Dogs doing their dooty in old-time Phoenix


The first time I heard the expression, "A dog doing its dooty in the yard", I admit to being very puzzled. My grandmother said that, and it wasn't an expression that I had ever heard before. My parents would have never have said that, but grandma was more, well, plain-speaking. And all I could picture was a dog dressed up in a military uniform, possibly saluting, and doing his duty. I was a very puzzled little kid!

And today I'm thinking about old-time Phoenix, and, uh, that stuff. You know, the stuff that no one talks about, not really. Because in addition to other things that people don't talk about, or think about, old-time Phoenix would have had a lot of dogs on duty!

Well, doing their dooty. And of course also going on fire hydrants.

Now calm down here, I'm not criticizing dogs, or their owners. Dogs are people, too, and they have to answer the call of nature. But I've never seen a dog using a public restroom, and from what I know about dogs it wouldn't interest them, anyway. They scent mark on things like fire hydrants, to send messages to other dogs. It's kind of a doggy email as far as I know.

Nowadays, of course, dogs are kept on leashes, and are followed around by people who are carrying plastic bags. Most parks have these facilities available, along with signs that discourage leaving, uh, doggy doo-doo, as it spreads disease. It doesn't smell very good, either! Well, not to us humans!

If I were to time-travel to old-time Phoenix I would probably be horrified by the amount of, uh, dooty. And not just from dogs, from horses, from pigs, from chickens, from goats. Old-time Phoenix had a lot of animals wandering around.

Watch your step!
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