I didn't always hate geese, but since I became a dog owner I loathe their every honk and the site of a flock of geese this time of the year tightens my jaw as my teeth clench together.
Why?
Poop. Endless poop.
I live near a park that is next to a lake. Every fall and winter, the geese congregate at the park to enjoy sweet meals of Kentucky bluegrass and paddle around the lake. Soon there will be a goose poop pile on every square inch of the park. I am not exaggerating.
It's not bad enough that if I go for a walk or a run in the park, I return home with goose poop cemented to the soles of my shoes. Worse than that, goose poop is apparently a delicacy to dogs. Most dogs cannot resist snatching a piece or two of the green goop, even if it means harsh and punishing words from the owner. Yes, eating goose poop is worth any punishment.
It's not enough that this act of snarfing goose poop is just disgusting, but in goose poop lives loads of bacteria. One particular bacteria, Clostridium, causes severe diarrhea in dogs.
To rid the dog of this bacteria, it usually involves a round of antibiotics and probiotics to get the dog's digestive system back to normal.
Meeka, my Rhodesian Ridgeback just got off of a round of Clostridium treatment about three weeks ago. Today we went for a walk in the park and there are more geese than just a week ago. They are telling their goose pals about open water and bluegrass paradise.
I want them to relocate to the cornfields and remote country lakes. I think it's hopeless.
Meeka, like some addict, can't resist.
Does your dog eat goose poo?
Gale, I share much of your sentiment. My other concern with the goose poo on my shoes is that I almost cannot bring my running shoes into the house.
I too run with my dog occasionally and instead of goose poo, her palate prefers horse poo. I run in an area with many shared trails where both horses, dogs and people can walk or run and there are horse "piles" sometimes as far as I can see. The good news is that they are big enough that you can see them and avoid them. The bad news is that there are frequently enough that you're running a pseudo-slalom course through them.
On another, somewhat related, thought: If I have to pick up after my dog, why can't horse owners pick after their horses? It's much bigger mess.