Dog poop and shopping carts – how could they be related? I know it sure sounds off the wall, but I bet you will see it if you read through this post. It all popped into our minds the other day when we read an article about a study regarding shopping carts, and were frustrated when people don’t pick up after their dogs. All the brown on the white snow is disgusting!
The Scientific American published a study on why people do or don’t return their shopping carts to the proper place when they are finished with them. It is a very interesting read actually. It talks about how this simple behavior spills over into other parts of life. This is what got us thinking about people picking up or not picking up after their dogs.
Shopping Carts And Dog Poop – The Relationship
We started by changing their categories of shopping cart users to poop scoopers, and I think you will recognize these dog people too.
1. Scoopers
These people are rule followers. They want to always do the right thing, so they will scoop poop, and even carry it for long distances if necessary to find a trash can.
2. Never Scoopers
These people don’t give a hoot about rules or what others think. They are above picking up after their dog, and figure if someone doesn’t like it, they can pick it up themselves.
3. Convenience Scoopers
Convenience lovers are happy to scoop if there is a garbage can right there. They don’t mind doing the right thing, but they won’t go out of their way to do it.
4. Pressure Scoopers
If these scoopers feel like they are being watched, they will grudgingly pick up after their pup because of the peer pressure. No pressure, no pick up.
5. Good Example Scoopers
We think these people are the worst as they don’t care about picking up after their dog, but if they can look good doing it to set an example in front of others, they will do it. The minute no one is around to see them setting an example, they won’t pick up any more poop.
The Conclusion In A Nutshell
The study concluded that people who fall into numbers one to four tend to be lacking in other places in their lives when it comes to rules as well. Those who don’t scoop may also have lawns that are not mowed, dirty homes, who knows what! Thankfully, our Mom is orderly!
We Are A Scooper Family
Thankfully, Mom is a rule follower, and our poo gets picked up on our walks right away, as well as if someone has an accident in the yard.
Why is it so important to pick up after your dog?
It’s not sanitary leaving poop lying around as it is full of germs and bacteria. No one wants to step in it either. If you leave it in the snow, it might also get buried, and then you will step in it in the spring. Yuck!
Some dogs are poop eaters, thankfully none of are. Even dogs who are not might be tempted if there is enough lying around. This is very unhealthy and dangerous for dogs. If you keep it picked up, they don’t even have a chance to start that bad habit. It’s also important for humans to see what is coming out the back end as it may show signs health issues if it is not “normal”.
Be a responsible pet owner and pick up that poop. We use Earthrated bags because we find them to be the most durable, even with our super cold winter weather. You may use any bag you like, but just pick up after your pup!
Just think, if no one picked up after their pup, the world would be buried in dog poo, something like a pasture with cows and all the cow pies. Do the right thing and scoop up that poop!
We are happy, so we’re joining Comedy Plus for Happy Tuesday!
Love this post because I love poop. The correlation is spot on!
We don’t love poop, but we like how behavior patterns flow into all areas of life 🙂
I am pleased to announce I always pick up and I always return shopping carts!
That is a good thing, just like our mom!
we are with you… we think never-scoopers should be condemned to remove poop from running shoes for the rest of their lives , that’s the worst to get this sh*t out of a shoe with a deep profile…
Once it gets into the shoes it is hard to get out…stinky stuff.
That is very interesting! My mom usually follows directions spot on. I cannot believe you have a poo toy! 🙂 XOXO, Sparkle
We got the poo toy at a conference a while ago. It’s been in a box until this post, and now it will go back. Glad your Mom follows rules.
Good analogy, and i would say pretty spot on.
We think so too. Winter poop is just so ugly on the white snow, it irritates us a lot when people don’t pick up.
Definitely an always picker-upper! And if I absentmindedly leave home without my supply of bags, I look for a reasonable substitute. I’m not necessarily a rules follower; but I do return shopping carts to their collection points and clean up after my dog.
I definitely agree with Phenny and Nelly – anyone who doesn’t pick up after their dog should be forced to clean the poop from the bottom of runners’ shoes for the rest of their lives!
That would be a great punishment, wouldn’t it? Mom is a rule follower, but some things like going around trail closed signs and crossing streets on a red light are where she derails. Not too serious usually.
That was so good sweeties, we see lots of humans walking with their dogs from our front window and some pick up the poop and some don’t.
Mom picks up after us, and then has to clean out the cat box too, every day!
Mom always picks up the poop we leave – thanks for explaining that to us! And we notice that she also pushes those shopping carts back to their places too!
I think your mom is awesome! There is no reason to be lazy and disrespectful, but some people are just that way I guess.
Mom always picks up after me. We think it’s disgusting to see poo alongside the road that someone refused to pick up. It’s not sanitary and it’s not right.
It’s just plain nasty!
When we had our precious Little Bit we always picked up her poop. It’s the right thing to do.
You are all so precious.
Thank you for joining the Happy Tuesday Blog Hop.
Have a fabulous Happy Tuesday. My best to your wonderful mom. ♥
Thank you. Picking up is the duty of a pet parent.
Oh ladies did you pick the right day for this post.
I used to walk my neighbors border collie 2 time a day I Scooped and I follow thru with my responsibilities…
Grocery carts left all over the parking lots make me so MAD along with all the trash folks don’t put in trash cans.
Yesterday while on our morning walk at the mall…there was a D I R T Y baby diaper right in the middle of the lot and it was partially opened.
What in the world most the homes of the irresponsible people look like.
Hugs Cecilia
It’s amazing how some people see the world as their personal garbage can, very sad actually. People need to respect others and the planet.
It’s true about picking up their garbage instead of just dropping or leaving it where they are, too. We are firmly in the cleaning up after ourselves camp.
That is good. It isn’t that hard to do the right thing.
I had not thought about this particular relationship, but you are spot on! We carry bags in the car, our pockets, everywhere, because we also pickup the poop of irresponsible owners when we come across it. We are therapy dogs and learned all about zoonotic diseases. Mom keeps her eyes open – especially at the groomers and vet (where they have ample supplies of bags RIGHT BY their potty spots), she is a poop-er scoop-er extraordinaire. WHO wants to step in sick poop or dirty poop? Oh, I forgot – incredibly, dog shows are yet another place that we patrol – because some exhibitors are lousy at, and careless about, following rules.
Chablis & Elbe
At most of our sports events, you can be banned from the event if you don’t pick up after your dog and get caught. We are all for that kind of rule. Poop is disgusting and should not be left where it falls.
We are always amazed at just how much dog poop we see along all our beautiful hiking trails…Our parents are big believers in always cleaning up/scooping our poop!
xoxo,
Rosy, Jakey & Arty
It’s so easy to do, why some refuse, we don’t understand.
We are all the time scoopers too….we even scoop the poop of those who don’t 🙁
You are a proud member of the adopt a poop program which is a good thing to be.
I can remember poop scooping when I had dogs….now I still am poop scooping….put just Lucy’s littler box! and she’s a neat kitty except for flinging the sand around like it’s a beach!
Mom has to scoop our cat box too. She gets so mad at the litter all over the place!
That was so interesting! I am definitely a rule follower; and I always put my shopping cart away too. 🙂
We knew you were a good person 🙂
As you know we don’t have any furbabies at all but I couldn’t agree with you more about picking up after pups in public places. What really gets me is when people walk their dogs on our street, they often allow their animals to stop on our property to do their business and will not pick it up. It’s a lot of work keeping up with pets. I guess that’s why we don’t have any. We have enough that keeps us busy. 🙂
We are a lot of work, but Mom says we are well worth it. It is crazy that people let dogs use the lawns of others as a bathroom and then don’t clean it up. So very rude.
Mom always pick up our poop. It’s the right thing to do. Did you know that over 70% of shopping carts in the country tested positive for having fecal matter on the handle! Ugh! We ALWAYS disinfect our carts before touching them.
We didn’t hear about that, but we are not surprised. The world is full of germs.
This is definitely a hot button issue with me. I have signs asking people to pick up after their dogs and even provide a bag container with bags so they can easily do it. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve found a pile right in front of the sign. {growl} Recently someone stole one of my signs. Talk about passive aggressive! {double growl}
Oh my, that is terrible. Around the neighborhoods, it is not a big problem with other dogs, but lots of people leave their own poop in the yard and that alone is gross. We find it at the parks and along trails. It is part of dog ownership to clean up after your pup. Very frustrating when people do not.
Will never understand those that don’t pick their dogs poop but that is par for the course ~ who can truly understand people ~ Rather stick with you sweetie dog ~ ^_^
Happy Moments to You,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka ( A Creative Harbor)
We don’t get it either.
Interesting post and so true!
We need more rule followers around these days.