My partner wants our dog to wear diapers when we walk her. She doesn't have health issues but he feels that's a good training technique. He believes we're above walking around the neighborhood carrying a bag of dog crap after she does her business. He doesn't want her going to the bathroom during walks. "We don't work for her," he says in regards to carrying around her bag of doo. She doesn't need to wear a diaper for walks. It looks ridiculous. A diaper doesn't stop going to the bathroom it just catches it. It doesn't make sense.
Yes, that's a little weird. A diaper is for when dogs have bathroom accidents -- for instance, as they age and can't control their bowels. But, wearing one isn't doing anything to train a dog not to go to the bathroom. If anything, the message is, "It's OK to do it in this." So, that's fine, and maybe as she's walking she'll be crapping in the diaper but she's still doing it on the walk. The theory that it's training her not to do it doesn't make sense. A diaper doesn't even train a human baby not to go to the bathroom.
Potty training teaches a dog where to eliminate, typically outdoors, at specific times. It does not teach them to hold it indefinitely or, worse, to eliminate into a diaper when they don't have a medical need. Your dog needs to go to the bathroom, and walks are a primary opportunity for her to do so. Expecting her to hold it or catch it in a diaper when she has no health issues is unreasonable and potentially unhealthy.
Our bosses have two dogs. They were trained as puppies that they go to the bathroom before going on a walk. In fact, before we leave, we say to the dogs, "It's poop time," and the dogs go bolting outside to go to the bathroom. Even if they don't have to go, they still force out something because they know we're not leaving until the at least try. And when we walk, it's a walk. They're not running side to side and sniffing everything, it's a power walk straight down the sidewalk and there's no bathroom breaks. But, again, it's training that made that happen.
Your partner's assertion that "we're above walking around the neighborhood carrying a bag of dog crap," and "we don't work for her," strikes at the very heart of pet ownership. As a responsible dog owner, yes, picking up after your dog is an essential part of the deal. It's not "working for her"; it’s basic consideration for your community and your neighbors.
Weirder yet, the diaper will end up making more of a mess -- on the dog. Whatever she deposits will be smeared inside a diaper as she walks at a brisk pace, potentially causing discomfort, skin irritation or even infections for your poor dog. Furthermore, you still have to dispose of the soiled diaper, which is arguably more cumbersome and less environmentally friendly than a simple poop bag.
I dunno. This is a weird one.
It sounds like your partner might have a fundamental misunderstanding of dog behavior, responsible pet care or perhaps even an unexpressed aversion to dog waste itself. I encourage you to sit down with him for a calm, factual conversation. Explain that this isn't about personal preference; it's about your dog's health, natural instincts and what constitutes responsible pet ownership. Offer to research basic dog behavior and the actual function of dog diapers together. You might even consult your veterinarian for advice, as they can explain the importance of regular elimination for a dog's health.
Your dog doesn't need to wear a diaper for walks. It looks ridiculous because, fundamentally, the idea makes no sense for a healthy dog. Stand firm on this. Your priority is your dog's well-being and practicing responsible, humane pet care.