Welcome to our doggie blog !
In our blog, together we will cover many topics about our furry friends. Education is key to understanding our dog’s world and learning from a dog’s perspective in our human world.
Let’s begin!
We can all agree that the City of Chestermere is very beautiful with a picturesque lake and many scenic surroundings to partake in. We should be proud of our gem. I feel it’s a great opportunity to live here. So, part of keeping it beautiful is for dog owners to recognize that doggie decorations are not part of our scenic surroundings. Knowing our dog’s like to paint everywhere with their doggie decorations as a natural part of their digestive system; it’s important to recognize and be situationally aware of when and where that might take place. We should all take responsibility to keep our city clean. You know what I’m talking about! Doggie Doo Doo!
This may sounds silly, but I get excited to see my dogs do their doggie decorations. My baby girl likes to paint like Picasso and spread it around! She’s an artist in the making! LOL

5 Reasons Why It’s Important to Pickup & Remove Doggie Decorations!
There are many reasons why I pick up my dog’s decoration other than the obvious bylaws and fines.
1. Dog’s Health Indicator
Doggie decorations can tell me a lot about the health of my dog(s) and what’s going on inside. It tells me whether I should be concerned and need to seek veterinary care. The 4 C’s consistency, colour, content, coating and signs of blood. These are all great indicators of how your dog is really feeling. Or whether your dog can perform any decorations at all! Maybe your furry friend ate something that may cause mild to severe illness? Catching it early could be the key to full recovery. Check out this article on the topic from PetMD
2. Harmful Bacteria for Both Humans & Animals
“Doggie decorations can contain harmful bacteria that can cause serious illness in humans, including E. coli and Salmonella. It can also contain parasites that can infect your dog and other animals in your home. If you have young children, they might be tempted to play with or even eat the dog poop, which can lead to serious health problems.” Canadian Public Health Association
Did You Know?
Parvo virus can remain in a doggie decoration or the area for long periods of time. Yes! Even that ghost of a decoration that was not picked up last year if it was by an infected dog it can potentially still carry the Parvo virus. Puppies are more at risk. Click here for more information

Ok, now we have the scary stuff out of the way.
3. Keep it from coming into your home!
What are the chances that your dog(s) are frolicking through the grass, marshes, off-leash parks or around the storm ponds not realizing they are treading through already made decorations (or partial) that were never picked up? If you don’t notice it, it’s quite possible you or your dog has stepped onto some and is bringing it back into your home. Something to think about! Let’s work together and keep our Chestermere environment as clean as possible. Try having a “Ready to Go” fanny pack or knapsack with all your dog walking essentials such a doggie bags, wet wipes etc. Just grab and go! Knowing that you have everything you need each time you walk out the door!
4. Doggie Doo Doo is Not My Colour!
Let’s face it, whether you’re a dog owner or not, it’s pretty gross to see so many decorations left behind over winter or throughout the summer season along the community pathways, off-leash parks and storm pond pathways. Recently, Calgary news did a story about how much doggie decorations are not picked up every week! Maybe for some reason you missed it or can’t find it! Sure, that can happen. That’s why it’s important to stay in tune with your dog watching when they might feel the need to decorate. It sure adds up! Unfortunately, Chestermere does not have a “clean” record either. How do I know? Because I see it everyday and often take the time to remove it. There are more and more dog owners, so we all need to participate, be responsible and help keep our parks, and pathways clean.

5. All Citizens of Chestermere Appreciation
Just a simple form of respect and consideration for all Chestermere citizens. Please pick up your doggie decorations! Keep our city beautiful and clean!
Maybe we can start training our dogs to pick up their own decorations! For more information about animal bylaws visit Chestermere Animal Services Here.