Our dogs spend lots of time outside — running, playing, chasing squirrels, and commenting on deer from within our fenced-in yard. Of course, being dogs, they also make regular deposits, and I keep a roll of bags on my person so I can clean up when they do doo-doo.
In the fall, the maples, oaks, crabapples, and other deciduous trees on our property drop their leaves, conspiring to cover the ground with various shades of brown. The result: Unless I am standing right next to the pooping pup, I lose sight of the pile even as I run toward whomever has assumed the tell-tail squat.
Where’s Poodo?
That’s when I wind up reluctantly playing a game I call “Where’s Poodo?” — based on the popular Where’s Waldo? publications. For those unfamiliar with the books and posters, the goal is to find a dude with a red-and-white-striped shirt and beanie hidden amongst complex drawings carefully crafted to fool the eye into not seeing him.
In this case, it’s something more stinky than stripey that I’m looking for.
I am usually left holding a bag, staring into the grass and trying hard to see brown amidst brown. As I walk toward the spot where I think I saw the drop, I slow to a shuffle because the consequences of not finding Poodo are more serious than not finding Waldo. One squishy misstep, and I’m washing my boots for the next 15 minutes.
If I’m lucky, I find the stinker, scoop it up in a bag, and hope that my other two dogs didn’t make a similar contribution to the sea of brown while I was focusing on the poo at hand.
Play Where’s Poodo with me
I thought I’d share the fun and, much to my family’s chagrin, spent a couple of weeks taking pictures of dog poo. Hey, at least my hobby is harmless.
So play along with me and try to find the poop in the photos below. Note: It gets harder as the season progresses and more leaves fall to the ground.
At least you don’t have to worry about stepping in it.
Get started
This first photo was taken early in the season. It’s still not too hard to find Poodo with so few leaves on the ground.
Found it yet? Here’s a handy circle showing you exactly where it is.
Try these next few. The answers are at the end of the post.
Photo A:
Photo B:
I saved the best for last; these are not for beginner Poodo spotters.
Photo C:
Photo D:
Since that last one is so hard, I cropped it for a closeup:
Think you found them all?
Before you look at the answers, here’s a pretty photo of the dogs who created these masterpieces of hidden art.
The answers
Photo A:
Photo B:
Photo C:
Photo D:
How well did you do? Whether you spotted them all or not, you now have a unique claim you can share with friends, family, and coworkers: You just spent five minutes looking at pictures of dog poop.
Makes my photography hobby seem a little less weird now, doesn’t it?
About the author: Susan C. Willett is a writer, photographer, and blogger whose award-winning original stories, photography, poetry, and humor can be found at Life With Dogs and Cats. She lives in New Jersey with three dogs and four cats (all rescues) and at least a couple of humans — all of whom provide inspiration for her work. Refusing to take sides in the interweb’s dogs vs. cats debate, Susan enjoys observing the interspecies interaction among the varied inhabitants of her home — like living in a reality TV show, only furrier. In addition to Life With Dogs and Cats, you can find more Lilah, Jasper, and Tucker (and the rest of the gang) on Haiku by Dog™, Haiku by Cat™, and Dogs and Cats Texting. Her dogs and cats also write haiku for Dogster and Catster, respectively.
