Is it compulsory?

We've had our house here for 20 years and yet have always found that we didn't fit in! I've decided that the reason is......we haven't got any dogs! I now realise that if you are British and live in France, it is compulsory to own at least one dog but preferably, up to 6! We've put up some pictures and statues of them at the gate, but to no avail. People just walk by, maybe slowing down briefly whilst their dogs, on 50 metre long leads, crap on our garden.


We thought of moving to Marseilles to get away from all this, but after we both walked and slipped in some of "the stuff" and being told by the tourist office that "c'est la vie", we've decided to compromise and have bought 8 huskies and a toboggan. Now we've just got to save up for their jabs for when we drive them onto the Chunnel! At least it'll save on diesel!

Ha ha ha, don’t forget that the first part of training your puppies is to have them lie peacefully under you cafe table.

Bruce, what a shame that your local dog owners don't use poop bags to clear up after their animals. We always do! Dog poo can cause cows to abort their calves, and as we live in a dairy farming area we even clear up in the grazing fields. We never leave the house without a couple of bags in our pockets, and there is always a pack of them in the car. It's no hardship at all.

I admit while our French neighbours appreciate that we clear up after our dog, they tend not to do so themselves. However in the nearby ski village bins have been installed for disposing of used bags.

Worth a suggestion to your Mairie, maybe? It could be worth a bit of publicity. The bags are biodegradable and go in a carrier bag in the wheelie bin with kitchen waste. I know France is often a few years behind the UK, where all supermarkets and pet stores sell poop bags, but hopefully will catch up soon.

I hate seeing, worse standing in, dog poo as much as you do.

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Valerie, do you remember Brian Conley with "It's a puppet" on TV in the 90s? Well, it's a dog....not a boy!

Lol. x

I used to carry a plastic bag when I went out with my old boy, but my Dad objected!

Totally on your side, Nick.

Yes it's compulsory, Bruce (grin). In Malta, we rescued one dog and two cats who were duly brought over here and have since added two further dogs and two cats making a total of 3 of each, plus the child! The house is complete mayhem but he loves it. We did also foster an old boy from the SPA Limoges for over two years who is now 'sleeping' in the garden. But I'm old school. I would object to other people allowing their animals to poop near my property and so I don't do it to them. If any of mine start to slow down near a neighbour's they are royally dragged away along the path until out in open territory before being allowed relief. I do carry little bags in case of emergency though - one day I may not be fast enough with the dragging.

I'm dogless, catless, parrot and poisson rougeless too. Couldn't be bothered with the hassle to be honest.

I did go through a period of having a collectivity of cockroaches, but I persuaded them that life was better elsewhere.

I prefer my birds and bees in the garden and the endless variety of farm animals that graze in the field behind me. They even take my grass cuttings and recycle them.