solution:

Whatever method you use for dealing with your pet waste, please do the right thing.