You made it!

Welcome to the Crappiest Dog Photo Contest!

We love dogs and we also think dogs look pretty funny when they poop so we celebrate that. When they spin in circles. When they do the bunny kick. When they lock eyes with us. And of course, when they crouch and get down to business.

This article talks about 8 strange doggy bathroom habits. And this, this talks about how dogs poop in alignment with Earth's magnetic field. WHAT?

We aren't the only ones obsessed with dog poop. Here is a video all about it. You'll never sing No Diggity the same way again.

So let's see what you've got. It's super easy to enter this contest.

• Take the Doo Your Doody - Pick Up Poopy pledge.
  
  
• On the pledge, it will ask you to write us a few sentences about your dog and the funny things they do while they poop (or on their way to poop/after they poop).
  
  
• Send a photo of your dog doing its weird poop behavior to aroskilly@cuyahogaswcd.org *See photo notice at bottom of page.

• We will send you the best bandana ever. It says "This is a nudge to clean up my fudge."
  
  
• Contest runs from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day (May 21 - September 7)
  
  
• In September, our staff will view all the entries and decide on a few winners.

There will be prizes. Here is what we have so far:

• A photo shoot from Meiring Borcherds Photography.
• An awesome book "Pit Bull Heroes" from Greg Murray
• Fi Smart Dog Collar - GPS Dog Tracker & Activity Monitor (donated by Elizabeth from our office)
• A big chocolate turd from Fear's Confections in Lakewood
• Pet N Pet compostable poop bags (donated by Meg from our office)
• PetSmart $25 gift card, dog toy and treats (donated by Jan from our office)

Now here is where we hit you with the why. Why would we ever have a contest about dogs pooping?

Simple. We want to bring awareness to dog poop and nudge you to pick up your dog's fudge.

There are over 90,000 registered dogs in Cuyahoga County (and that is just registered dogs, we know there are more than that). A dog poops twice a day (on average). That is 45 TONS OF DOGGIE DROPPING A DAY!

Dog poop has a whole bunch of fun things in it. One is fecal coliform bacteria.
Mmmm, delish!

When rain and snow melt, it washes that yummy stuff into our waterways polluting our rivers, streams and Lake Erie. It all adds up.

Now here is where you ask....

• But it is natural so why do I have to pick it up?
• Won't it just break down?
• Wild animals poop outside and we don't clean that up?

And here's where we answer......

• It's gross and no one wants to step in it or mow over it. Don't be that person.
• Eventually but while it does it will pollute our yards and harm our waterways.
• They sure do but they eat nutrients from their ecosystem. Dogs eat nutrient-rich foods that produce waste that is high in nitrogen and phosphorous (much like fertilizer).

*You retain your rights to your photograph; however, by entering the contest, you grant the Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) a royalty-free, perpetual, non-exclusive license to publicly display, distribute, reproduce and create derivative works of the entries, in whole or in part, in any media now existing or later developed, for any Cuyahoga SWCD purpose, including, but not limited to, advertising and promotion, on its web site, and in exhibitions, including but not limited to Cuyahoga SWCD publications. Any photograph reproduced will include a photographer credit as feasible. Cuyahoga SWCD will not be required to pay any additional consideration or seek any additional approval in connection with such uses.

For a photo in which a person is recognizable, you must secure a release from the subject or, in the case of a minor, the subject’s parent or guardian and provide it to the Cuyahoga SWCD upon request.