What’s Your Dog Poop IQ?

Take this fun quiz to see if you’ve got the straight scoop about poop!

Poop Quiz

1.	Dog poop makes good fertilizer:
	True or False

ANSWER: False
Dog waste does not make good fertilizer. In fact, it goes beyond being bad fertilizer; it may contain harmful microorganisms and bacteria that can make you and your family sick. For this reason, you should never compost pet waste and reuse it as fertilizer.

• Thrifty Fun Newsletter

2.	Are women or men more likely to pick up after their dog?
	A)	Women are more likely to scoop the poop.
	B)	Men are more likely to scoop the poop.

ANSWER: A
At the risk of receiving hate mail from dedicated dog owners, our research found that 40% of all Americans don’t pick up their dog’s poop at all! With that said, women are more likely to clean up the mess than men.

Resources

• USA Today
• The News Observer

3.	Which of the following is an incorrect reason that explains why some dogs eat their own or another animal’s waste?
	A)	Your dog may be sick with a parasite that is starving him of nutrients. Take him to the vet.
	B)	Your dog is trying to set a new record for the Guinness Book of World Records!
	C)	Your dog may be trying to get minerals or nutrients that are not available in his food.
	D)	Anxiety, boredom, or stress may be driving your dog to eat his own waste.

ANSWER: B
We know your dog is great and deserves many world records, but we hope it is not for poop eating!

Resources

• ASPCA

4.	What is the next cutting-edge advance in the study of disposal of dog poop?
	A)	Put dog waste into a particle accelerator to probe the structure of matter.
	B)	Put various types of dog waste into a time capsule so future generations have access to canine DNA.
	C)	Send dog poop into orbit; after all, we don’t want it in our yards.
	D)	Convert dog poop into energy!

ANSWER: D
Norcal Waste Systems, located in San Francisco, is looking at the feasibility of using dog waste as fuel for methane digesters. The methane digester (which is full of poop-loving microorganisms) would then convert the waste into methane. The methane could then be used to generate power for electricity or to heat homes. Methane can also be turned into liquid natural gas, which can be used to power cars!

Resources

• ZDNet: Dog poop—the next alternative energy source?

5.	How many tons of waste do dogs and cats generate annually?
	A)	2 million tons.
	B)	5 million tons.
	C)	10 million tons.
	D)	20 million tons.

ANSWER: C
10 million tons, now that's a lot of poop!

6.	How does dog poop harm our waterways?
	A)	The harmful bacteria it contains pollutes the water and may cause dysentery or even cholera if accidentally ingested.
	B)	Pet waste is rich in nutrients. The nutrients act as fertilizers and cause algae to grow rapidly. Algae blooms result in large fish kills when they die, because the process of decay removes all oxygen from the water. This is devastating to aquatic life.
	C)	Dog poop left on your lawn can wash into storm drains and flow into creeks, streams, and rivers.
	D)	All of the above.

ANSWER: D
As you can see from all of the effects above, dog poop and our waterways do not mix well.

7.	What is the correct way to dispose of my dog’s poop? (choose 3)
	A)	Throw it down the storm drain.
	B)	Flush your dog’s poop down the toilet (without the bag, of course).
	C)	Tie the waste in a plastic bag and drop it in your garbage can.
	D)	Check with your local officials for specific regulations.

ANSWER: B, C, and D
If waste is flushed down the toilet, it will be treated by the sewage treatment plant. Waste that is bagged and knotted will end up in a landfill or incinerated to produce power. Landfills are legally required to ensure that any seepage from waste is treated before it enters the environment. You should always double-check with local authorities on how to dispose properly of your pet’s waste. All DoodyCalls owners and employees carefully follow local regulations.

8.	Dog waste is a major food source for which animal?
	A)	Deer.
	B)	Possums.
	C)	Skunk.
	D)	Rats.

ANSWER: D
Dog waste is a food source for rats. If your community has a rat problem, check to see if it also has a dog poop problem. In order to eliminate the rat problem, you will also need to eliminate the rats’ food source and that may well be pet waste. Send notices to residents encouraging them to pick up after their pets. Consider installing pet waste stations, like the gladiator station (available for purchase from DoodyCalls) that keep out rodents, and consider hiring a pooper scooper like DoodyCalls.

Resources

• Wild Birds Unlimited

9.	Citizens of which U.S. city are the most likely to scoop the poop?
	A)	Boston, MA.
	B)	Washington, DC.
	C)	San Francisco, CA.
	D)	New York, NY.

ANSWER: C
A recent survey conducted by Merial Limited, the makers of Heartgard, asked both dog owners and non-dog owners to rank their own city on their perception of how many people pick up after their dogs. The prize went to San Francisco, which scored the highest on the survey.

10.	Scooping dog poop is important because it can transmit ________  to both humans and dogs, making them sick.
	A)	Worms and other parasites such as round worm and hook worms.
	B)	West Nile Virus.
	C)	Dengue Fever.
	D)	Ebola Virus.

ANSWER: A
A national survey of 1,000 Americans found the following: 80% of dog owners were unaware that dog waste poses a health threat to their family, and more than 83% of those surveyed didn’t know they could become infected by the worms and parasites in their pet’s waste.

Extra Credit

11.	DoodyCalls is the best pooper scooper service in the world because we:
	A)	Love dogs.
	B)	Allow you to spend more time with your family.
	C)	Help keep your family and pets safe by keeping dog poop out of your yard.
	D)	Help keep the environment clean by promoting responsible dog ownership and the importance of scooping the poop!
	E)	All of the above.

ANSWER: E
All of the above, of course! DoodyCalls prides itself on making your yard a clean, safe, and fun place to play. We also work with neighborhoods and communities to manage pet waste, and devise pet waste management plans that include pooper scooper stations and common area cleanings. We are dedicated to protecting the environment. We are members of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, our pet waste litter bags are biodegradable, and many of our franchises have purchased carbon credits to offset the emissions and fuel use of the vehicles they operate. As far as loving dogs, they are the best part of our day, and our franchises support a number of canine charities throughout DoodyCalls service areas.