Grass to garden -- what's the best approach?

[JoeSpareBedroom]

"FragileWarrior" all, my dogs and myself are pretty social and always law abiding, I think.

Admittedly, my negative experiences are with people who walk dogs in my neighborhood. Even the so-called "good dog owners" who clean up after their dogs are idiots. Why do I say that? Look at the brief conversation below and tell me what's wrong with it. Scenario: Dog, on leash, taking a leak at the perimeter of a flower bed that is two feet from the street.

Me: Excuse me, would you please NOT let your dog use my property as a toilet in the future? Dog criminal: Why?

That's it. What's wrong with the conversation?

[Jangchub]

On Tue, 27 Feb 2007 12:39:30 +0000 (UTC), FragileWarrior all, my dogs and myself are pretty social and always law abiding, I think.

Don't give the contrarian any ammo. If you want to have a test person for your therapy horse, bring him/her here to me! I adore animals, insects, worms, all living things. I would love to have room for a few mules. They are so much more interesting to me than many humans.

[Jangchub]

Maybe you should move where there is nothing but you. That way, you can determine every situation with great vigor.

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Need help figuring out what's wrong with the conversation? Here:

You hear an odd noise outside your front door. You look out the window and see someone spray painting the door. You ask him to stop. He asks "Why?"

What's wrong with the conversation?

[immike]

I Beg You...PLEASE DON"T PLANT THE MINT!

My neighbor planted some on his side of the fence years ago and it crept into my yard. I mowed and mowed and it crept and crept eventually into my roses and across the walk and...EVERYWHERE!!! Arrghh!

I now have new neighbors and they dug up their mint and I spent THREE DAYS digging up mine. I'm sure I'll see more this year as it will grow from every piece of root I missed.

So I beg you...PLEASE STOP!!!

I can't wait till spring!

How about a lovely hosta garden, they will spread out and keep all the weeds down around them.

Mike

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Now that's a good idea. Pachysandra, too. Spreads, but easy to whack when necessary.

[William Wagner]

I'd stay away from Ajuga and Hops. Mint was never a problem here easily pulled. Lemon Balm pops up here and there. Then again I have black bamboo about. Actually Chick weed and moss are getting my attention more these days. Moss on our brick patio was not fazed by being limed. I just bought a torch for deicing that can double as a moss slayer.

Bill whose front yard is nothing but Pachysandra and perennials.

[Jangchub]

I didn't question the conversation. I said if you don't want people walking dogs where you live you can do one of two things;

Move to the country on huge property where people don't walk dogs. Let it go.

[Jangchub]

It greatly depends on where you live. We cannot maintain hostas in Texas. No part of Texas with the exception of possibly Houston which has acidic soil and is humid and rainy often.

[Jangchub]

I couldn't believe when I saw three varieties of moss at HOME DEPOT! I bought a quart of each and just now divided them into 18 plants. I did the same thing with pineapple sage, lysimachia, tomatoes, etc. When I shop for plants I always make sure there is more than one plant in each pot.

[JoeSpareBedroom]

You are illustrating the multifaceted problem for me. Thank you.

Facet 1: Some dog owners think everyone is supposed to love their dog. That is incorrect. Facet 2: Some dog owners don't understand the concept of private property. If I tell you not to do something on my land, you have no legal leg to stand on by refusing to obey.

[FragileWarrior]

"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote in news:sLVEh.3693$ [e-mail]:

Why are you asking me? What does your local dog ordinance say? If the law is on your side, then talk to the law. A photograph of the deed being done is good proof of who the culprit is, too.

One dipshit owner does not make all dogs and all owners scoundrels.

[FragileWarrior]

"immike" wrote in news:1172587097.115103.96190 @m58g2000cwm.googlegroups.com:

Sorry. Mint.

And I don't live near anyone else. My dogs and my mint and my horses are here purely for my enjoyment.

[FragileWarrior]

Jangchub wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Are you Scots? :) Me, too.

What zone are you in? Are these plants being put out now?

[FragileWarrior]

Jangchub wrote in news: [e-mail]:

I take excellent care of my animals and we work together to give back to the community. I really dislike to be mass-lumped into a dipshit owner catagory for no good reason.

Did you see my horse in my Neon? He's a mini horse. Rides for long periods of time in the backseat of my car -- even going down the I-70 and into Indy for horse demos and such.

Go to:

and look in the HORSES folder. There's a photo of him taken through the back window of the car. FoxNews out of Indy once took footage of me loading him into the car and driving away from one of the museums where we had spent the day but I don't know if they ever aired it. We certainly get interesting looks driving in the city. When I pull to a stop light, I count to three and then look to either side of me to see who noticed there's a horse in the car next to them.

Yes, Buddha was right about many things. ;)

[JoeSpareBedroom]

This example has nothing to do with dog ordinances. And, there's no reason (or easy way) to photograph plants covered in piss. The issue is this: If a property owner asks you not to do something on their property, you do not ask why. You obey. If you disagree with what I've just said, then I have the right to urinate on your dog, in your mail box, or anything on that property, and there's nothing you can do about it.

With me so far?

[FragileWarrior]

"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote in news:4j_Eh.3712$ [e-mail]:

Of course it does. If there is a law against it, then evoke the law.

Get the dog lifting it's leg. Let the police extroplate from there.

Is there a law against asking why?

No, I believe that is classified as assault AND indecent exposure. Do so and you'd be in much, much, MUCH more trouble than the dog owner. But, hey, don't let me stop you from trying it. Get back to us on how that works out for you.

No. Guess not.

[JoeSpareBedroom]

"FragileWarrior" > reason (or easy way) to photograph plants covered in piss.

Yeah. I'll stand outside all day with a camera. :-)

Of course not. But, the laws against trespassing do not require that the landowner explain anything. You know that.

Assault? Not really. Got a car you love? What if I walk onto your property and start spray painting it a new color? Why would I do this? Because it was a convenient place to stop and paint a car! No different than doing what's convenient for your dog. Now, you'll say the car is damaged, but it's not. It'll still do what a car needs to do. The pissed-on plants may not, or they might, so let's choose the latter and call the two situations equal.

See what you're doing here? You're trying to twist your interpretation of law (and common decency) to suit a particular type of pet. You're doing this because the dog needs to walk, and it needs to crap & piss while being walked. Therefore, you have made behavioral adjustments because of the dog. Another way to describe this is training. You have been trained by your pet.

[FragileWarrior]

"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote in news:LB_Eh.3685$ [e-mail]:

Pissing on someone is assault and public indecency. Ask a policeman. Or, as I suggested, try it. Get back to me after you make bail.

This is truly bizarre.

*I'm* twisting logic? You're talking about pissing on people and in mailboxes and vandalizing cars and *I'M* twisting logic? My my.

To reiterate a point you seem unable to grok: my animals stay on my property. I'm sorry your neighbor's animals don't do that but, truth be told, I feel much more sorry for your neighbors AND their animals.

Nice talking to you but it won't happen again in the future.

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Assault? A plant is a living thing. Why isn't pissing on a plant considered assault? Can I piss on your dog? Is your dog more precious than my plants?

Indecency? A dog's penis is no more or less "indecent" than a human's. What's with the double standard?

Why bizarre? Let's say your hobby is restoring antique cars. You spend many hours lovingly working on them, and there's never enough time. My hobby is gardening. I spend as much time gardening as you do working on your antique cars. If your dog can piss on my hobby, why can't I piss on yours?

I'm twisting logic? I've just taught you how you've created an imaginary fantasy world of laws and morals to adjust for the antisocial needs of dogs. Your world conveniently ignores actual laws which are the same everywhere in America and in many Western countries. You're silly.

I understand that YOUR animals stay on your property. The point here is when some say "I'm a good dog owner - my dogs don't roam the neighborhood without me", they're not quite correct. Even on a leash, many "good dog owners" still don't get it.