In the United States, there are over 46 million households that have 1 or more dogs as pets. In fact, recent figures indicate that 37% to 47% of all households in America have a dog. While many dog owners will walk their pets around the neighborhood, others are fortunate to have a local dog park where they can play.
The Trust for Public Lands’ 2016 report stated that almost every major city in the United States has a dog park. Some cities may have more, along with other areas where dogs are able to run, play, and interact with other canines. Many neighborhoods are “dog-friendly,” and it isn’t unusual to see dogs being welcomed into a variety of stores, including restaurants, complete with jars of treats for good behavior.
When it comes to dogs receiving enough exercise, dog breeders have a variety of recommendations. It’s recommended that puppies, for example, have 5 minutes of exercise for every month of their age. When dogs are between the ages of 1.5 and 4 years old, however, they will usually need the most exercise.
Some dog parks, as well as pet owners and trainers, will have a variety of dog playground equipment. In addition to a dog obstacle course, they may also have dog play yard equipment. Female dogs, it’s interesting to note, tend to be more active. In general, they will want to run and play 15% more than their male counterparts.
With all this activity, dogs will, of course, need to take care of their proverbial “business.” As a result, there are often strategically-placed dog waste dispenser stations throughout dog parks and other areas where people may walk their dogs. These waste dispenser stations provide dog waste bags as well as a receptacle to dispose of these bags when full.
Public areas have very stringent requirements for cleaning up after dogs. Most cities, for instance, may fine a pet owner up to $750.00 if they don’t clean up after their pets. Unfortunately, a minimum of 40% of pet owners don’t take care of this, which means that sidewalks, grassy areas, and neighborhood yards can be littered up with piles of feces.
Since the average dog will defecate twice a day, this can add up to approximately 14 piles of feces over the course of a single week. When pet owners don’t pick up after their pets, this can contaminate the area with bacteria. If these individuals were aware that a single gram of dog feces may contain 23 million fecal coliform bacteria, they might be more conscientious about cleaning up after their dogs.
waste dispenser station