[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by Russ_Boston

A poster said that I should post my pet question on the pet forum instead of hiding it in another post that was about golf.

OK - here goes:

If you have a dog(s) and you walk it outside to do its business, do you let that business happen on private property? In other words do you let your dog do its thing on another person's lawn? Even assuming you pick everything up do you feel that you have some sort of built in right to walk onto another person's property and urinate and defecate on THEIR lawn? This question came up because some people were adamant that golf balls hit onto a home's property should not be looked for or picked up (obviously not hit from) since the ball should be considered out of bounds.

Just curious what most pet owners allow for their dog's bathroom habit. I don't own one so I'd like to know how you go about accomplishing the daily habit.

Our dog usually either goes in our yard or thereabouts, at the private dog park called Doggie Doo Run Run, at the postal center, or sometimes in yards when I walk him late at night. I carry a flashlight and plenty of plastic bags for his poop and since he is a male dog he has to mark his territory with dribbles every ten feet or so. He usually will pee wherever other dogs have gone and does only small amounts because he has a lot of territory to mark.

Not sure why so many TOTVers make such a big thing about dog poop and pee? I find this not much of an issue in the neighborhood I am in. I have heard of people at the dog park who have had problems when their dogs doing their business on other people's yards but with so many homes with no fences, it is quite hard if next to impossible to make sure that no poop or pee gets on other people's yards.

[zonerboy]

Ok all you poop freaks, please define "private property". When I walk my dog, I keep the leash short so he does not walk on anyone's lawn or personal property. When we are on "common areas", such as along the multi modal paths, grassy areas near mail stations, outside walls of courtyard villa hoods, and so forth, I do let him walk on the grass. These areas are not "public property", but are also privatev, are they not??
If he poops, I pick it up and take it home with me. If he pees, I don't worry about it. Dog urine is basically harmless.
I have not noticed any dead or dying shrubbery in these areas where many walk their dogs. I walk three miles each morning and only rarely do I see a dog pile. I do, however encounter literally hundreds of cigarette butts every day....in the street, on the sidewalks, and on people's lawns. As for my house, I'd actually prefer the poop to the butts.

[Polar Bear]

Originally Posted by birdawg

Actually the right of way is for utilities to have access if needed. I worked in the urban cities of New Jersey (Newark Paterson etc.) in the high rises people would urinate in the halls, stairwells, elevators. When I would ask them why they would do that, they would say they don't own it.

Utilities, roads, sidewalk, multi-modal path, etc. The point was...it is not the property of the homeowner who fronts on that right-of-way. (I'm not excusing leaving poop there...although I think the pee on right-of-way grass is no problem whatsoever.)

[Wi11iam]

Originally Posted by Russ_Boston

A poster said that I should post my pet question on the pet forum instead of hiding it in another post that was about golf.

OK - here goes:

If you have a dog(s) and you walk it outside to do its business, do you let that business happen on private property? In other words do you let your dog do its thing on another person's lawn? Even assuming you pick everything up do you feel that you have some sort of built in right to walk onto another person's property and urinate and defecate on THEIR lawn? This question came up because some people were adamant that golf balls hit onto a home's property should not be looked for or picked up (obviously not hit from) since the ball should be considered out of bounds.

Just curious what most pet owners allow for their dog's bathroom habit. I don't own one so I'd like to know how you go about accomplishing the daily habit.

"Survey says" .... let the same common sense used for golf balls prevail...

[graciegirl]

Common sense is a beautiful thing and so is thinking of others. They used to be seen all of the time. If we each looked out for others then we wouldn't need signs and we wouldn't need rules.

Unfortunately.........................

[Russ_Boston]

Let's remember that ALL real estate inside TV is owned by someone. Even the sanctuaries are owned by someone. ALL RE is owned by someone.

So if your dog does ANY business not on its own lawn then you are doing that business on someone else's property. This is not a debate but fact.

Now the question comes "Is it reasonable to allow this practice in 'open' areas"? Well I guess that's the debate. I would assume that most of the places mentioned are owned by the local CDD? So if they don't have any issue then either do I. But have we ever asked them?

[Polar Bear]

Originally Posted by Russ_Boston

Let's remember that ALL real estate inside TV is owned by someone. Even the sanctuaries are owned by someone. ALL RE is owned by someone.

So if your dog does ANY business not on its own lawn then you are doing that business on someone else's property. This is not a debate but fact...

If you consider public property to be "owned by someone", of course you are correct. But your authoritative statement misses the point. The concept of public-vs-private still exists and is critical to some of this discussion.

Public right-of-way is not owned by private individuals. Big difference...that too is fact.

[Tom Grooms]

Do not let your dog come in my yard unless you are prepared for a confrontation. I have a corner lot and it took months to train the neighbors and there dogs that my lot IS NOT a dog park and it's never ok to pee, poop or walk on my lawn.

The air horn usually does the trick but a few times a month I'll hear some snide comment, have to leave my lanai and tell them what time it is...

I applaud the dog owners that have their dogs do the business on the street. Good stuff and thanks to all responsible dog owners.

[PammyJ]

Wow! I find some of the comments over the top! I have a pet friendly front yard. Waste is picked up, who cares! I love seeing the cute furry dogs walk along our street. I even have treats to give them when they walk by. It all depends on how you view things whether or not this bothers you. Each to his own! But, we all have to share this world and get along...pick your battles for what is really important.

[PammyJ]

Originally Posted by Tom Grooms

Do not let your dog come in my yard unless you are prepared for a confrontation. I have a corner lot and it took months to train the neighbors and there dogs that my lot IS NOT a dog park and it's never ok to pee, poop or walk on my lawn.

The air horn usually does the trick but a few times a month I'll hear some snide comment, have to leave my lanai and tell them what time it is...

I applaud the dog owners that have their dogs do the business on the street. Good stuff and thanks to all responsible dog owners.

We are opposites!

[Tom Grooms]

That's great and I don't have a problem with that but I wanted to remind people that we all don't share the same feelings. Some people work hard on their turf and don't take kindly to dogs peeing on there stuff.

[zonerboy]

As Mr. Boston states, all real estate within the confines of The Villages is owned by somebody. As a Villages home owner, I believe that I myself am a partial owner of "Common Areas" within the Villages, and am entitled to use them in accordance with the rules for such use which were in force when I purchased my home.
I am aware of no rules prohibiting the walking of leashed dogs in areas such as around postal stations, alongside multi modal paths, and so forth. I pick up after my dog in these areas because it is the proper thing to do, not because I might be on some one else's property.
Common sense and common courtesy should rule in such matters.
By the way, I am not some one whose entire self image and self worth is defined by the condition of the grass surrounding his home.

[CatskillBill]

How about staying away from postal stations, shuffle board courts, horseshoe pits, and bocce ball courts. HUMANS use theses areas and I don't appreciate your dog ruining the shubs and doing their business where I walk.

There are other "open" areas for your pet to use, like around retention ponds etc. including your own yard.

[Polar Bear]

Originally Posted by PammyJ

Wow! I find some of the comments over the top! I have a pet friendly front yard. Waste is picked up, who cares! I love seeing the cute furry dogs walk along our street. I even have treats to give them when they walk by. It all depends on how you view things whether or not this bothers you. Each to his own! But, we all have to share this world and get along...pick your battles for what is really important.

I think I'm somewhere in the middle of this debate. I'm a responsible dog owner and respect the reasonable concerns expressed here. But I gotta say...I love ya, PammyJ!! There...I said it!! ;^)

[oot]

It's kind of funny - the poop/pee threads almost made me second guess considering moving to the Villages. I love reading TOTV, especially before we bought our home. I would read these threads and thought this was the most unfriendly place when it came to dogs.

Where we lived in Michigan it seemed like almost every house owned a dog. Our house was a corner house with a fire hydrant and a tree and just about every dog that came for a walk by the house would pee on them both. The tree is huge and doing quite well, and even the grass around the hydrant is green. When people come by with their dogs, we never complain nor do any of the other neighbors.

I have never seen a "no poop here" sign anywhere in our northern neighborhood. If you walk around the Villages you see them all over the place. "Friendly home town" - well - it does not appear that way at a quick glance.

So anyway we bought a home here and come to find out - there are many dog owners who walk their dogs, bags in hand and people don't run out ready to fight when the dog happens to pee. Everyone is friendly - just like up north - and the world is a happy place. I play with their dogs (mine passed away several years ago) and we don't get upset if they pee on the lawn.

I appreciate those who pick up the poop - but won't scream at them if they did not do it. Maybe they cannot get down to pick it up because their knees are bad or their hips are sore.

Yes - maybe you ended up with a yellow spot on your lawn, but be thankful because at least you have a home to live in.

Granted - maybe the dog next door barked, but be thankful because at least you can hear.

Life is precious - enjoy it while you are here!