Picking up after pet - You are being watched!

[yellowdog00]

Had an interesting experience this evening. I was walking my dog around a loop of a campground this evening and she stopped to urinate about six feet off edge of road. I didn't see anyone out by the two closest campers. After she was done, I walked a few steps and a guy came running out of his camper with his cell phone pointed at me like he was videoing me.
He yells at me "You going to pick it up?" I said "pick what up?". He says "you want me to show you". I told him "she urinated!" He gets closer and looks at the spot and I pulled a bag out of my pocket and told him "I carry bags!" He then says"sorry!" And I walked on.
I wanted to say more but I go camping to relax not have confrontations. I know some campers dislike pets and I try to be as conscientious as I can. The problem I have is some campgrounds are laid out with sites very close to each other and oftentimes they don't allow for any pet area. Wondering what others do, short of avoiding those campgrounds.

[korbe]

Sure doesn't sound like any of the campgrounds that we go to. For some reason, when the dog complaints happen, I picture an RV park, where the lawns are mowed, and the whirlybirds are out. Not the pine needle dirt covered forested areas that we are used to.

[Toolguy5]

We always try to keep our little one off other sites. Yes it is difficult is some parks, but try and keep her as close to road as we can.
The way she positions herself it is hard for someone who does not know her to know whether she is peeing or popping. So I can understand the frustration as well. The last thing anyone wants to do is step in dog poop and carry it around in their shoes.

We see all kinds of dog poop when walking our little one. We always carry bags and we always clean up.
Almost everywhere we have stayed it seams the majority of the RVer's have pets. But we do find signs on sites prohibiting animals from trespassing.

[Crowe]

It seems to me there are more and more posts being put on RV.net about angry, mad, upset, nosey, busy-body, annoying, rude, and obnoxious neighbor campers.

While his manner may have been abrupt, I see no issue with politely asking another dog owner to pick up after their pet. I've seen many folks on here go over the deep end with the same ferocity when they don't. If we self-police - again, politely - then we stand a far better chance of keeping the ability to take our pets with us.

[xteacher]

You did the right thing not letting the confrontation escalate. Life's too short. In the other guy's defense, it can look as though a female is pooing when in fact, she's urinating. Maybe he's had one too many dogs poo on his sites and left it there. Still...

[BCSnob]

If your dog has the runs, I guess you better carry a shovel and bucket because no bag will ever get it all and the guy with the phone won't be satisfied.

[gbopp]

yellowdog00 wrote:
And I walked on. I wanted to say more but I go camping to relax not have confrontations.

You did the best thing. There was no point continuing the conversation. It only would have escalated.

Just be happy that this guy isn't your neighbor at your S&B. 🙂

[Pawz4me]

Bill and Marie in TX wrote:
If you think about it, we camp Outdoors in nature! Don't think squirrels, deer, possums, or raccoons carry little baggies or that birds wear diapers. Please relax.

Yep.

We just got back from the mountains. I'm an early riser and spent a lot of time sitting at the dinette table, drinking coffee and watching rabbits hop around our campsite. Instead of enjoying it I guess I should have been getting my knickers all knotted up over the amount of pee and poop they were inevitably depositing on our site.

But I reckon if that bothered us we'd do the common sense thing and stay in hotels instead of an RV.

To answer the OP's question -- We try as much as possible to get our dog to "go" on our own site. As you know, that's not always possible. If we encounter a campground that has little/no common area then we try to avoid going back there. My wish is that every campground would have a designated pet loop, so that those of us with pets could be around others who understand.

[Bill_and_Marie_]

If you think about it, we camp Outdoors in nature! Don't think squirrels, deer, possums, or raccoons carry little baggies or that birds wear diapers. Please relax.

[darsben]

The dog can defecate on your site not mine. But then you will leave and the next camper gets the pleasure of your dogs P-ss.
Yum

[TucsonJim]

Normally, I am normally a very mellow individual, but that would have send me right over the edge. I'm afraid there would have been an escalating shouting match, and I would have had a difficult time controlling the words coming out of my mouth. Congratulations on your self control and being a conscientious pet owner.

Jim

[colliehauler]

DutchmenSport wrote:
It seems to me there are more and more posts being put on RV.net about angry, mad, upset, nosey, busy-body, annoying, rude, and obnoxious neighbor campers. Camping is suppose to be something fun and relaxing, enjoyable, and something for the entire family to enjoy, let down time, and forget your troubles for a short while!

What's going on! Has camping NOW also been invaded by the hot-heads who somehow can't separate their personal anger at the world and leave it at home, and have to deliberately make life miserable for everyone around them! You've heard of "driver rage!".... maybe we are encountering "camping rage!"

What's going on! Why are so many so darn angry when camping!

(I always pick up after my dog). I live in the country, we don't have fences either, or leashes at home!

I don't know why people are so angry about every minuet issue. I guess it's a sign of the times we live in. I think people are under a lot more stress these days.

[DutchmenSport]

It seems to me there are more and more posts being put on RV.net about angry, mad, upset, nosey, busy-body, annoying, rude, and obnoxious neighbor campers. Camping is suppose to be something fun and relaxing, enjoyable, and something for the entire family to enjoy, let down time, and forget your troubles for a short while!

What's going on! Has camping NOW also been invaded by the hot-heads who somehow can't separate their personal anger at the world and leave it at home, and have to deliberately make life miserable for everyone around them! You've heard of "driver rage!".... maybe we are encountering "camping rage!"

What's going on! Why are so many so darn angry when camping!

(I always pick up after my dog). I live in the country, we don't have fences either, or leashes at home!

[toedtoes]

I'm a firm believer in having their dogs do their business on "my property" as much as possible.

At home, I don't walk the dogs so they potty/poop on someone else's lawn - they potty/poop in my backyard and I clean it up.

When camping, I keep my dogs in my campsite area (or at least away from other people's campsite areas) as much as possible.

I have found that this eliminates (no pun intended) most of the issues with other campers and my dogs. Most people don't care if your dog poops/pees in your campsite - they just don't want it in theirs or where they walk/play.

My dogs have learned to go quickly and without a lot of walking/wandering, so that is never a problem.