[Dailydrool] Walking Hounds in Urban areas

[Kate Lawson]

I would like to hear everyone's opinions on this topic because I know they will be different and I will modify my behavior if there is a consensus. 
I walk my Bassets every day religiously because it is good for all of us and is the highlight of their day (after eating). We have sidewalks in our neighborhood and I let them roam, sniff, pee and poop which I pick up carefully. I would like to have a part of the walk be fast with them keeping up  on the sidewalk and not stopping but I can no longer walk that fast. Non scent-centric dogs enjoy the pacing but I think Bassets really benefit from the sniffing and tracking experiences. It exercises their mind.
My thinking is this. There are many cats and wild animals of all types peeing and pooping on the lawns and there is lots of rain and irrigation to dilute it all. The dogs only pee a little at each spot so they can have enough to hit lots of spots. To me it seems unproductive to force a non-pee policy under these circumstances. Some of my neighbors within the wide boundaries of our travels are upset to have my dogs on their lawn. Those folks make themselves known (usually in a rude manner) and I honor their wishes. They are very few.
Over the years my hounds have all sometimes reacted at the windows when dogs are passing outside. I feel it is my responsibility to control my own dogs and do not mind when the foreign dogs linger. I think my dogs are having fun being dogs when that happens because it is social not aggressive. The sidewalk is public property. I do not expect my neighbors to control their outdoor cats which excite my dogs mightily. I feel that is my problem to deal with. 

Kate, Lucy, Daisy