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Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: purple monkey on October 20, 2017, 05:38:23 PM

Title: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: purple monkey on October 20, 2017, 05:38:23 PM
I live in a upper middle class neighborhood.  I do spend money and time on keeping the yard and flower beds nice.

Anyone here have any luck with neighbors who let their dogs in your yard and they pee and poop in it getting that to change?

The urine causes spots, keeps the grass from growing and hurts the flowers and plants.

The poop is tough when you step in it.

This is obvious in the few feet from the sidewalk with the vegetation and I often see folks not control their dog with the waste.

The sidewalk is connected to my property border and we are responsible for it's upkeep, not the city.

I am asking for ideas/stories to change this behavior that have actually worked.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: MsPeacock on October 20, 2017, 06:49:04 PM
Put up a sign. At the very minimum dog owners should be picking up poop. Pee is harder because it obviously can't be bagged up. Maybe a sign that says something along the lines of "please keep your dogs off the lawn and garden".

This topic generates huge flame wars in my neighborhood list serve (doubly so if someone has committed the offence of putting the dog poop bag in someone else's trash can).
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: sequoia on October 20, 2017, 11:36:13 PM
I love dog. I owned one in the past. But I do hate finding dog waste in my yard.

Assuming in your neighborhood, there are plenty of people who own dogs, do you know exactly which dog? I mean like 100% for sure, you have picture as proof that particular dog who did it?

I was in the same situation like you. I made sure I was 100% sure which dog did it. There was not going to be "my dog did not poop at your yard." argument. Once I know for sure, I confronted the owner (two different people), and they immediately did not let their dog come close to my yard. I had pictures as proof just incase we going to have an argument. They did not say anything, they knew their dog did it.

I actually bought this dog repellant that is suppose to make dogs avoid your yard. That did not work. Cheaper to just figure out the owners and confront them. And that bring a lot of satisfaction too. They probably think they can just get away with it lol.

Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: chasesfish on October 21, 2017, 05:32:49 AM
I think the most effective signs I see in the neighborhood are these - They come across as friendly and humorous, but get the point across:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0041F2WHY

The problem is people who walk their dog and leave poop in the yard are either just jerks, or they're the responsible dog walker who got caught without a bag (like the rare time ours does a "double" on a long walk".  That stake catches my attention enough to say "hey, let me move where my dog is streaming that pee" if its on a nice bush/plant.

Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: misshathaway on October 21, 2017, 07:19:53 AM
This topic generates huge flame wars in my neighborhood list serve (doubly so if someone has committed the offence of putting the dog poop bag in someone else's trash can).

This just happened on my neighborhood Facebook list. A dog owner took a picture of somebody's polite please-no-dogs-on-lawn sign and posted that it was so annoying that it made her want to take her dog to that lawn. The thread ended up being removed.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: le-weekend on October 21, 2017, 10:49:58 AM
That's messed up! It seems perfectly reasonable to me that dog owners should pick up after their dogs and not leave sh*t on their neighbors' lawns. The person who hated the sign was probably one of the offenders. Yes, your precious pooch's sh*t does stink.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: le-weekend on October 21, 2017, 10:51:39 AM
Oh and FWIW my sister lives in a fairly nice middle class, well maintained, clean neighborhood and she has also had problems with stealth dog walkers leaving sh*t on their lawn.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: sequoia on October 21, 2017, 11:04:19 AM
This topic generates huge flame wars in my neighborhood list serve (doubly so if someone has committed the offence of putting the dog poop bag in someone else's trash can).

This just happened on my neighborhood Facebook list. A dog owner took a picture of somebody's polite please-no-dogs-on-lawn sign and posted that it was so annoying that it made her want to take her dog to that lawn. The thread ended up being removed.

I thought about getting one of those sign. But decided not to. I did not want this to be me vs everyone else in neighborhood, including people who do not own dogs. Who knows who will get offended (dog owner or not) by this type of sign, not to mention if someone took it, then I am out of money for that. The world is full of weird people.

See my post above. I ended up figuring out which dog owner that let his dog did the business in my yard, and I confronted them.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: chasesfish on October 21, 2017, 06:26:02 PM
At least its just dog waste!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/09/19/this-runner-wont-stop-pooping-in-front-of-a-familys-house-now-shes-being-sought-by-police/?utm_term=.03daa2eaa4bc
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: sequoia on October 21, 2017, 06:32:58 PM
At least its just dog waste!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/09/19/this-runner-wont-stop-pooping-in-front-of-a-familys-house-now-shes-being-sought-by-police/?utm_term=.03daa2eaa4bc

OMG!

I know this world is full of weird people, but this one takes the cake!
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: marble_faun on October 21, 2017, 07:05:44 PM
Have you considered bordering the area with those little metal border edge thingies that you stake in the ground?  They act like mini-fences, deterring dogs. 

The signs always seem a bit passive-aggressive and ugly-looking to me. A more subtle deterrence would be best.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: sequoia on October 21, 2017, 08:12:22 PM
At least its just dog waste!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/09/19/this-runner-wont-stop-pooping-in-front-of-a-familys-house-now-shes-being-sought-by-police/?utm_term=.03daa2eaa4bc

OMG!

I know this world is full of weird people, but this one takes the cake!

Yes, things can always be worse.

Still looking for some suggestions that have worked for MY problem.

I suggested up top what have worked for me. If that is not working for ya, not sure what to say...
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: nora on October 21, 2017, 08:29:11 PM
There is a bloke who promotes turning those bits of lawn into edible or decorative verges instead of useless lawn. Then bird netting will keep the dogs off. http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s3587737.htm
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: misshathaway on October 22, 2017, 08:24:11 AM
That's messed up! It seems perfectly reasonable to me that dog owners should pick up after their dogs and not leave sh*t on their neighbors' lawns. The person who hated the sign was probably one of the offenders.

I was just a spectator to the thread, but to me it was the height of entitlement.

I did have a dog problem a few years ago because I have a fenced-in back yard. A kid was bringing a dog in there when I was at work and using it as his own private dog park but not cleaning up. Had to lock the gates for awhile.

If I had the OP's problem in the front yard I guess I would put up another short fence around the front.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: sequoia on October 22, 2017, 11:47:20 AM
I suggest looking up your local bylaws.. Where I live, dog owners are required to have their dogs on a 6' leash, to clean up their poop, and to prevent them from damaging property.

Same with our local bylaws. That is why I take pictures as prove. If I spoke with the owner, and they are being a PITA. My next step is to get the local government who deals with things like this. From my understanding, eventually they can take the dog if the owner does not comply.

Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: Hotstreak on October 22, 2017, 01:25:49 PM
Short, low maintenance hedges, or a decorative fence (garden border fence).  It doesn't need to be impenetrable, just more difficult than your neighbors yards.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: Zamboni on October 22, 2017, 02:13:26 PM
Is there so much dog pee in your yard that the grass is actually discolored in little circles from it? Or are you just proposing that this is possible? Just curious.

I agree that people who don't poop scoop are obnoxious. As long as the poop is being scooped, worrying about anything else is probably silly. People are going to walk their dogs. Dogs are going to pee. The sidewalk is there for walking . . . including people walking dogs.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: misshathaway on October 23, 2017, 08:20:52 AM
Is there so much dog pee in your yard that the grass is actually discolored in little circles from it? Or are you just proposing that this is possible? Just curious.

I agree that people who don't poop scoop are obnoxious. As long as the poop is being scooped, worrying about anything else is probably silly. People are going to walk their dogs. Dogs are going to pee. The sidewalk is there for walking . . . including people walking dogs.

In the summer time, even scooped poop where they could not get it all ... stinks.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: GuitarStv on October 23, 2017, 09:35:39 AM
Build a fence.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: spokey doke on October 23, 2017, 09:56:15 AM
I think landscaping is your friend here...if you want to have a perfect lawn to the sidewalk in a neighborhood with dogs you are in for a life of frustration (not saying that it isn't warranted).  Similar statements can be made about shrubs and flowers next to the sidewalk that are attractive for lifting a leg on.

Having nothing that serves as an obvious invitation in those first few feet (and/or some kind of rocks/fence as a barrier) can help.  I imagine there is info out there on landscaping with neighborhood dogs in mind.  And given the tensions surrounding the issue, it might be worth trying to work with the situation than fight it...being that angry guy who yells at everyone to stay off his grass.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: GuitarStv on October 23, 2017, 10:03:51 AM
Build a fence.

To be more specific, some kind of small picket fence type thing up against the sidewalk.  They tend to look really nice, and will keep dogs off your lawn.

(https://mydesignchic.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/white+picket+fence+house+plans+and+more.jpg)
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: acroy on October 23, 2017, 10:12:20 AM
grind a little pepper on your lawn.
dogs HATE IT and will pass you on by.
Does not fix your poopy neighbor, but fixes your problem
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: honeybbq on October 23, 2017, 10:23:24 AM
In my hood you could put up on of those 'chemical treatment' signs on your grass, then everyone would stay off! (and you wouldn't get the backlash of the miscreant dog owners.)

I agree with the tiny little foot tall fence/edging as well.

I'm a multiple dog owner. It's hard to get them to not pee in yards. I try to keep them at least on the yard between the sidewalk and the curb (in my area) and not in the front lawn. And it's illegal to not poop-scoop here.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: clarkfan1979 on October 23, 2017, 12:23:24 PM
I am a dog owner and dog lover and always pick up the poop on walks.

Chemical sign would be great.

I think it's too difficult to enforce a no-peeing policy.

 I would confront someone about their dog poop if you 100% know for sure it's them.

I have been falsely accused  of dog poop that is not mine, more than once. 
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: BDWW on October 23, 2017, 12:34:40 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9pTQ98H30s
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: sequoia on October 23, 2017, 02:31:11 PM
Just want to comment that imho it is not right if you have build a fence so that dogs that belong to others do not poop at your yard. A fence is not going to cost couple of bucks.

I like the pepper solution - not sure how long it will last if raining, but that is cheap enough to try. The 'chemical treatment' signs - that genius (will keep an eye for this sign incase I start to have poop problem again).
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: Zamboni on October 23, 2017, 03:53:50 PM
Dogs will also pee on the fence. . . at least some of the male dogs will. Do you worry about birds and squirrels in your yard as well? I'm just curious because a coworker was recently asked by a neighbor to take down her bird feeder (which was on her property) because the neighbor didn't want small songbirds pooping in their yard and they felt the nearby feeder was attracting said small birds. Seriously.

I just don't think this is a battle worth stressing over, but ymmv (obviously.) Then again, I've had past neighbors who were truly train wrecks hell bent on destroying the real property values of all who surrounded them. It guess it all depends upon perspective.

Birds are gonna fly, dogs are gonna pee, and the dude abides.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: Cali Nonya on October 23, 2017, 07:13:01 PM
Well this answer may get me flamed by the dog lovers, but ...

I found that threatening to beat the dogs to death with a rake, broom, shovel, etc, works very well.  It gets the message to the dog and owner to not be on my property.  I have done this (only to off-leash dogs, which is my peeve).  And the dogs (and owners) do keep away.  (And before I get yelled at, this was always in cities with leash ordinances, so the owners are at fault for off-leash dogs).

But obviously this is for people who don't mind being hated (mostly by the dogs, but also by the owners).  And it works well for dogs that are allowed to roam.  If you actually go after a dog (with something like a shovel) with the real intent to hurt it, they get the message really quick.  And they do keep off of your property.

And no, I have never beaten a dog with a shovel, but I have chased several screaming that I would kill them, thumping the rake, shovel, etc as close as I could so the message got through.  It works on the dogs, and they also don't "go" where they feel threatened, so even in houses where there were no fences and there were roaming dogs, they didn't enter my property, domestic dogs have a good sense of where boundary lines are.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: BFGirl on October 24, 2017, 07:39:24 AM
My daughter has witnessed several people letting their dogs piss all over my flowers.  Since I like to use them for cut flowers this makes me really mad.  I put up a small polite sign, but I don't see that it has helped.  And there is nothing like dashing out barefooted to beat the trash truck and stepping in a pile of poo.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: Fishindude on October 24, 2017, 07:55:15 AM
This would make me mad too.   I'd probably just try to catch who was doing it, then give them a piece of my mind.   I'll bet it is likely the same one or two individuals over & over.
I've always lived rural where we don't have manicured lawns and dogs can just be turned loose out back to do their business with acres & acres to choose from.   

Can't understand these city dwelling dog lovers that don't have any room for a dog to roam.  If I had to keep my dog indoors all day, walk him dog on a leash just so he could find a place to poop & pee, then pick up his poop in a baggie, I wouldn't have a dog.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: Jouer on October 24, 2017, 07:56:33 AM
I don't think you have a dog problem. Sounds like you have an asshole neighbor(s) problem. Any dog owner who doesn't pick up poo is a dick. As a dog owner, this really pissed me off.

As for the pee situation. Yea, pee from female dogs can make your grass yellow. If a homeowner asked me politely to not let my dog pee on their yard, I would 100% comply. In fact, I tend to not let her walk on the nicer/well maintained lawns.

A fake chemical sign would work on me as well. As would a comical/light hearted sign asking for no dog waste.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: GuitarStv on October 24, 2017, 08:10:18 AM
Well this answer may get me flamed by the dog lovers, but ...

I found that threatening to beat the dogs to death with a rake, broom, shovel, etc, works very well.  It gets the message to the dog and owner to not be on my property.  I have done this (only to off-leash dogs, which is my peeve).  And the dogs (and owners) do keep away.  (And before I get yelled at, this was always in cities with leash ordinances, so the owners are at fault for off-leash dogs).

But obviously this is for people who don't mind being hated (mostly by the dogs, but also by the owners).  And it works well for dogs that are allowed to roam.  If you actually go after a dog (with something like a shovel) with the real intent to hurt it, they get the message really quick.  And they do keep off of your property.

And no, I have never beaten a dog with a shovel, but I have chased several screaming that I would kill them, thumping the rake, shovel, etc as close as I could so the message got through.  It works on the dogs, and they also don't "go" where they feel threatened, so even in houses where there were no fences and there were roaming dogs, they didn't enter my property, domestic dogs have a good sense of where boundary lines are.

I'm a dog owner.  I always walk my dog leashed, and if she poops I'm careful to pick it up.  However, owning a dog has nothing to do with my views on this:

The reason that I take issue with your comment regarding violence as a solution is that I don't think that it will lead to long term happiness.  At some point in the future you're likely to come across a dog owned by a bigger, stronger person than you.  When you hurt his dog, he'll hurt you, possibly quite badly.  Even if in court several years later everything comes out in your favour, you're still going to have the PITA of dealing with court, the medical recovery of your injuries (and possible lasting, long term effects).  You're going to be living in a neighbourhood with someone who really wants to (and has in his mind good reason) to do bad things to you . . . which is likely to lead to more altercations and annoyances in the future.

If poop is really annoying to you, build a small fence and it won't be a problem any more.  No future ramifications.  Alternately, you could try to catch the person while the dog is pooping and try shaming him.  No real problems/ramifications.  If you don't want to put in the effort for that, then you still have the option to just let the idea of a 'perfect' animal free yard go.  All of these are ways to handle the situation without much likelihood of making your own life more difficult/miserable.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: Fishindude on October 24, 2017, 08:42:34 AM
Carefully conceal some small doggie treats laced with Xlax in the area where dog typically does his business. 
He will gobble those up, then go home and explode poo all over the guilty parties house.
Just kidding, but your dick neighbor deserves something like that.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: Cali Nonya on October 24, 2017, 11:16:06 AM
Well this answer may get me flamed by the dog lovers, but ...

I found that threatening to beat the dogs to death with a rake, broom, shovel, etc, works very well.  It gets the message to the dog and owner to not be on my property.  I have done this (only to off-leash dogs, which is my peeve).  And the dogs (and owners) do keep away.  (And before I get yelled at, this was always in cities with leash ordinances, so the owners are at fault for off-leash dogs).

But obviously this is for people who don't mind being hated (mostly by the dogs, but also by the owners).  And it works well for dogs that are allowed to roam.  If you actually go after a dog (with something like a shovel) with the real intent to hurt it, they get the message really quick.  And they do keep off of your property.

And no, I have never beaten a dog with a shovel, but I have chased several screaming that I would kill them, thumping the rake, shovel, etc as close as I could so the message got through.  It works on the dogs, and they also don't "go" where they feel threatened, so even in houses where there were no fences and there were roaming dogs, they didn't enter my property, domestic dogs have a good sense of where boundary lines are.

I'm a dog owner.  I always walk my dog leashed, and if she poops I'm careful to pick it up.  However, owning a dog has nothing to do with my views on this:

The reason that I take issue with your comment regarding violence as a solution is that I don't think that it will lead to long term happiness.  At some point in the future you're likely to come across a dog owned by a bigger, stronger person than you.  When you hurt his dog, he'll hurt you, possibly quite badly.  Even if in court several years later everything comes out in your favour, you're still going to have the PITA of dealing with court, the medical recovery of your injuries (and possible lasting, long term effects).  You're going to be living in a neighbourhood with someone who really wants to (and has in his mind good reason) to do bad things to you . . . which is likely to lead to more altercations and annoyances in the future.

If poop is really annoying to you, build a small fence and it won't be a problem any more.  No future ramifications.  Alternately, you could try to catch the person while the dog is pooping and try shaming him.  No real problems/ramifications.  If you don't want to put in the effort for that, then you still have the option to just let the idea of a 'perfect' animal free yard go.  All of these are ways to handle the situation without much likelihood of making your own life more difficult/miserable.

I think you missed that I said I have never actually hit a dog.  Just whacked at them; hard thumps to the ground which is something that the dogs understand.  Normally I just stomp and yell.  And a very clear "I don't like dogs, keep them away from me" might piss off some dog-owners, but it does make very clear they are the ones who are responsible for the actions of their dog.

Should I paint a more clear picture?  A lady gardening, and some damned 100+ pound mastiff sneaks up (since to the owner it's just a their cute little doggie), but to a startled lady who was working on the bedding plants, that's 100+ pounds of terror.  Yes I chased the damned dog off my property with a shovel (yelling), and yes the neighbors (dog-owners) saw that.  And I yelled at them to keep their dogs away from me.  That did not cause problems, I'm sure to the neighbors I was the lady scared of dogs (I'm not scared, I just really dis-like them).  Or should I tell of the husky trying to chase down my cats into my own backyard that I ran off with a cultivator rake?  That dog-owner tried to get huffy, but took one look at me, and I am sure realized how completely at fault they were and started walking a different route.  (That's the one I did say I would kill if it ever did that again).

And part of my point is that if you don't want dogs on your property you can try to communicate to the owners, but there is also communicating to the dogs.  Sometimes I think the dogs are probably the smarter of the set, and a clear communication of threat, directed *to* the dog; that this is my property, you are not welcome here, does work.  I lived for three more years next to the damned mastiffs and they knew my property line and though they still wandered in the neighborhood, they kept away from my property.  (And no dealing with their poo either).

And GuitarStv, if you are a responsible dog owner, to you I would just be a nice neighborhood lady who likes to work in her garden.  But if your dog ever came after me (I don't care if you think it's friendly, to me it's always a threat).  I am on the correct side of the law defending myself.  Did you mean to imply that I should not defend myself from a threatening dog for fear of their owners also?  Wow, that's messed up.  No, I think the people who bow to fear (or social pressure) would be more miserable than someone like me who will stand straight and make a clear statement. 
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: GuitarStv on October 24, 2017, 11:27:18 AM
Well this answer may get me flamed by the dog lovers, but ...

I found that threatening to beat the dogs to death with a rake, broom, shovel, etc, works very well.  It gets the message to the dog and owner to not be on my property.  I have done this (only to off-leash dogs, which is my peeve).  And the dogs (and owners) do keep away.  (And before I get yelled at, this was always in cities with leash ordinances, so the owners are at fault for off-leash dogs).

But obviously this is for people who don't mind being hated (mostly by the dogs, but also by the owners).  And it works well for dogs that are allowed to roam.  If you actually go after a dog (with something like a shovel) with the real intent to hurt it, they get the message really quick.  And they do keep off of your property.

And no, I have never beaten a dog with a shovel, but I have chased several screaming that I would kill them, thumping the rake, shovel, etc as close as I could so the message got through.  It works on the dogs, and they also don't "go" where they feel threatened, so even in houses where there were no fences and there were roaming dogs, they didn't enter my property, domestic dogs have a good sense of where boundary lines are.

I'm a dog owner.  I always walk my dog leashed, and if she poops I'm careful to pick it up.  However, owning a dog has nothing to do with my views on this:

The reason that I take issue with your comment regarding violence as a solution is that I don't think that it will lead to long term happiness.  At some point in the future you're likely to come across a dog owned by a bigger, stronger person than you.  When you hurt his dog, he'll hurt you, possibly quite badly.  Even if in court several years later everything comes out in your favour, you're still going to have the PITA of dealing with court, the medical recovery of your injuries (and possible lasting, long term effects).  You're going to be living in a neighbourhood with someone who really wants to (and has in his mind good reason) to do bad things to you . . . which is likely to lead to more altercations and annoyances in the future.

If poop is really annoying to you, build a small fence and it won't be a problem any more.  No future ramifications.  Alternately, you could try to catch the person while the dog is pooping and try shaming him.  No real problems/ramifications.  If you don't want to put in the effort for that, then you still have the option to just let the idea of a 'perfect' animal free yard go.  All of these are ways to handle the situation without much likelihood of making your own life more difficult/miserable.

I think you missed that I said I have never actually hit a dog.  Just whacked at them; hard thumps to the ground which is something that the dogs understand.  Normally I just stomp and yell.  And a very clear "I don't like dogs, keep them away from me" might piss off some dog-owners, but it does make very clear they are the ones who are responsible for the actions of their dog.

Should I paint a more clear picture?  A lady gardening, and some damned 100+ pound mastiff sneaks up (since to the owner it's just a their cute little doggie), but to a startled lady who was working on the bedding plants, that's 100+ pounds of terror.  Yes I chased the damned dog off my property with a shovel (yelling), and yes the neighbors (dog-owners) saw that.  And I yelled at them to keep their dogs away from me.  That did not cause problems, I'm sure to the neighbors I was the lady scared of dogs (I'm not scared, I just really dis-like them).  Or should I tell of the husky trying to chase down my cats into my own backyard that I ran off with a cultivator rake?  That dog-owner tried to get huffy, but took one look at me, and I am sure realized how completely at fault they were and started walking a different route.  (That's the one I did say I would kill if it ever did that again).

And part of my point is that if you don't want dogs on your property you can try to communicate to the owners, but there is also communicating to the dogs.  Sometimes I think the dogs are probably the smarter of the set, and a clear communication of threat, directed *to* the dog; that this is my property, you are not welcome here, does work.  I lived for three more years next to the damned mastiffs and they knew my property line and though they still wandered in the neighborhood, they kept away from my property.  (And no dealing with their poo either).

My mistake, I misread what you posted.  I thought that you were planning to beat dogs with your rake, broom, and shovel for stepping on your lawn.



And GuitarStv, if you are a responsible dog owner, to you I would just be a nice neighborhood lady who likes to work in her garden.  But if your dog ever came after me (I don't care if you think it's friendly, to me it's always a threat).  I am on the correct side of the law defending myself.  Did you mean to imply that I should not defend myself from a threatening dog for fear of their owners also?  Wow, that's messed up.  No, I think the people who bow to fear (or social pressure) would be more miserable than someone like me who will stand straight and make a clear statement.

Of course you have the right to defend yourself.  I completely agree with your right to do that.  A couple years ago my dog and I were attacked by an off-leash pitbull, and if it wasn't for several well placed kicks (I'm reasonably certain that I broke the other dog's ribs, and it was certainly bleeding heavily when it started to back off) our dog would likely not have survived.  I've noticed that there is a trend for many people to resort to violence first rather than as a last resort . . . for the crime of walking (or even pooping) on your lawn it seemed a bit extreme.  Besides, it's the owner who really deserves to be hit with the shovel, not the dog.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: mm1970 on October 24, 2017, 01:58:43 PM
I don't really have much to say to help.  We have the same problem in our neighborhood.  In fact *3* of my neighbors have put out signs, or are putting out signs for people to pick up their dog's poop (and all 3 neighbors have dogs!)

We never have the problem, and I'm not sure why.  But I can postulate:
1.  My side of the street has no sidewalks.  It ends about 1/2 block down the hill from me.  So people walking up the hill to the dog park - usually aren't on my side of the street.
2.  Our front "yard" is a dirt patch.  Seriously.  The trees all died, we pulled them out.  Now it's just ugly, sandy soil.  Yes, we are that neighbor.  And no, I'm not going to make my "yard" nice until after I replace the sewer line, and I've been trying to get THAT done for over a year.

A few neighbors have cameras, and maybe the ones having the problem now will get them also.  I have a friend in the Bay Area who bought a house 15 years ago or so.  The first year, they were so excited to get their apricots off their tree and make jam.  Came home one day and the tree was stripped bare.  They were engineers so they put up a camera.  The next year, it happened again.  The culprit?  Raccoons.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: MrsPete on October 24, 2017, 06:46:34 PM
The occasional doggie "gift" is just part of living in a neighborhood (a choice that has both good and bad points). 

I just don't see it as a very big deal.  Unless the dogs are "going" in the same place each and every day, urine isn't going to damage your grass.  Poo, yeah, it's unpleasant, but it also breaks down pretty quickly. 
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: Indio on October 25, 2017, 10:59:16 AM
I put in a row of very throny bush roses to keep the dogs off my front lawn. Picture a row of rose hedge. There's a 2ft space between plants where the neighbor's dog squeezes in to poop. When the neighbor came out looking for her dog and sawing me recording the dog, she told me it was fertilizer for the lawn. I suggested she put the fertilizer on her lawn since mine was organic. Will get another spiky plant to put in that spot for Spring.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: mm1970 on October 25, 2017, 11:40:58 AM
The occasional doggie "gift" is just part of living in a neighborhood (a choice that has both good and bad points). 

I just don't see it as a very big deal.  Unless the dogs are "going" in the same place each and every day, urine isn't going to damage your grass.  Poo, yeah, it's unpleasant, but it also breaks down pretty quickly.

At 3-5 times a week, when you clean up after your OWN dog, having to clean up after someone ELSE'S dog, is annoying.

If you can't clean up  your dog's poop, you shouldn't own a dog.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: Dicey on October 25, 2017, 11:58:01 AM
Purple Rain Monkey, please don't get pissy. You have posted your question on a "forum" and this is what forums do. The fact that this one is so spectacular at generating helpful and thought-provoking conversation appears to be lost on you. Stop grousing, please. If you snipe at people, they will stop trying to help. Ever hear the saying, "Take what you need and leave the rest?" Here's your chance.

Cali, you crack me Up! It's much easier to get the dog to understand than the owner. Brilliant!

And pkb (I think), if our dogs double poop and we're outta bags, we simply untie the bag and fill it some more. We use a little pouch that holds a tiny roll of bags, which clips to the leash, so this rarely happens any more. And no, we don't carry the used poop bags either. We slipknot them and clip them onto the dog's harness until we get to a public trash can or home. Doesn't bother the mutts in the least.

And I saved the best for last. Our homesite was once owned by a cement contractor.  We have a reasonably attractive,  low concrete pillar and wrought iron fence, complete with cute garden gate. (I am sure it was expensive, even if he DIY'd it.) Every dog in our universe pees on the pillars. And then our dogs race to the pillars every chance they get to sniff, then pee over the offender's trail. It's comical.

Here's another possible mustachian solution if CN's is not to your liking. Distract yourself. Stop noticing. Stop caring. Deal with it and don't give it any more brain space. It is certainly as annoying as you let it be. It's also a FWP. Reminding yourself of your privileged status might help. Or not. Your choice, but don't flame me for using this approach, because it works, too.

P.S. We walk DH to work in the early, early the morning. There's a neighbor who walks his dog then, leash in one hand (sometimes), coffee mug in the other (always). Took us a while to realize that he was the reason some neighbors have stupid "No Pooping" signs. Yeah, we're not doing that. We figure the dog won't live forever.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: Jouer on October 25, 2017, 02:05:53 PM
The occasional doggie "gift" is just part of living in a neighborhood (a choice that has both good and bad points). 

I just don't see it as a very big deal.  Unless the dogs are "going" in the same place each and every day, urine isn't going to damage your grass.  Poo, yeah, it's unpleasant, but it also breaks down pretty quickly.

At 3-5 times a week, when you clean up after your OWN dog, having to clean up after someone ELSE'S dog, is annoying.

If you can't clean up  your dog's poop, you shouldn't own a dog.

^^ Honestly! Who doesn't pick up their dog's poop? Such a dick move to leave it on the ground. So inconsiderate.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: misshathaway on October 26, 2017, 07:23:26 AM
I put in a row of very throny bush roses to keep the dogs off my front lawn. Picture a row of rose hedge.

What a creative solution!
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: GuitarStv on October 26, 2017, 07:42:50 AM
If you don't want the work of caring for roses, barberry is pretty hardy and is quite an effective deterrent.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: Louisville on October 26, 2017, 08:49:08 AM
Yes, the damage it is from dog waste and it has a trail of these spots.
Thanks for giving me ideas about how to solve the problem by diminishing my concerns and characterizing me as a silly worrier.
Thank you Mrs. Pete for diminishing my concern and request for suggestions.

Cheers!
You've replied to a couple of posts with this kind of snark. People on a large internet forum are going to have widely varying ideas. Take what's useful and leave the rest and try to be nice.
As to your OP, yes, dog waste in your is an annoyance and shouldn't be happening if you don't want it to. You have to let people know, though. A sign, a conversation, something....
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: NeonPegasus on October 26, 2017, 09:11:27 AM
Some of my neighbors put mothballs in their yard, ostensibly to ward off dogs. I don't know if it works on dogs but it sure repels me.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: Cali Nonya on October 26, 2017, 09:16:11 AM
Some of my neighbors put mothballs in their yard, ostensibly to ward off dogs. I don't know if it works on dogs but it sure repels me.

Actually the mothball trick also works on ground squirrels and other rodents.
A way to get ground squirrel to go live elsewhere (if you don't want to trap & kill) is mothballs in the burrows.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: ChpBstrd on October 26, 2017, 09:36:38 AM
The problem is not the poop. The problem is the feeling it leaves.

Have you questioned the value of this cultural norm of purchasing a chemically green area of homogenous grass to be cut and bagged to grow exactly 1" tall? Does that contribute as much to your contentment as you might have assumed? What if the values of upper-middle-class suburbia are not contributing to your happiness? When there's poop on your lawn, do you feel disrespected (by a dog?) or like your social status been degraded? What if you are not actually benefiting from this aspect of your lifestyle? What if this is an entirely optional stressor?

Step back and take a hard look. The conversation is now to the point we are considering spending hundreds (thousands?) of hard-earned dollars on pollutants or barriers. We are considering aggressive behaviors that will harm our ties with neighbors who could have otherwise been friends.

If you're like most people, you wish you had more friends, more money, and less stress in your life. How does worrying over a brown spot of grass fit into these goals?

I once owned a house in a neighborhood where people paid a chemical truck to spray paint their dead grass green in the fall. For what function? To impress whom? I didn't notice at first, but I found myself slowly starting to worry about the grass on my lot. Maybe I should chemically treat it? Maybe I should buy sod? At the time, I never considered that most lawn work/worry/cost is optional, or that lawns themselves are mere status symbols in this particular culture.

I'm so glad I snapped out of it. I now live where people mow, but don't fuss over their lawns. Sitting on my front porch, I laughingly tell the walkers thanks for the free fertilizer, that they don't have to pick it up, and start light-hearted conversations from there. They know me as the friendliest person in the neighborhood - and what's that worth? All this benefit because I DGAF about the grass.

I hope to see you on the other side.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: use2betrix on October 26, 2017, 09:44:15 AM
I own a dog and walk it through the neighborhood twice a day. I ALWAYS pick up my dog waste. That being said, when a dog had to pee, he’s gonna per. No different than wild animals peeing in your yard. Gonna get mad when a raccoon pees in your yard?

Poop is another story. No excuse for anyone to not pick up their poop. Everyone has a justified right to be mad at that. On our leash we have this little thing attached that is a roll of like 50 poop bags, so never an excuse not to pick it up.

Only exception is if they have a loose stool. We still do our best but you simply can’t get it all.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: RidetheRain on October 26, 2017, 10:02:10 AM
I would recommend offering a solution for the dogs (and owners!) when you talk to them.

For example, I live in an apartment which means my dog can ONLY go when we are out on a walk. I pick up because I'm not a terrible person, but the pee is harder to control as people have mentioned. My neighbors have a bit of an unofficial rule about dogs peeing only on signposts (stop signs, telephone poles, etc).

Dogs like it because they like to go on things and the people like it because it doesn't ruin your plants. Owners are much less likely to fuss when you have a ready-made solution for them. However, it might take some time to teach the dog - mine took about three weeks to get the picture and the "learning phase" included some peeing on the actual sidewalk as I dragged him to the appropriate location. After the first time, I started bringing a water bottle to "clean" the area as best as I could. Others may not be as nice since they feel they are already doing you a "favor." If you have a city sign on your property this might be the way to go! Hardwood trees don't absorb liquid very well so if you have one with a mulch/dirt ring it might work or even your mailbox depending on the type/material.

In the minds of the owners they are doing you a favor and they might not know what else to do with only a complaint. Be helpful and they will respond in kind!
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: marble_faun on October 26, 2017, 01:22:27 PM
One problem with dog waste -- it's not just an aesthetic problem, it can also harbor roundworm and other parasites.

My dog got roundworm, I assume from another dog's leavings.  (Yes, we use worm preventatives, but they are not foolproof.)  Humans can then catch the disease from dogs.

Neighbors here are REALLY bad about not picking up after their dogs, so our walks are basically obstacle courses. Uncool.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: mm1970 on October 26, 2017, 01:28:47 PM
The problem is not the poop. The problem is the feeling it leaves.

Have you questioned the value of this cultural norm of purchasing a chemically green area of homogenous grass to be cut and bagged to grow exactly 1" tall? Does that contribute as much to your contentment as you might have assumed? What if the values of upper-middle-class suburbia are not contributing to your happiness? When there's poop on your lawn, do you feel disrespected (by a dog?) or like your social status been degraded? What if you are not actually benefiting from this aspect of your lifestyle? What if this is an entirely optional stressor?

Step back and take a hard look. The conversation is now to the point we are considering spending hundreds (thousands?) of hard-earned dollars on pollutants or barriers. We are considering aggressive behaviors that will harm our ties with neighbors who could have otherwise been friends.

If you're like most people, you wish you had more friends, more money, and less stress in your life. How does worrying over a brown spot of grass fit into these goals?

I once owned a house in a neighborhood where people paid a chemical truck to spray paint their dead grass green in the fall. For what function? To impress whom? I didn't notice at first, but I found myself slowly starting to worry about the grass on my lot. Maybe I should chemically treat it? Maybe I should buy sod? At the time, I never considered that most lawn work/worry/cost is optional, or that lawns themselves are mere status symbols in this particular culture.

I'm so glad I snapped out of it. I now live where people mow, but don't fuss over their lawns. Sitting on my front porch, I laughingly tell the walkers thanks for the free fertilizer, that they don't have to pick it up, and start light-hearted conversations from there. They know me as the friendliest person in the neighborhood - and what's that worth? All this benefit because I DGAF about the grass.

I hope to see you on the other side.
Poop left on the sidewalk (there are little to no lawns here - mostly people go with low-water landscaping - the drought and all), if left unattended, will eventually end up in the storm drains that flow out to the ocean.

It's a big deal.  Don't bother taking your kids to the beach.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: MsPeacock on October 26, 2017, 05:48:50 PM
The occasional doggie "gift" is just part of living in a neighborhood (a choice that has both good and bad points). 

I just don't see it as a very big deal.  Unless the dogs are "going" in the same place each and every day, urine isn't going to damage your grass.  Poo, yeah, it's unpleasant, but it also breaks down pretty quickly.

But it isnt a gift and for many dogs, they poop in the same spot every time. I live at a popular corner apparently and there is aways dog crap in my yard. It’s disgusting. I don’t use weed killers or fertilizer and I’m not uptight about my yard. I just don’t want shit in it.


True story: saw two women walking a dog while I was out working in my yard. They stop at the corner and talk while their dog takes a dump in my yard. They proceed to walk on without cleaning it up. I called to them and asked them to please clean up after their dog. They had no bags with them so one of the women picked the crap up in her bare hands. 😳.

I would have given her a bag of she’d asked. However, they clearly had no intention of cleaning up after their dog since they didn’t even have bag with them. She claimed they didn’t “notice” the dog pooping even though they stopped and waited while the dog squatted.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: sequoia on October 28, 2017, 12:59:02 AM
The occasional doggie "gift" is just part of living in a neighborhood (a choice that has both good and bad points). 

I just don't see it as a very big deal.  Unless the dogs are "going" in the same place each and every day, urine isn't going to damage your grass.  Poo, yeah, it's unpleasant, but it also breaks down pretty quickly.

But it isnt a gift and for many dogs, they poop in the same spot every time. I live at a popular corner apparently and there is aways dog crap in my yard. It’s disgusting. I don’t use weed killers or fertilizer and I’m not uptight about my yard. I just don’t want shit in it.


True story: saw two women walking a dog while I was out working in my yard. They stop at the corner and talk while their dog takes a dump in my yard. They proceed to walk on without cleaning it up. I called to them and asked them to please clean up after their dog. They had no bags with them so one of the women picked the crap up in her bare hands. 😳.

I would have given her a bag of she’d asked. However, they clearly had no intention of cleaning up after their dog since they didn’t even have bag with them. She claimed they didn’t “notice” the dog pooping even though they stopped and waited while the dog squatted.

LMAO I hope that teach them to bring a bag and clean up the dog crap in the future.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: nora on October 28, 2017, 02:32:39 AM
The problem is not the poop. The problem is the feeling it leaves.

Have you questioned the value of this cultural norm of purchasing a chemically green area of homogenous grass to be cut and bagged to grow exactly 1" tall? Does that contribute as much to your contentment as you might have assumed? What if the values of upper-middle-class suburbia are not contributing to your happiness? When there's poop on your lawn, do you feel disrespected (by a dog?) or like your social status been degraded? What if you are not actually benefiting from this aspect of your lifestyle? What if this is an entirely optional stressor?

Step back and take a hard look. The conversation is now to the point we are considering spending hundreds (thousands?) of hard-earned dollars on pollutants or barriers. We are considering aggressive behaviors that will harm our ties with neighbors who could have otherwise been friends.

If you're like most people, you wish you had more friends, more money, and less stress in your life. How does worrying over a brown spot of grass fit into these goals?

I once owned a house in a neighborhood where people paid a chemical truck to spray paint their dead grass green in the fall. For what function? To impress whom? I didn't notice at first, but I found myself slowly starting to worry about the grass on my lot. Maybe I should chemically treat it? Maybe I should buy sod? At the time, I never considered that most lawn work/worry/cost is optional, or that lawns themselves are mere status symbols in this particular culture.

I'm so glad I snapped out of it. I now live where people mow, but don't fuss over their lawns. Sitting on my front porch, I laughingly tell the walkers thanks for the free fertilizer, that they don't have to pick it up, and start light-hearted conversations from there. They know me as the friendliest person in the neighborhood - and what's that worth? All this benefit because I DGAF about the grass.

I hope to see you on the other side.
Poop left on the sidewalk (there are little to no lawns here - mostly people go with low-water landscaping - the drought and all), if left unattended, will eventually end up in the storm drains that flow out to the ocean.

It's a big deal.  Don't bother taking your kids to the beach.

Is it worse than dolphin poo, whale poo, fish poo etc?
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: mm1970 on October 28, 2017, 11:16:59 AM
The problem is not the poop. The problem is the feeling it leaves.

Have you questioned the value of this cultural norm of purchasing a chemically green area of homogenous grass to be cut and bagged to grow exactly 1" tall? Does that contribute as much to your contentment as you might have assumed? What if the values of upper-middle-class suburbia are not contributing to your happiness? When there's poop on your lawn, do you feel disrespected (by a dog?) or like your social status been degraded? What if you are not actually benefiting from this aspect of your lifestyle? What if this is an entirely optional stressor?

Step back and take a hard look. The conversation is now to the point we are considering spending hundreds (thousands?) of hard-earned dollars on pollutants or barriers. We are considering aggressive behaviors that will harm our ties with neighbors who could have otherwise been friends.

If you're like most people, you wish you had more friends, more money, and less stress in your life. How does worrying over a brown spot of grass fit into these goals?

I once owned a house in a neighborhood where people paid a chemical truck to spray paint their dead grass green in the fall. For what function? To impress whom? I didn't notice at first, but I found myself slowly starting to worry about the grass on my lot. Maybe I should chemically treat it? Maybe I should buy sod? At the time, I never considered that most lawn work/worry/cost is optional, or that lawns themselves are mere status symbols in this particular culture.

I'm so glad I snapped out of it. I now live where people mow, but don't fuss over their lawns. Sitting on my front porch, I laughingly tell the walkers thanks for the free fertilizer, that they don't have to pick it up, and start light-hearted conversations from there. They know me as the friendliest person in the neighborhood - and what's that worth? All this benefit because I DGAF about the grass.

I hope to see you on the other side.
Poop left on the sidewalk (there are little to no lawns here - mostly people go with low-water landscaping - the drought and all), if left unattended, will eventually end up in the storm drains that flow out to the ocean.

It's a big deal.  Don't bother taking your kids to the beach.

Is it worse than dolphin poo, whale poo, fish poo etc?
Yes.

There's regular monitoring of the water in the areas that it flows to the oceans (a certain % of our beaches fall into this category), and it's pretty easy to look it up daily, and see the beaches that you need to avoid.  It's especially bad during the rainy season.

It's the biggest source of contaminants in the water.

http://www.beachapedia.org/Pet_Waste

There's more info on Google if you are interested.  I happen to know about it because I live in a beach community, and many of our storm drains are painted with warnings that it drains directly to the ocean.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: BlueHouse on October 28, 2017, 11:29:02 AM
The occasional doggie "gift" is just part of living in a neighborhood (a choice that has both good and bad points). 

I just don't see it as a very big deal.  Unless the dogs are "going" in the same place each and every day, urine isn't going to damage your grass.  Poo, yeah, it's unpleasant, but it also breaks down pretty quickly.

But it isnt a gift and for many dogs, they poop in the same spot every time. I live at a popular corner apparently and there is aways dog crap in my yard. It’s disgusting. I don’t use weed killers or fertilizer and I’m not uptight about my yard. I just don’t want shit in it.


True story: saw two women walking a dog while I was out working in my yard. They stop at the corner and talk while their dog takes a dump in my yard. They proceed to walk on without cleaning it up. I called to them and asked them to please clean up after their dog. They had no bags with them so one of the women picked the crap up in her bare hands. 😳.

I would have given her a bag of she’d asked. However, they clearly had no intention of cleaning up after their dog since they didn’t even have bag with them. She claimed they didn’t “notice” the dog pooping even though they stopped and waited while the dog squatted.

LMAO I hope that teach them to bring a bag and clean up the dog crap in the future.

When I was in High school, I walked a dog for a friend of my mom.  I let that dog crap wherever it wanted and never thought twice about it (back in those days, most people didn't clean up their dog's shit, I don't think).  One time an old man came out of his house and yelled at me to pick up the dog poop and I refused.  I thought he was crazy because I had never heard of a human picking up dog shit. 
Times sure have changed (and so have I). 
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: PJ on October 28, 2017, 12:44:03 PM
As a dog owner myself, I want to agree with everyone who says it is annoying and rude and disrespectful to let your dog poo in someone's yard and not pick it up.  I curse the people who leave their dog's poo on my lawn, on the sidewalk, or in the park, right along with you!  If by chance I get caught out without a bag (forgot to bring one, or it fell out of my pocket, or I misjudged whether the dog was going to go again on that walk and dropped the full bag in a garbage can along the way), then I will scrounge up a piece of garbage (plastic bag, coffee cup, newspaper, etc) to use.  Failing that, I have on occasion gone home, got a bag, and walked back to the scene of the crime to clean up.  Inconvenient, yes, but the right thing to do.

My opinion about urine on the lawn though, is different.  Yes, I try to make sure that my dog doesn't pee on the same spot on the same neighbours' lawns every time, but beyond that, I don't worry about it.  Urine is harmless in small quantities - beneficial actually!  It has nitrogen in it, which is also part of the fertilizers that people pay good money for.  The burning happens only when the dog pees in exactly the same spot time after time.  You can also get burning from overfertilizing, or using unbalanced fertilizers.  And there are a ton of other things that can cause brown spots in your lawn:  https://www.todayshomeowner.com/how-to-identify-the-cause-of-brown-spots-in-your-lawn/ (https://www.todayshomeowner.com/how-to-identify-the-cause-of-brown-spots-in-your-lawn/)  Is it possible that one of these things is a factor?

I also want to say something about the benefit that dog owners and dog walkers bring to a neighbourhood.  Obviously, I'm talking about responsible owners here, not one's that leave their dog's poo on other people's lawns, or those who let their dogs run at or jump on people.  We're agreed about those people - they're often not good neighbours. 

But people with dogs tend to be out and about in their neighbourhood, and an active busy neighbourhood is a good thing.  Break-ins are less likely when there are people around.  A dog barking in one yard may even deter a break-in at the house next door.  Dog owners also tend to talk to people - we know who lives on our street, and we notice strangers.  We notice other things too.  I've found, caught and returned lost dogs and lost cats (multiple times).  I've found objects people have lost, and returned them to their owner.  I've picked up garbage - so much garbage!  Especially glass bottles or jars, so that they don't get broken.  I've returned garbage cans and recycling bins to their proper house on windy days, or closed the lids so that the stuff inside doesn't blow out.  If my dog poos somewhere, and I notice that someone else's dog's poo is nearby, I clean up both at the same time.

One time, I went up someone's driveway, and turned off a tap that they'd left drizzling on the side of their house - there was a huge puddle forming on their driveway, and I worried it would seep into their basement.  Certainly it was going to increase their water bill!  Another time I noticed someone had left their keys hanging in their door.  I took them and left a note on the door (I knew this person, a little bit, from chatting while walking the dog) While walking, I spotted another dog owner who knew the homeowner even better.  Turns out she knew where the homeowner worked, and we were able to reach the person at work, and make arrangements for her to get her keys back.  I've also gotten to know some of the kids in my neighbourhood, and in my previous neighbourhood.  I've intervened when they're doing things they shouldn't be doing - bullying another kid, climbing on the roof of a building, causing property damage, etc.  I got to be friendly with 2 elderly ladies in my old neighbourhood, because they used to sit outside all the time, and I would stop to chat for a while on a regular basis.  Both told me all the time about how lonely they were, and appreciated the company.

Those ate just a few examples of things that happened only because I was out walking my dog.  Sure, I would try to be a good neighbour anyway, but the point is that walking the dog was the opportunity for all those occasions to arise.  So maybe try to see your dog owning neighbours in a different way, the responsible ones at least.  And balance off the downsides against some of the good that they probably do, even if you don't directly see it.  Maybe even strike up a conversation with one of them - who knows, they could turn out to be a good friend!
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: BlueHouse on October 28, 2017, 02:29:43 PM
As a dog owner myself ....
I wish you lived in my neighborhood.  I think your entire post should be sent to every newspaper in every county in the US. It  could help people be less angry in general. 

They probably don't need this in Canada because you are all so polite anyway. 
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: Altons Bobs on October 28, 2017, 02:53:12 PM
Carefully conceal some small doggie treats laced with Xlax in the area where dog typically does his business. 
He will gobble those up, then go home and explode poo all over the guilty parties house.
Just kidding, but your dick neighbor deserves something like that.

LOL!!!
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: PJ on October 28, 2017, 08:38:39 PM
As a dog owner myself ....
I wish you lived in my neighborhood.  I think your entire post should be sent to every newspaper in every county in the US. It  could help people be less angry in general. 

They probably don't need this in Canada because you are all so polite anyway.

LOL!  Thank you, you're so sweet! 

Actually, I learned about being a good neighbour from getting out with my first dog and meeting other dog owners who were good neighbours.  Got to be friends with one lady the next street over, and she introduced me to a bunch of people who used to bring their dogs to the park every night at the same time.  We started helping each other out with dog sitting and so on, and that progressed to me hiring their son to shovel my driveway in winter and mow the lawn in summer.  She still lives in my old neighbourhood, and my mom lives in the place I used to live, so now she and her husband help out my mom with her dog and often with things around too, when one of us can't do it. 

Met another lady in that neighbourhood who used to foster dogs, and she gave me training tips for my dog, and she used my dog as a training tool when she was working with a foster dog who reacted to other dogs.  In my new neighbourhood, I needed to find out where to take my lawnmower to get the blades sharpened - so I asked "the guy with the golden retriever."  (Yeah, we can be friendly, but we often don't know each other's names - just the dog names!)

Seems to me like the same kind of dynamic happens with parents in a neighbourhood, doesn't it?  Or the early morning walkers/runners?  Or the gardeners?  Anything that gets us out of our own little bubble and into the community to meet each other...
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: ahoy on October 29, 2017, 12:51:47 AM
I am a dog walker and I absolutely pick up after my dogs.   I am not trying to de-rail this thread.  But, why don't we have the same issue with cats?  Where I live, cats are inside/outside so they do their business outdoors.   Everyday,  my neighbours cat poop in my gardens and what really is annoying is them doing it in my vegetable garden!  At least the majority of dog owners pick up their dogs poop.  But 0% of cat owners wander over to their neighbours gardens to see if their cat has left something there.    I just hope that those owners with cats that do their business outside are not the ones complaining about the dog owners that do pick up after their dog.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: skiddieleet on October 29, 2017, 10:02:11 AM
As a dog owner who walks their dog 3-5 times a day, I'm perfectly fine making sure my dog doesn't go in your yard if you ask me to or have a sign.  A few neighbors have confronted us and we make sure and keep our dog on the sidewalk passing their lawns now.  We also try and go up to a field that is not anyone's property.

We always pick up poop even in the field and if we forget a bag we will go home and get one, then go back and pick it up.

We also have over half our block where there are patches of grass between the sidewalk and the street.  We've started taking a route to maximize that so if our dog does poop/pee on grass in front of property, at least it's not the main lawn.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: Mrbeardedbigbucks on October 30, 2017, 05:50:24 AM
I feel your pain. We live in a high traffic area too. As others have mentioned, the "chemlawn" signs work well. That's what we use and we really haven't had a problem with dog waste since we put it up a few years ago. We found it at a yard sale but you could probably find one on ebay or craigslist for cheap.

If it's in your budget, you could install a motion detector sprinkler, like this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Orbit-62100-Activated-Sprinkler-Detection/dp/B009F1R0GC

After a while I'm sure dog owners will get the hint. It won't take long for them to just avoid walking in front of your house all together. This might also keep away cats, skunks and other rodents.

Contrary to what others have said, dog urine can be very damaging to lawns and cause permanent brown spots. The PH of dog's urine varies by diet and dog bread. We visit Nantucket from time to time and many people take pride in their landscaping and lawns. I went for a run one morning and noticed one of the home owners had a plastic watering can full of water on the sidewalk. It was in front of a sign that said "if your dog pee's, please dilute". I think that's a reasonable thing to ask. This will help to prevent the dreaded brown spots.

I hope one of these suggestions will work for you. If everyone installed one of those motion detector sprinklers, dog owners would be forced to let their dogs pee and poop in their own yards unless they don't mind taking an unwanted shower!

Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: one piece at a time on October 30, 2017, 02:51:39 PM


I found that threatening to beat the dogs to death..

I think you missed that I said I have never actually hit a dog. 

I throw tap water at dogs from a tea cup. The dogs hate it but obviously it does them no harm, they quickly learn to stay away when you've got a cup in your hand. We used to do this with our own dogs if they wouldn't stop barking when told to.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: sequoia on October 30, 2017, 02:55:21 PM
I feel your pain. We live in a high traffic area too. As others have mentioned, the "chemlawn" signs work well. That's what we use and we really haven't had a problem with dog waste since we put it up a few years ago. We found it at a yard sale but you could probably find one on ebay or craigslist for cheap.

If it's in your budget, you could install a motion detector sprinkler, like this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Orbit-62100-Activated-Sprinkler-Detection/dp/B009F1R0GC

After a while I'm sure dog owners will get the hint. It won't take long for them to just avoid walking in front of your house all together. This might also keep away cats, skunks and other rodents.

Contrary to what others have said, dog urine can be very damaging to lawns and cause permanent brown spots. The PH of dog's urine varies by diet and dog bread. We visit Nantucket from time to time and many people take pride in their landscaping and lawns. I went for a run one morning and noticed one of the home owners had a plastic watering can full of water on the sidewalk. It was in front of a sign that said "if your dog pee's, please dilute". I think that's a reasonable thing to ask. This will help to prevent the dreaded brown spots.

I hope one of these suggestions will work for you. If everyone installed one of those motion detector sprinklers, dog owners would be forced to let their dogs pee and poop in their own yards unless they don't mind taking an unwanted shower!

Very helpful post!

Oh nice!

I am think I want one for next year. Not for dog, but we have squirrels that feast on our vegie garden. 
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: Mrbeardedbigbucks on October 30, 2017, 04:35:05 PM
I feel your pain. We live in a high traffic area too. As others have mentioned, the "chemlawn" signs work well. That's what we use and we really haven't had a problem with dog waste since we put it up a few years ago. We found it at a yard sale but you could probably find one on ebay or craigslist for cheap.

If it's in your budget, you could install a motion detector sprinkler, like this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Orbit-62100-Activated-Sprinkler-Detection/dp/B009F1R0GC

After a while I'm sure dog owners will get the hint. It won't take long for them to just avoid walking in front of your house all together. This might also keep away cats, skunks and other rodents.

Contrary to what others have said, dog urine can be very damaging to lawns and cause permanent brown spots. The PH of dog's urine varies by diet and dog bread. We visit Nantucket from time to time and many people take pride in their landscaping and lawns. I went for a run one morning and noticed one of the home owners had a plastic watering can full of water on the sidewalk. It was in front of a sign that said "if your dog pee's, please dilute". I think that's a reasonable thing to ask. This will help to prevent the dreaded brown spots.

I hope one of these suggestions will work for you. If everyone installed one of those motion detector sprinklers, dog owners would be forced to let their dogs pee and poop in their own yards unless they don't mind taking an unwanted shower!

Very helpful post!

Oh nice!

I am think I want one for next year. Not for dog, but we have squirrels that feast on our vegie garden. 

 I don't know if they're sensitive enough to pick up a small squirrel. Make sure you shop around and read reviews before you buy one.  I found out about them because a house down the street from me has one set up. It works well because I trigger it whenever I run by his house. Dog walkers must steer clear by now. I thought about getting one but our poor mailman would have to dodge a spray of water whenever he delivers our mail!
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: TrMama on October 30, 2017, 07:45:34 PM
I infrequently have the same problem. Anytime I notice a turd on the lawn I just shovel out into the middle of the sidewalk so the dogwalkers step in it next time they come by.

Hardly ever happens anymore . . .
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: Mrbeardedbigbucks on November 02, 2017, 05:41:06 AM
I infrequently have the same problem. Anytime I notice a turd on the lawn I just shovel out into the middle of the sidewalk so the dogwalkers step in it next time they come by.

Hardly ever happens anymore . . .

That's an interesting strategy but there's a chance an innocent bystander could step on the dog poo and not a dog walker.  That would be a "crappy" thing to do ( get it?).
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: BlueHouse on November 02, 2017, 01:36:48 PM

I throw tap water at dogs from a tea cup. The dogs hate it but obviously it does them no harm, they quickly learn to stay away when you've got a cup in your hand. We used to do this with our own dogs if they wouldn't stop barking when told to.
I'm intrigued.  Do you throw water at ALL dogs or just your own?  For no reason but just to train them?  When you want them to be quiet, do you walk around with a teacup in your hand?  I'm sure I'm over-thinking what you've written here, but I am now imagining a postal carrier walking around with a teacup for protection. 
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: RidetheRain on November 02, 2017, 02:57:38 PM

I throw tap water at dogs from a tea cup. The dogs hate it but obviously it does them no harm, they quickly learn to stay away when you've got a cup in your hand. We used to do this with our own dogs if they wouldn't stop barking when told to.
I'm intrigued.  Do you throw water at ALL dogs or just your own?  For no reason but just to train them?  When you want them to be quiet, do you walk around with a teacup in your hand?  I'm sure I'm over-thinking what you've written here, but I am now imagining a postal carrier walking around with a teacup for protection.

See I tried something similar with my dog, but just using a spray bottle. The issue is that he learned where the spray bottle was kept and continued misbehaving until you walk to the bottle. Eventually, I switched to positive reinforcement which worked much better. I sometimes wonder what happens when you don't have your "secret weapon"
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: pk_aeryn on November 04, 2017, 02:19:06 PM
As a non-dog owner, I find the entire concept of allowing an animal to do their business on someone else's property without that property owners' prior permission entirely baffling, even if properly cleaned up.  I understand you couldn't train all dogs  not to pee in public, but if they can't be, that's what dog parks are for, right?

We have a cat and she's not allowed to go outside, for her own safety and for the consideration of the neighbors property and their cats' personal territories.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: GuitarStv on November 06, 2017, 09:34:20 AM
As a non-dog owner, I find the entire concept of allowing an animal to do their business on someone else's property without that property owners' prior permission entirely baffling, even if properly cleaned up.  I understand you couldn't train all dogs  not to pee in public, but if they can't be, that's what dog parks are for, right?

When you train a puppy to be housebroken the training tends to involve what surfaces are OK or bad to pee on.  That's all that they understand.  So, linoleum/tile/carpet - bad and grass/dirt - good.  That's how dogs understand that it's OK to pee in the backyard and not OK to pee in the living room.  The problem with your suggestion is that there is no difference to a dog between the grass next to the sidewalk and the grass in your back yard.  Yelling "No" at a dog for peeing on lawn in one case but not the other is just going to confuse the dog - likely ending up with a dog that thinks you simply hate pee (and also likely damaging the housebreaking that has already been done).

No, dog parks aren't for defecation and urination (although, as they are generally grassy areas dogs will tend to relieve themselves if they need to.  The idea of a dog park is to give an off leash area for dogs to run around, and for supervised dog-dog play to take place (dogs are quite social animals).

I try to walk my dog twice every day, 15 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the evening.  The nearest dog park to my home is 9 km away.  On the 30 minute walk, our dog will pee 4 - 8 times and poop once usually.  On the 15 minute walk, our dog will pee 2 - 4 times and occasionally poop once.  It is not possible logistically for me to only exercise my dog at the dog park.  It would not be possible for me to prevent my dog from peeing during our walks.  Your comment appears to be a petition for my dog to live an unhealthy life without being able to leave our home.  This seems a bit unreasonable to me.

FWIW, I try to keep my dog walking on the strip of grass between the sidewalk and the road, as that's public (not private) land.  Sometimes she'll manage to pee on the other side of the sidewalk though.  I always pick up her poop wherever it occurs.  To me, this seems to strike a reasonable balance between the health of the dog and the freedom of others to enjoy themselves outside.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: RidetheRain on November 06, 2017, 03:01:32 PM
As a non-dog owner, I find the entire concept of allowing an animal to do their business on someone else's property without that property owners' prior permission entirely baffling, even if properly cleaned up.  I understand you couldn't train all dogs  not to pee in public, but if they can't be, that's what dog parks are for, right?

When you train a puppy to be housebroken the training tends to involve what surfaces are OK or bad to pee on.  That's all that they understand.  So, linoleum/tile/carpet - bad and grass/dirt - good.  That's how dogs understand that it's OK to pee in the backyard and not OK to pee in the living room.  The problem with your suggestion is that there is no difference to a dog between the grass next to the sidewalk and the grass in your back yard.  Yelling "No" at a dog for peeing on lawn in one case but not the other is just going to confuse the dog - likely ending up with a dog that thinks you simply hate pee (and also likely damaging the housebreaking that has already been done).

No, dog parks aren't for defecation and urination (although, as they are generally grassy areas dogs will tend to relieve themselves if they need to.  The idea of a dog park is to give an off leash area for dogs to run around, and for supervised dog-dog play to take place (dogs are quite social animals).

I try to walk my dog twice every day, 15 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the evening.  The nearest dog park to my home is 9 km away.  On the 30 minute walk, our dog will pee 4 - 8 times and poop once usually.  On the 15 minute walk, our dog will pee 2 - 4 times and occasionally poop once.  It is not possible logistically for me to only exercise my dog at the dog park.  It would not be possible for me to prevent my dog from peeing during our walks.  Your comment appears to be a petition for my dog to live an unhealthy life without being able to leave our home.  This seems a bit unreasonable to me.

FWIW, I try to keep my dog walking on the strip of grass between the sidewalk and the road, as that's public (not private) land.  Sometimes she'll manage to pee on the other side of the sidewalk though.  I always pick up her poop wherever it occurs.  To me, this seems to strike a reasonable balance between the health of the dog and the freedom of others to enjoy themselves outside.

I couldn't agree more. I also live a decent distance from a dog park. I can't imagine my life if I had to constantly drive to the dog park to let my dog relieve himself. It would be a nightmare for him and for me (and probably my car). My dog generally "goes" quite often on a walk although a lot of the time he is just scent marking and nothing is actually coming out which is very common for dogs. This is more than just a bodily function for dogs - it's also part of their nature. You can't really stop a dog from being a dog.

Additionally, dog parks are supposed to be used by well-trained dogs. The idea that if a dog isn't trained properly (for whatever reason) should go to a dog park is a little short-sighted.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: pk_aeryn on November 06, 2017, 11:43:54 PM
I stand quite corrected on the dog park, but it's still difficult for me to wrap my head around how it's ok to have domesticated animals use someone else's private property as their bathroom.  Raccoons aren't under the ownership, guardianship and theoretical control of a human who should know better.

I'm probably coming off as adversarial, I don't hate dogs or their owners, it just genuinely baffles me.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: Goldielocks on November 07, 2017, 12:10:45 AM

Poop left on the sidewalk (there are little to no lawns here - mostly people go with low-water landscaping - the drought and all), if left unattended, will eventually end up in the storm drains that flow out to the ocean.

It's a big deal.  Don't bother taking your kids to the beach.

Is it worse than dolphin poo, whale poo, fish poo etc?

Yes, because the storm water discharge is a point source, right at the beach.  The storm water also picks up sewage leaks and overflows, too, and then it dwells near the people swimming areas.   I can't say how much is because of dogs versus municipal system leaks, though.  Usually the sewage overflows  are the much, much larger issue than animals upshore.

  Ocean fecal matter is dispersed over a very large area (unless you are talking about a sea lion stand).  And the ocean needs those nutrients.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: Goldielocks on November 07, 2017, 12:25:22 AM
I am a dog walker and I absolutely pick up after my dogs.   I am not trying to de-rail this thread.  But, why don't we have the same issue with cats?  Where I live, cats are inside/outside so they do their business outdoors.   Everyday,  my neighbours cat poop in my gardens and what really is annoying is them doing it in my vegetable garden!  At least the majority of dog owners pick up their dogs poop.  But 0% of cat owners wander over to their neighbours gardens to see if their cat has left something there.    I just hope that those owners with cats that do their business outside are not the ones complaining about the dog owners that do pick up after their dog.

I had a neighbor complain about cat poop in their front bed.  They were across the street and we moved in to the rental about 1 month before, with a cat, that sometimes got out... but was still using the indoor box quite frequently.   Neighbor said it was our cat... so.,, I went over and shovelled the bed.

Poor neighbors!  Apparently the entire area cat population was using their front bed.. multiple cats.  I cleaned it out, but had to suggest that they keep it wet -- the bed was actually just a dry, loose, sandy area under their window, with a strong "come poop here" smell.   They should have also buried hardware cloth just under the surface to help prevent more incidents... if we were not just renting I may have bought it myself.

For the dog urine -- if you aren't going to put up a sacrificial post with gravel, or a hedge / fence, about all you can do is go out to water the general area near the sidewalk to dilute the urine.

For dog poop -- for those that say to just live with it and enjoy-- wouldn't you feel differently if a dog was pooping on your front step several times a week?   People care about their lawns, not stepping in poop, and not having to clean up a stinky mess.  I get it.

Fun story -- my Dad went over the top at neighbors that were just opening up their front door "because the dog wants to go outside" and "the kids let the dog out" "he would never poop on your lawn".  This large dog would run 20 feet, and poop in the same spot on my dad's lawn.. sometimes twice a day.   He cleaned it up silently, at first, then asked the neighbors to prevent it and clean it up if it happens... who proceeded to  deny it, (a dog that frequent and you eventually see it do it over and over)... then one night after he got home from the late shift, he picked it up with the shovel and threw it against their front door..  (over reaction)...   That helped for about a month, when it started again.   I think he finally ended it by managing to trap the dog and took it to the local animal control.    (over reaction to a loose dog that had not threatened anyone? IDK, it was a loose dog, they got the dog back, he told them where it was)...    Despite all of that, the problem did not resolve until neighbors moved away.
Title: Re: Dog waste in my yard
Post by: GuitarStv on November 07, 2017, 07:40:15 AM
For dog poop -- for those that say to just live with it and enjoy-- wouldn't you feel differently if a dog was pooping on your front step several times a week?   People care about their lawns, not stepping in poop, and not having to clean up a stinky mess.  I get it.

As I've mentioned, I always pick up after my dog precisely because it's not fair to force someone else to deal with your own animals waste.  That seems like a reasonable way to approach the situation.  It's the same way that I would never throw a piece of garbage on the sidewalk - why make everyone else pay for your laziness?