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Nevill Eschen's avatar

Madrid certainly has come up with some creative ways to deal with this, I'm partial to taking the poop to the dog owner's front door.

With all respect, I have to take some issue with annoyance over dogs marking everything in their paths. Yes, urine stinks, especially in the heat, but marking territory is just a dog's nature.

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Andrea Eschen's avatar

That's a great idea, Nev! Thanks! I'll have to tell the Poop Police (Fabio) about that trick. Although one reason we don't have a dog is that I'd have to do that job. He won't pick it up. Just make other people do it which is good enough!

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Food and Fiesta's avatar

That and thick globs of saliva are what I first noticed about Madrid 30 years ago. And with cars double parked on the sidewalks it made it difficult to walk anywhere. It started to get better over the 20 years I lived there but maybe it's making a comeback! 😫

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Andrea Eschen's avatar

Thanks for that. I haven't noticed saliva maybe because I've focused on the bigger piles. Thank heavens cars are not a problem any more.

Thank you for reading and commenting. Much appreciated. To cleaner streets!!

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Betsey Drake's avatar

Perfecto! I hope many many dog owners read this Snippet and take note!

Aside, Andrea: Do you remember when your beautiful mom had a ‘swear jar’ @25c / transgression? When we were about 8 or 9, I made a boo boo and dropped the ‘shit’ word. Not wanting to cough up my pocket money, I proceeded to lie to your mom and said I didn’t know what the word meant. Without skipping a beat she replied, “You know - doo doo, caca, poo poo, good old number two”. 😲 I was so shocked but then had to pretend to choke to disguise my guffaw! 🤣 Loved your mom. 🤩

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Andrea Eschen's avatar

This is so funny, Betz. Thank you. I do remember that swear jar. She should have made my father participate. We'd be rich today!

I laughed so hard at this post here in the kitchen of the holiday park in Queenstown, NZ that everyone is looking at me. Your memory cracked me up. That's so my mother. Never skipping a beat and getting right down into it when called for. What a great lady.

Thanks so much for the comment and for reminding me of one of the many wonderful facets of my mother.

Great to be in almost the same time zone as you! Soon the same!

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Betsey Drake's avatar

Here’s to your mom - one of the Greats! I can picture you in the camp kitchen - we’re not far off that as well! Can’t wait!!

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Andrea Eschen's avatar

Me either! Highlight of trip!

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Marina Roca Díe's avatar

Hi Andrea, I am a dog owner and I totally agree with you, people are disgusting. I pick up the caca religiously and even in parks in difficult corners I go in and put it in the bag. You should just say -oye, tu perro ha cagado ahí! and you point where. Like you have seen it, you can't say it belongs to other dog. Normally people get embarrassed by the call-out, although once in a while you have a cocky bloke who defies you. Then you decide whether you keep criticizing or leave murmuring. I normally would leave murmuring cause I'm afraid of cocky blokes. But normally people are playing dumb and not looking, so they will pick it up when call-out. Good luck, Olavide is crammed with caca, but I live in Embajadores and it's the same shit, haha

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Andrea Eschen's avatar

Thanks for the amusing and sympathetic comment, Marina. I'll try your suggestion the next time. I did have a cockly bloke talk back to me once and I just left mad. It's not worth getting into an argument over and ruining the day.

I'm sure there are more people like you who religiously pick up after their dog than there are who don't. I do appreciate it when I see people with their bags and getting down to the dirty work. I'm grateful to them.

Thank you for reading and commenting.

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søren k. harbel's avatar

This is not going to change. No matter what the penalty. And frankly the worlds is in deeper shit than that from a dog. My recommendation is to walk with you head up, your phone in your pocket and place your feet with precise and conscious accuracy. In Paris the result of the practice of not collecting you dog's waste is referred to as the Paris Slide. However, it only happens when you are not aware..... Be alert and put the damn phone away.

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Andrea Eschen's avatar

Yes, it's very true that the world is in a lot deeper doo doo than this. I do carry on as I walk daily but it's the lack of respect and courtesy for one's neighbors and fellow citizens that's hard to swallow.

Thanks for you comment and recommendations :)

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søren k. harbel's avatar

Just so we are clear, Andrea, I did not suggest that you personally are walking around looking at your phone, it was merely a general statement. And I do agree, it is a pain, but in the same breath, the bad dog owners are at least taking care of a dog that might otherwise not make it. In particular in Spain, I am so horrified by the greyhound abuse. They are used to hunt rabbits, until they get too slow and get put to death or starved in the most horrible ways. We have some in my town that have been adopted. They are big, but the sweetest dogs.... I am sure you see them in Madrid also.

Have a great weekend.

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Jayne Marshall's avatar

I just wanted to say, I've not been commenting on your posts while you are travelling so as not to give you extra admin! 😅 But I've been thoroughly enjoying getting to know these older posts from before I had discovered you. Maybe this one a little less so 💩 (Only joking, it's not your fault there is so much poo around Madrid's streets!)

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Andrea Eschen's avatar

Thank you for breaking the spell for this important post :). I'm sure the situation effects you too.

Happy to hear from you absolutely anytime!

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Jayne Marshall's avatar

🥰

Yes, the issue is especially troublesome with all this rain we have been having. I won’t go into more detail!

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Larry Falkenau's avatar

We have a similar problem here in the US, specifically in the DC area where the Bull Caca is rampant.

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Andrea Eschen's avatar

Yeah, and there's a LOT of it there. Big piles!!

Your comment cracked me up. You know I needed that.

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