In my opinion one of the most critical areas of dog care is scooping all that “stuff” that comes out the non feeding end.  Most sled dogs in Alaska are kept on chains.  They have no choice but to go to the bathroom where they live.  If you have ever had free running dogs you will know first hand that a dog will poop far away from where it lives.  We have 15 housedogs.  When they go out to the fenced yard not one dog would ever think of doing its business close to the door.  Most of the time they go to the far corner of the yard behind the shed as far away from the house as they can get!! 

Even in our freedom yards.  We never find any “stuff” around the dog houses…it is all in the corners of the yards away from the dogs’ living area and their play area.  So here are all these dogs on chains that have no choice and then people often don’t scoop for days.  Maybe I’m obssessed or too neurotically anal compulsive (ha ha) but we scoop at least 3 times a day here and if I am outside and see any “stuff” I just grab the shovel and get rid of it.

Don is composting the “stuff” this summer so it will be interesting to see how long it takes to break down.  He is planning on spreading the finished product on a large bare area outside of the dog areas and replanting some native grasses.