The musical stylings of Perry Como meets Dog Poop PSA.

Dog Days of Summer

Tips on travelling the country with man’s best friend

Since the beginning of summer, articles in magazines and on blogs have been offering tips on vacationing with a dog. Now that we’re entering the aptly named “dog days of summer” (check out Wikipedia if you’ve ever wondered where the term originated) I think it might be time for a little review.

It’s no secret that times are rough and everyone’s spending belts are a little tighter; however, sometimes you just have to take some time off and go on vacation.

You may have decided to bring the family dog along because its cheaper then boarding at a kennel, and safer than leaving your dog with a “pet sitter”. | Can a pet-friendly hotel actually save you money?

If you’re dog is traveling with you there are a few things (according to the Humane Society) that you need to know.

1. Dogs should be restrained either in a crate or by a harness-like seatbelt in the back seat (never in the back of a truck bed!)
2. Dogs should remain inside the car when traveling, it is dangerous when dog’s head are sticking out the window.
3. Check with your vet before leaving town to make sure your dog is healthy and up to date on all shots and vaccinations.
4. Your dog should have a collar with ID on at all times.
5. Outside of the car, keep your dog on a leash!
6. Bring water to keep your dog hydrated and make stops every few hours to let your dog go to the bathroom.

Great. If you’ve completed the following steps, you’re on your way to a stress-free weekend and there is nothing standing in your way…

Until, you cross over into another state and decide to make that first potty and you realize no one mentioned bringing poop bags.

I saw this on a recent road trip to Pennsylvania. I noticed that people who had their dogs along were leaving behind the doggie doo. There weren’t any poop police around, but it had me wondering about whether or not these people knew the laws in those states regarding cleaning up after pets. Most likely people traveling to New York City know about the recent $250 pet waste fine because it has gotten a lot of attention.

What about other states though? Chances are I’m not going to take the time to look up the rules and regulations for a state I’m only driving through. You certainly can’t rely on there being bags provided at state rest stops. Instead I’ll just come prepared with my ReadyLeash that has built-in bags.

If you’re travelling with your dog this summer, please remember to pack the poop bags (make sure they’re biodegradable too) and clean up after your pooch!

The Boston city council is looking to crack down on dog owners who don’t clean up dog poop.

According to an article in the Boston Globe, “solving the problem will not be easy. … the city does not have firm figures on the number of dogs …there are about 10,000 licensed dogs, but added there are between 5,000 and 15,000 more that are unlicensed.”

Boston joins other major cities that have begun to take control of the pet waste problem in the past few months. New York City recently increased their fines to $250 for people found not picking up dog poop.

One city official “believes steeper fines, coupled with a more efficient way to make sure those fines get paid, will deter scofflaws.”

However I’m not sure if increasing fines, that may or may not be enforced, will really solve the problem. There are a number of factors as to why people don’t pick up their dog poop.

Some people simply don’t want to touch it. They don’t want to be seen carrying around a bag of doggie doo. (I’ve never understood this argument, especially coming from people with children who have changed countless dirty diapers).

Sometimes, it’s an honest mistake and people forget a bag, and there aren’t any available. This is going to become increasingly difficult for those who use plastic bags from the grocery stores. Many grocery stores are now charging for their bags or getting rid of them altogether.

In April, a town in England released an image to initiate a clean-up in the community- and all signs point to it working! (Follow the link to see the picture- WARNING: it might offend some)

Whether or not you find the poster revolting, I bet if you saw it on the street you’d think twice about leaving behind your dog’s poop.

I think solutions to this problem will come from a combination of change in attitude and products, such as our ReadyLeash that never leave people without a bag.

So- thoughts? Should local governments continue to increase fines for leaving behind dog poop- or does there need to be a more aggressive campaign to change people’s ways?

Throwing away dog poop

Yesterday I took Storm out for our daily afternoon walk. There was nothing unusual about it save for the fact that it was earlier than normal time because the weatherman was predicting late afternoon showers.

We walked out of the front door and were about halfway down the driveway when she pulled a hard right to a small patch of grass near the mailbox. Before I even knew what was happening, Storm was flailing around on her back. I told her a stern no and pulled her up… that’s when I smelled it.

At first, I thought I had stepped in the dog poop, but then I realized it was Storm who smelled. Actually it was Storm, her collar and part of her leash!

There on the grass was the culprit – someone’s dog had left a calling card.

To me, this is way worse than stepping in poop left on the sidewalk, because I make sure to always pick up after my dog. I could easily walk away and leave my dog’s poop in any one of my neighbor’s yards, but I don’t because cleaning up is the responsible thing to do.

This puts me in a precarious situation in how to approach my neighbor. On the one hand, I didn’t see it happen so I can’t be 100% sure as to which neighbor let one slide. On the other hand, there is one dog I always see running around sans leash in the neighborhood.

How would you handle this situation? And what does it mean that my dog has suddenly decided she likes to roll around in feces? Thoughts? Advice?

Nina

Rascodog and the ReadyLeash is thrilled to announce that we are today’s feature product on the Daily Grommet.

Please take some time and check out all they had to say about the ReadyLeash. Leave your own comments and questions about our product, and watch the video featuring president and founder, Eric Suglaski.

Our warmest thanks to the wonderful staff at Daily Grommet for the glowing reviews about Rascodog.

There are few things quite as frustrating as cleaning off your shoes after an unfortunate step in dog poop.  Rascodog, a company based in Boston, MA, has created a new line of dog gear that prevents these frustrating moments from happening in the first place.  Featuring a trailblazing new leash with a bag roll compartment built-in to the handle and refillable biodegradable bags, Rascodog is helping to clean-up dog neighborhoods all over the country.

“Nobody likes picking up dog poop,” says Rascodog founder and president, Eric Sugalski, “but nobody likes stepping in it either. Cleaning up after our dogs and the environment around us is part of what it means to be a responsible dog owner.”

Rascodog’s ReadyLeash is the latest in dog walking products combining an ergonomic handle with an integrated bag roll compartment.  Just pop in a roll of Rascodog’s biodegradable Readybags, and they dispense from the handle like tissues.  Equipped with a 4-foot adjustable lead, the combination grip / bag dispenser and 45 biodegradable Readybags, the ReadyLeash retails for $19.99.

“The ReadyLeash has already saved thousands of shoes from being contaminated by unscooped dog poop,” says Sugalski.  “Our goal is to continue this trend and make it easy for people to take proper care of their dogs and their neighborhoods.”

Rascodog is a Boston-based company founded in 2007.  The company pledges to provide original and high-quality products that promote responsible dog ownership.

It’s a universal experience so unpleasant that it is often acknowledged via shouts of various four-letter words.

It happens when you least expect it. On your way to an important career-defining meeting, during a leisurely stroll in the park, or, in accordance with Murphy’s Law, after long hours of preparation involving curling irons and brand new designer shoes.

Dog Poop. Crap. Poo-Poo. “It” prefaced with “sh.” Feces. Waste. Excrement.

Call it what you like, but dog poop is a fact that you’re guaranteed to see proof of during your lifetime. City to country, whether you own a dog or not- the poop will find your shoes and maybe more (yikes!)

Sh*! and runs have become particular problems in the cities, and as a result state governments are increasing pet waste pollution fines.

Recently, our friends at dogchatter.com also blogged about this growing problem. Among their list of reasons why you should pick up after your dog was that dog poop contains fecal coliform bacteria that can make you sick.

I started to wonder if people were aware of the effects of letting your dog loose on city sidewalks. For such a health conscious society rarely do people discuss health effects of irresponsible dog owners.

Think about this:

-Dog poop is one of the leading causes of E. Coli pollution: each gram of dog poop has over 20,000,000 E. Coli colonies in it.

-3.6 billion pounds of dog waste/year is produced in the United States alone, equaling 800 football fields, one foot high.

-A dog or cat can obtain various different parasites, viruses and stages of bacteria from their own poop. How confident are you that your neighbor’s dog has been dewormed? Do you know what worms your dog is protected against?

-Storm water carries pet waste and other pollutants directly into waterways.

At Rascodog we believe in responsible owner behavior. Your dog isn’t going to pick up after himself after all!

Here are some simple things you can do to keep your pets healthy and save a chunk of change:

Put a friendly message on the bulletin board at the local dog park to remind pet owners to clean up after their dogs.

Make sure you have appropriate dog walking gear with you and your dog at all times! Rascodog’s ReadyLeash makes this easy with biodegradable bags built-in to the leash handle.

Have a neighborhood clean up and start fresh!

Peer Pressure (as suggested by SmartDogs): Politely remind someone to pick up after their dog if you see them walking away… you can even offer them an extra bag!

Become your communtites own “poop police”… although I wouldn’t reccommend picking it up with your bare hands like this guy from Florida: Poop Policeman 

What are some other things you can do? Leave us a comment below and we’ll include your tips in the list above!

For more information about some canine parasitic conditions check out PetMD.

Hi there –

I’m Eric, President and Founder of Rascodog. I live in downtown Boston with my wife and our 75 lbs, 5-year old boxer, Oscar. Oscar goes everywhere with us, from my office to al fresco dinners at local restaurants to our family vacations. Despite his occasional smells and whining, he’s a joy to be around, and he is truly part of our family.

Rascodog is located in downtown Boston, an urban area with an abundance of dogs. Around lunchtime you can find us strolling near Boston harbor as Oscar makes sure we hit the off-leash areas. Oscar’s favorite pastime is chasing the Frisbee although he hasn’t quite figured out how to catch it. We are a fun, casual and very dog-friendly company that is always looking for new great product ideas.

My background is in product design. I have developed dozens of products from vacuum cleaners to medical devices. To me, a well designed product is one that not only works great, but also looks great and lasts. Living in the city with Oscar, I realized that there was a real need for well-designed, innovative and eco-friendly products that encourage responsible dog ownership. Rascodog was born out of this simple idea: great products for responsible dog owners.

Our products are carried in a variety of independent stores throughout the country. We are still a very small company, and we have recently been getting the word out about our latest product, the ReadyLeash. We are featured in the 2009 Summer edition of Modern Dog Magazine and you can also find us on Facebook, and Twitter . Please check us out and let us know what you think. We would love to hear from you!

Thanks,

Eric Sugalski