Fellow dog walkers of Era, do you knot your dog waste bags? What's the purpose of this act?

[Dark Knight]

Granted, I live in a small touristy town in Massachusetts and walk two shiba inus so maybe I'm not accounting for handling bigger dogs or dealing with sparser waste baskets, but even here I see other dog owners tying up their bags and see lots of knotted bags in the waste cans in town. There's probably a waste basket here every 300 feet on average. But seriously, why are people knotting their dog waste bags? Is it the smell? Because even carrying open bags of it as long as you're walking brisk enough and hold the bag down wind you'll basically never smell it. Is it some kind of politeness angle about where it ends up? Because I sure hope nobody is holding their head over a community waste basket and taking a big whiff. The bags I use are very deep so unless people are spilling garbage out of the cans it will never tumble out of the bag itself before it gets to the dump. Knotting the bag seems like you're optionally choosing to physically deal with the mess even more so than you or anyone would have to otherwise.

I've been walking these dogs about 5 years here, and obviously picking up their waste every single walk, and I just don't understand this custom. So please educate me if there is some obvious nuance I'm missing here!

 

[AndreGX]

Is this serious?

 

[Akira86]

do not educate this man.

tell him nothing.

 

[Dark Knight]

Is this serious?

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Huh? It's going in the trash, which is smelly anyways. It's like throwing a fireball into the sun.

 

[dennett316]

It's to seal the bag so the shit doesn't come out. I'm not understanding the confusion. Once you bin it, it again stops it coming out in whatever receptacle it ends up in, meaning you don't have to clean it out as much if it ends up being your own wheelie bin.
And no, trash isn't as wretched smelling as dog shit, or shit in general.

 

[Dark Knight]

It's to seal the bag so the shit doesn't come out. I'm not understanding the confusion. Once you bin it, it again stops it coming out in whatever receptacle it ends up in, meaning you don't have to clean it out as much if it ends up being your own wheelie bin.

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Maybe that's the disconnect, I'm surrounded by public trash here so I'm not familiar with getting rid of it in my own garbage. My town doesn't even have trash pick-up beyond the public cans. And they use trash bags in the cans, so nothing leaves the bigger bag.

 

[BringBackSonics]

Granted, I live in a small touristy town in Massachusetts and walk two shiba inus so maybe I'm not accounting for handling bigger dogs or dealing with sparser waste baskets, but even here I see other dog owners tying up their bags and see lots of knotted bags in the waste cans in town. There's probably a waste basket here every 300 feet on average. But seriously, why are people knotting their dog waste bags? Is it the smell? Because even carrying open bags of it as long as you're walking brisk enough and hold the bag down wind you'll basically never smell it. Is it some kind of politeness angle about where it ends up? Because I sure hope nobody is holding their head over a community waste basket and taking a big whiff. The bags I use are very deep so unless people are spilling garbage out of the cans it will never tumble out of the bag itself before it gets to the dump. Knotting the bag seems like you're optionally choosing to physically deal with the mess even more so than you or anyone would have to otherwise.

I've been walking these dogs about 5 years here, and obviously picking up their waste every single walk, and I just don't understand this custom. So please educate me if there is some obvious nuance I'm missing here!

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Makes it a bit easier to carry it around instead of walking around with a open bag full of poop, and it stinks to high hell.

 

[astro]

If I could seal it for 100 years with a blood ritual to some ancient god, then I would.

A knot will have to do.

 

[mikhailguy]

I mean, I do think about the poop being sealed away from the natural cycle of decomposition forever.

 

[Dark Knight]

Makes it a bit easier to carry it around instead of walking around with a open bag full of poop, and it stinks to high hell.

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It's smelly, of course, but carry it correctly and you'll never smell it.

 

[dennett316]

Maybe that's the disconnect, I'm surrounded by public trash here so I'm not familiar with getting rid of it in my own garbage. My town doesn't even have trash pick-up beyond the public cans.

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Even in public trash areas, it cuts down on the risk of re-spilling the shit when the bins get emptied. Birds get into trash cans, bags split when they're taken out on occasion, etc. It's just common sense to want to seal a bag full of shit.

 

[BringBackSonics]

Huh? It's going in the trash, which is smelly anyways. It's like throwing a fireball into the sun.

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What about after picking up the shit, how do you stop the smell until you get to the garbage can?

 

[BringBackSonics]

It's smelly, of course, but carry it correctly and you'll never smell it.

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How do you carry a bag of open shit correctly?

 

[Van Bur3n]

 

[Ionic]

It's smelly, of course, but carry it correctly and you'll never smell it.

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Tying a knot is how you carry it correctly.

 

[aceface]

If you don't knot the bag, the poop might fall out in the trash, bugs and maggots will get all over that shit and it will smell awful. Even if you're not taking out the garbage yourself, spare a thought for the person who has to do it and knot your bag.

 

[dennett316]

It's smelly, of course, but carry it correctly and you'll never smell it.

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Or just tie a quick knot in the thing, and you don't even have to think about carrying it correctly. You can even chuck it in your pocket until you get to a trash can, keeping your hand free.

I'm not even a dog owner btw, this is just coming up with reasons to do it off the top of my head....it just seems like common sense.

 

[Vex]

1. Shit stinks worse than what most trashcans have in it. Worse than food, paper, smelly socks, condoms, urine, bones, dildos, banana peels, cum-covered porn magazines, etc because it is shit.

2. Flies love fecal matter more than anything. They breed in it. You dont want that at home, you also dont want to make it unpleasant for other park-goers walking, running by a public trashcan.

3. Why risk it falling out of the bag anyway when it takes less than 3 seconds to tie it up?

 

[Dark Knight]

If you don't knot the bag, the poop might fall out in the trash, bugs and maggots will get all over that shit and it will smell awful. Even if you're not taking out the garbage yourself, spare a thought for the person who has to do it and knot your bag.

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In the winter maggots aren't a problem and in the summer they take the trash nearly every day here, so maggots never get a chance at it. Besides there's tons of food in those trash bins the maggots would jump at beyond the poop.

How do you carry a bag of open shit correctly?

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Put your hand completely inside the bag for pick up, grab the waste and turn the bag inside out, after that you wrap the neck/opening of the bag around the whole of the filled bag and carry to the nearest trash can. I imagine people who are knotting it are also dangling the poop bag by the tied portion and I honestly find that kind of weirder in concept.

 

[Rhaknar]

explain people that leave poop bags (knotted or not) in the ground tho.

explain that. the bin is RIGHT THERE, why did you leave it by this tree or whatever?

 

[Dark Knight]

Aight so I kind of got my answer in here already. It's partly preference, partly due to circumstance. I'm not buying the "what about the smelly trashcan" argument though!

explain people that leave poop bags (knotted or not) in the ground tho.

explain that. the bin is RIGHT THERE, why did you leave it by this tree or whatever?

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LOL that's always perplexed me too. Like they cared enough to tie it up but not to not create litter?

 

[Vex]

explain people that leave poop bags (knotted or not) in the ground tho.

explain that. the bin is RIGHT THERE, why did you leave it by this tree or whatever?

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Maybe they were sitting by the tree and forgot it while they got up? 👀

 

[Rhaknar]

Maybe they were sitting by the tree and forgot it while they got up? 👀

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no

 

[RaySpencer]

1. Shit stinks worse than what most trashcans have in it. Worse than food, paper, smelly socks, condoms, urine, bones, dildos, banana peels, cum-covered porn magazines, etc because it is shit.

2. Flies love fecal matter more than anything. They breed in it. You dont want that at home, you also dont want to make it unpleasant for other park-goers walking, running by a public trashcan.

3. Why risk it falling out of the bag anyway when it takes less than 3 seconds to tie it up?

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This. Dark Knight

 

[Nif]

It takes a few seconds to tie up, prevents potential mess if it falls out of the can for some reason, I'm being respectful to people who have to handle the trash.

 

[Dark Knight]

This. Dark Knight

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Already basically answered all of these. 1, don't smell trash cans. 2, maggots aren't a problem here. 3, I'm not piling it on a mountain of trash, it's deep deep in the can usually.

It takes a few seconds to tie up, prevents potential mess if it falls out of the can for some reason, I'm being respectful to people who have to handle the trash.

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Fair enough, possibly the most reasonable counter argument. I'd say if the trash was high enough in the can it's definitely worth the tie up.

 

[Regulus Tera]

I mean, I do think about the poop being sealed away from the natural cycle of decomposition forever.

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There are some doggie bag brands that are biodegradable.

 

[RaySpencer]

Already basically answered all of these. 1, don't smell trash cans. 2, maggots aren't a problem here. 3, I'm not piling it on a mountain of trash, it's deep deep in the can usually.

Fair enough, possibly the most reasonable counter argument. I'd say if the trash was high enough in the can it's definitely worth the tie up.

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You can't "answer" these things, this is why people do them, just because you don't doesn't mean that isn't why people do them.

 

[Birbos]

I don't because I don't care enough

 

[Dark Knight]

You can't "answer" these things, this is why people do them, just because you don't doesn't mean that isn't why people do them.

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Right, I guess what I meant is those were my answers to each reason. I can answer for my own reasoning...

 

[BringBackSonics]

explain people that leave poop bags (knotted or not) in the ground tho.

explain that. the bin is RIGHT THERE, why did you leave it by this tree or whatever?

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Yeah that shit annoys me, I mean thanks for putting the dog poop in a bag, but why not take the shit with you?

 

[nullref]

It reduces the potential somewhat for odor, pests, and mess, for the benefit of both the people using the can, and the person that eventually empties it. You can argue it's of marginal benefit or even unnecessary in the specific circumstances of your neighborhood, but it's ultimately just about people having habits and acting with general consideration, and treating public property as they would their own.

explain people that leave poop bags (knotted or not) in the ground tho.

explain that. the bin is RIGHT THERE, why did you leave it by this tree or whatever?

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I can't account for cases where there's an obvious trash can nearby. But in other circumstances, it might be because they were near the start of an out-and-back or loop route, and they knew there wasn't a trash can anywhere near—so they left it there to pick up when they passed again later, rather than carry it for the whole walk/hike.

I've done that a couple times—and did pick it up on the way back—but still felt guilty that someone could see the bag and judge me for it.

 

[PeakPointMatrix]

Aight so I kind of got my answer in here already. It's partly preference, partly due to circumstance. I'm not buying the "what about the smelly trashcan" argument though!

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Dude, be considerate.

There are trash cans near my building that are changed daily in the summer, and on the occasion someone left open bags of shit in them, it smelled like death. There's a massive difference in the smell of regular containers/juices/food sitting there for 24 hours awaiting pickup, and literal shit festering out of a bag. Regular outdoor airflow can waft that smell of shit well past the vicinity of a trash can, especially if it has uncovered openings.

Again, show some consideration for others and knot your bag, it takes literal seconds. Keeps the trash smell in a normal range and is considerate to those handling/near it.

 

[Dark Knight]

Again, show some consideration for others and knot your bag, it takes literal seconds.

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I'd say you and this thread have more or less convinced me. There will still be factors that will have me not tying, like if it's a mostly empty garbage can in the middle of no where(so no one will be hanging around it) but otherwise I think I'll be tying from now on.

 

[Alucrid]

do you tie up your trash bags when you take them out?

 

[Traxus]

I like you, OP. You live life on the edge.

 

[Fiction]

I have only big dogs, and knotting the bag is practical because you try to wrestle a determined 115 lb German Shepherd who just saw a squirrel while holding an open bag of poop.

 

[BringBackSonics]

I have only big dogs, and knotting the bag is practical because you try to wrestle a determined 115 lb German Shepherd who just saw a squirrel while holding an open bag of poop.

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Or a 100 pound lab that just saw one of the 90 million rabbits we have in our hood.

 

[Pacifaxe]

This was amazing. I'm so happy that OP has become a better person thanks to this thread.

Also ya, always knot your bags. My medium dog gives me trouble when she sees some squirrel or cats. Best to not have an open bag of shit when that happens.

 

[EVIL]

Nothing better than having trashcans with open poop bags inside in the middle of summer sweltering and have the stench waft wherever the wind carries it..

 

[Deleted member 21709]

It's smelly, of course, but carry it correctly and you'll never smell it.

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Please just tie it

 

[Orange Piccolo]

The same reason you tie your garbage bag when you put it in the dumpster.

 

[Deleted member 31817]

You guys actually flush after you poop? Pssh

 

[Mr. Keith]

you know people have to empty those trashcans right?

 

[Akira86]

you know people have to empty those trashcans right?

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who cares about those people? The OP doesn't know them personally.

 

[Dark Knight]

You guys actually flush after you poop? Pssh

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Some of these arguments are a little disingenuous... The trash is still going to the dump. If it never went out then nobody should be putting feces in there, tied or not.

who cares about those people? The OP doesn't know them personally.

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No need for such rude snark, I said nothing of the sort. Clearly I care.

 

[Akira86]

No need for such rude snark, I said nothing of the sort. Clearly I care.

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I dunno...you seem suspiciously incapable of getting "it".

If we make it to page 3 for the thread, i'm allowed to delete some "Faith in humanity" points from the ledger.

 

[Midramble]

I see someone's never experienced the wrath of a shit racoon. They never forget.

 

[SkeeterPackage]

I'd say you and this thread have more or less convinced me. There will still be factors that will have me not tying, like if it's a mostly empty garbage can in the middle of no where(so no one will be hanging around it) but otherwise I think I'll be tying from now on.

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Why is this such a hard thing to grasp. Tie your shit bags up. At all times.

 

[Teenage Fansub]

One of my regular bus stops is right next to a trash can that I guess is on a regular dog walking route and smells like death on a hot day, so any extra steps people can take to help that become less toxic is appreciated!