I’ve been quizzing dog owners of a certain age about this. No one can quite remember when or how the change came about. What they all agree on is that, in the past, yes, dogs crapped everywhere with impunity. Also, because of the bonemeal used to bulk up dog food, it was white, which must have made it next to impossible to dodge in the snow. My auntie Barbara, who has owned countless dogs over her long life, points out that it was less a case of owners not picking up the poo; it was more that the owners often weren’t with their pets anyway, as dogs were generally left to roam at will. Only rarely did you see them out for walks on leads. I suppose you could argue that these were halcyon days for dogs as well as their owners. Easy life, if all ownership entailed was giving them a roof over their heads at night, some bonemeal-rich Lord-knows-what to eat, and sending them out to go about their daily business as they saw fit. Off you go, have a good one, see you tonight. For dog-sitters, the 50s and 60s must have been lean times indeed.