Mud, Grass, Poop

I took my dog for a walk on the Fox Loop today. That's what I call a side loop off the Fawn Loop, that I don't do since the Bullying Incident. I like it. I never see anyone else and I can let my dog off leash pretty confidently.

As were were coming back down the hill, amongst the dry yellow grasses that dominate our landscape right now, he managed to find a mud puddle. I assure you that it's the only mud puddle within a hundred miles. He's good like that.

After muddying up his paws, he started to eat the green grass. It's the only green grass on the entire walk - or so I thought, but more on that in a bit. He was minding his own business mowing down his morning salad when a barking dog appeared at the fence across the street. I don't know if the dog saw my dog, but I was standing looking at this dog then at mine, then back at this dog. My dog did not care that there was another dog to pay attention to. He wanted to eat grass and was not to be distracted from this task.

The barking dog attracted the attention of its owner, who whistled for him. You know the whistle, the one that sounds like you're tying a knot. Coincidentally, that is the same whistle that I use for Mooch. He heard it and perked up his ears and ran to the fence to tease the dog about being locked up. I called my dog off and he gave up his antagonism almost too easily, probably because he was happy about the mud and grass. I just thought it was funny that the other owner basically called my dog's attention to her own barking dog. He otherwise wouldn't have cared.

Further down the hill, Mooch found some more grass in front of someone else's house. It's also known as a lawn. I don't let my dog walk in other people's yards because I don't feel it's polite. My dog, though, loves grass and my usual command, "Get out of the yard" wasn't working like it always does. As he wandered around the yard, taunting me to come in and get him, we both spotted the fountain bubbling water at the same time. I got to him just as he got to the fountain and started drinking. I got him back on his leash but not before imagining what we must have looked like had the owner arrived just then to see a woman with a dog on a leash while the dog was drinking out of the fountain.

While talking about dogs and yards and being polite, I feel badly for people who have their yards pooped in so much they feel compelled to put up a sign to deter this behavior. You know the ones:

I'll have to come back with a picture. 

What bothers me most about the signs, besides the fact that they're as unattractive as the poop is, is that the dog's tail is pointing up in the picture. When dogs poop, the tail curves down. Clearly these are not dog people!