Dog owners – has this ever happened to you? You’re out for a walk with your pooch when nature calls (hopefully for the dog – not for you!) You reach for a bag and to your panic and dismay – it isn’t there.
You check all your pockets three times, you look up and down the road hoping to see another dog owner walking along that you can borrow a bag from…finally you resort to looking for a stray bag on the ground that you can use, ANYTHING!
Finding nothing you have no choice but to leave the poop to go get a bag from home and come back, walking eyes down convinced that everyone is looking at you from behind curtains in nearby homes, judging as you go.
Sound somewhat familiar? Well it seems in Avy’s case it isn’t just me (or whomever happens to be walking her) that feels sheepish in these situations – she does too!
Awhile ago I was visiting my family and my sister asked if she could take Avy out with her for a run. Of course Avy was thrilled to go and off they went – sans poop bags. Midway down the block Avy had to “go”. My sister immediately realized her mistake…but then remembered that the park down the road (less than a block away) has a bag station at the entrance.
My sister (Jen) called Avy along to go and get a bag. Avy didn’t want to move. She kept sitting next to the poop and waiting. Finally Jen pulled her along and Avy VERY reluctantly trotted along with her. As soon as they got to the park and grabbed a bag Avy turned around, pulled Jen back to where the poop was and sat down next to it. She clearly understood the protocol and wasn’t going to be one of “those dogs” that leaves it behind!
It’s yet another example of just how in tune dogs are with what goes on around them and the patterns in our behavior. It’s nice to know that Avy is looking out for clean parks and grass as well!