Sometimes, a solution doesn't solve much of anything

Chalk it up as a classic case of the cure being worse than the disease.
 
There's a fellow in our fair city who stuck a sign in his lawn a few weeks ago that reads “private property” on top and “no dog waste” across the bottom. Between those two messages is a drawing of a black dog that is squatting in what is universally recognized as the pooping pooch position.
 
This guy's frustration is understandable. I hate it when owners leave their pups’ calling cards on my property. It ticks me off no end to walk out onto the sidewalk in front of my house and spot a pile neatly deposited under my hedges, especially because the irresponsible owner who refused to pick up after his dog is never anywhere in sight by the time I get out there.
 
So I can sympathize with the homeowner in question, who presumably decided to take action after one too many people used his yard as a canine toilet. But here’s the thing. This guy didn’t put up just one sign featuring a squatting dog. He didn’t settle on two signs. Or even three. He’s got four identical pooping dog signs scattered across his yard and on a nearby strip of grass between the public sidewalk and the street. Each one features the same image of a dog that’s about to do the deed.

So instead of occasionally having to clean up after a wayward pup, this guy has to eyeball multiple images of a squatting dog whenever he looks out into his own yard. As much as I hate picking up after someone else’s pet, I’d rather do that occasionally than stare at a bizarre parody of the March of the Toy Soldiers in which the soldiers have been replaced by dogs and the dogs are armed with . . . well, let's just say they aren't carrying wooden rifles.