Duty calls

“Mom! I stepped in dog mess,” yelled my distraught son.

“It’s okay; just take off your shoes!”

“But I’m not wearing any!”

That was the cry that started it all.

Wait a minute, I thought, we keep our dog fenced in the backyard. Why does our front yard look like a minefield?

It was then that I started paying closer attention to the habits of the couple up the street whom we call dog walkers. Each morning as I would get the paper, I would notice one of the owners with sweetie-kins, the dog that they dote on--just not enough to clean up after, apparently. Anyway, he and sweetie-kins would be right outside my yard.

Hmmm…I thought. So, the next morning, I decided to come out a little later. Sure enough, as I reached down to get the paper, I glanced over, and there was my neighbor in his PJ’s, casually sipping coffee, watching sweetie-kins do his morning business.

I rubbed my eyes in disbelief.

“Morning,” said dog walker as if it was perfectly natural for his dog to be doing that in my yard.

I nodded, incredulously.

This routine has gone on for over a month. Since I work from home most days, I began noticing that sweetie-kins also took potty breaks on our lawn at lunch, dinner, before bed, and who knows when in between. It’s not like the dog has a sudden urge to go either. They stop and wait for him. I timed them tonight. It took ten minutes. They are training him to go in our yard, for heaven’s sake. I’m surprised they don’t give him a treat afterwards.

So, does anyone have any suggestions on how to handle this? I thought about scooping up the duty, marching it up the street, knocking on their door and saying, “Sweetie-kins forgot something.” I don’t want to start a feud. I just want my children to be able to go barefoot in their own yard!