Have you ever had a poo in a shopping trolley?

So I sit here typing this blog feeling pretty mortified with embarrassment.  You see, about an hour ago I took advantage of two of the dog friendly shops in my local area for a tiny shopping spree.  

First, all went well and Mouse and I went for an entirely uneventful trip around Pets At Home.  If you know our story at all you will already understand that The Dog Friendly Map exists because of Mouse.  She is, at the time of writing, a 6 month old bundle of poodle fluff sat on my left arm.  She has been nervous since the moment she was born. Nothing has ever ‘happened’ to make her nervous, it’s just who she is.  

I had hoped that being with my older two dogs would give her some reassurance when we are out and about but if anything she seems to doubt their judgement and chooses to follow her own path.  She is a poodle after all and my other two girls are, in her opinion at least, not able to compute the imminent threat due to their daft cockapoo brains.  On walks she will regularly bolt away from us and any threatening old lady or tiny child.  Touch wood, she has always come back to us.  

After posting lots in poodle forums and listening to various experts, I decided that exposing her little and often to these threatening old ladies etc would be a great idea.  Hmmmm.

So back to this morning, we had just finished with our first shop when we decided, or I did as I’m sure Mouse didn’t actually know where we were going, to head for a second shop to pick up some treats. All my dogs love these treats but Mouse especially.  For one of these treats she will even let on that she knows how to ‘sit’ afterall!!   In this particular shop the rule is that dogs have to be in trolleys and sit on a mat which they kindly provide.  We have done this before without issue or the need to vacate the shop at light speed.

Not today.  We got settled in the trolley, all seemed fine.  We moved deeper into the shop and towards the treats and Mouse began to shuffle. 

She lowered her back end and pooped.  Like a really really bad, I’ve eaten nothing but bad stuff kinda poop.  OMG the smell. I swear she has NEVER pooped like that EVER!!

So after a mild panic set in I decided to try and locate some poo bags on my person.  How was it that on the day I needed a bag I didn’t have a single one; not in my bag, not in my pockets and not down my bra?? Normally they are EVERYWHERE.  Seconds ticked by, the smell was starting to permeate the nearby area, my panic was growing.  I couldn’t see a single thing close by to deal with this explosion of scent based torture. So I decided to wheel her outside explaining to the checkout guy that my puppy had pooped and I’d clear it up outside.  His face!!! The disgust was so clear.

We got outside, I sorted the mess, folding the mat and shoved it in a bag and scurried back inside to explain that she has never done anything like that before and how she had a poorly tummy (she doesn’t) and how I will obviously take it away and wash it several times until it sparkles.  It is now currently on a 60 wash and when it is dry I shall take it back and style it out the best I can.

Mouse is none the wiser and is happily sleeping without a care in the world but we still don’t have any of our favourite doggy treats.