Just wondering about dog walking etiquette

[Kaitlin and Ludo]

This morning on our walk, Ludo peed in someone's yard.  He's a squatter, so to the untrained eye, it might have looked like he was pooping.  The lady rushed out of her front door and demanded I pick up after my dog.  I politely responded "He didn't poop in your yard.  I clean up after my dog, but if you would like to check and if I made a mistake, I would be happy to clean up after him."... She said she watched him out her window and that he had pooped in her yard.  She hurried over to check and he clearly hadn't pooped in her yard.  She didn't apologize for accusing me, just scowled and walked away. I can totally understand the annoyance of having someone not clean up their dog's poop, I would be annoyed too, but the way this lady spoke to me really bothered me.

But it got me thinking about what is appropriate regarding a dog peeing in someone's yard.  My neighborhood doesn't have sidewalks but we do have drainage ditches along the edges of all the properties.  I allow Ludo to walk only on the street side of the drainage ditch (maybe 2 feet from the street) in the grass. I've never had ANYONE say anything about him peeing (or pooping) in this area.  I clean up after him every time. For the record, if someone has a flower bed or something, I won't allow him to walk through and potentially pee there.

I have been trying to find out, just out of curiosity, where the property lines end in my neighborhood.  I'm pretty sure where we are walking is considered an easement and is essentially the equivalent of where a sidewalk would go if we had sidewalks.  So I don't think I am doing anything wrong to begin with.

I am curious to hear what you guys find acceptable during walks.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

I think you hit it on the head - She is a crazy person.  Or she has repeatedly picked up dog poo and thought she had finally got the dog-gone lazy owner!  Since she didn't she was embarassed

Etiquette wise, you would satisfy me.  You are respectful of property and try to make sure she pees on the easement.

You can train her to pee and then walk without peeing.  My dogs know the "sniffers" means they can leave my side and "sniff" and pee.  Otherwise they walk "close" - not necessarily the more strict heel, but not pulling and with their head up.  I needed to do this as Tigger would spend the entire walk with his nose on the ground hoping to find something wonderful eat!! 

[Christy&Riley]

I NEVER let Riley pee in someone else's yard. She leaves obvious burn marks and I don't feel I have a right to do that to their property. I make sure she goes in common areas, empty lots or at least between the road and sidewalk.