Whatever happened to white dog poop?
Fecally-based as it may be, the question raised this morning by Pete Hurrey, a reporter and blogger for Baynet.com, is an interesting one.
Why don't you ever see white dog poop anymore?
It's a question comedian Sarah Silverman has asked in song and countless others have wondered about. It has has been the subject of at least one play, the topic of at least one blog, and typing the phrase into Google brings up 6,740 results -- some of which will bring you closer to the truth, some of which will send you further away.
Is it a result of global warming; some other atmospheric shift in the environment; a sign, like disappearing bees, that something is dreadfully wrong?
In a blog entry this morning, Hurrey says the mysterious question was brought to his attention by a photographer during the kind of lull in a newsroom that leads to pondering life's bigger questions.
Hurrey went to that secret place with all the answers to life's bigger questions (Google) and found out that the disappearance is likely based on one of two factors -- or maybe both.
"I do have my theories – like, now that people have to follow around their dogs with little pooper scoopers and baggies, there isn’t any dog poop left to turn white," Hurrey wrote on his blog for Baynet, an internet news company serving Calvert, St. Mary's and Charles counties.
He also cites the most accepted answer: Dog poop turned white because dogs, back in the 1970s and before, ate real bones. The calcium from them would make their waste turn white when it dried.
Nowadays, with cleaner, safer chewy things on the market, it's the rare dog that gets real bones for a treat. Hence, white dog droppings -- like unicorns -- have become a rarer sight.
Comments
This is awesome. I love the episode of Sarah Silverman where she ponders white dog poop. I can't believe this made your blog, John, but is one more reason I hope the blog continues!
Posted by: Marie | July 21, 2008 2:00 PM
Um, I probably shouldn't admit this in public, but we have white poop in my backyard. It's the ones that I couldn't find and couldn't find and suddenly, there is the white poop. I'd be happy to submit samples if anyone wants some.... :-)
Posted by: danielle | July 21, 2008 4:24 PM
The calcium from real bones is in part true, in addition, over the years commercial manufacturers of dog food have increased the amount of grain fillers (corn, wheat, rice, oats) as well as presevatives, etc. (translating to cheaper cost).
Many dogs lack the ability to process grain. In these cases, less nutrient is absorbed and more waste is produced (translating to a lot of "not white poop"). Dog foods manufactured with higher levels of meat, blood, bones plus low carbohydrates vegetables like sweet potato have an increased absorbation in a dogs system...translating to less waste and smaller "white poops". In a day or two they'll turn white and dissolve away.
I grew up on a dairy farm and once to twice a year a cow would be sacrificed to the freezer. Without fail, the heart, tongue and other less desireable raw bits would be tossed to our dog Sam, Tumbleweed, King or Pepper...who ever happened to be there at the time. Little did Priscilla (my mom) know she would be a hero to the devout raw dog food diet followers.
Posted by: DogLady | July 21, 2008 8:07 PM
I subscribe to the "people clean up after it more often" theory. Like Danielle, I'll confess to missing an occasional poop out there. It eventually turns white and contrasts starkly with the green grass so that it can be scooped.
Posted by: Anne | July 21, 2008 10:13 PM
any blog that talks about poo is a favorite blog o' mine, john. i see white turds in the park a lot... unless it rains and then everything is sort of runny and blotchy.
Posted by: dan thanh | July 22, 2008 2:30 PM
The song was actually *written* by Laura Silverman.
Posted by: dan | July 23, 2008 9:13 PM
DogLady is right. We have less "white poop" because we have more fillers in our dog food and dog treats.
After thorough research, I elected to raw feed my dog and she only gets raw meat and bones. Her poop is noticeably different from that of her friends' - smaller, less stinky, and often chalkier (depending on bone content). She also "goes" much less often, her teeth have much less tartar buildup than other dogs her age, and she easily maintains an ideal weight.
The benefits of raw feeding are commonly understood outside the US, in places like Australia - where I'm sure they have plenty of white poop!
Posted by: Warrigal | July 25, 2008 12:18 PM
Wow, I can't believe all the info on dog poop, but I'm glad it's here. My two chihuahuas both have white poop today, and they did eat real bones last night. Glad to know its only the calcium from the bones!
Posted by: melanie | January 17, 2009 7:11 PM
Another one of life's great mysteries solved. Thank you.
Posted by: the Pooping Dog | August 10, 2009 6:58 PM