Author Topic: Dog waste in my yard  (Read 17136 times)

purple monkey

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Dog waste in my yard
« 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.

MsPeacock

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #1 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).

sequoia

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #2 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.

« Last Edit: October 20, 2017, 11:40:38 PM by sequoia »

chasesfish

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #3 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.


misshathaway

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #4 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.

le-weekend

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #5 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.

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le-weekend

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #6 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.

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sequoia

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #7 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.


sequoia

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marble_faun

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #10 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.

sequoia

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #11 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...
« Last Edit: October 21, 2017, 08:31:30 PM by sequoia »

nora

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #12 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

misshathaway

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #13 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.

sequoia

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #14 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.


Hotstreak

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #15 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.

Zamboni

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #16 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.

misshathaway

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #17 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.

GuitarStv

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #18 on: October 23, 2017, 09:35:39 AM »
Build a fence.

spokey doke

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #19 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.

GuitarStv

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #20 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.


acroy

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #21 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

honeybbq

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #22 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.

clarkfan1979

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #23 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. 

BDWW

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #24 on: October 23, 2017, 12:34:40 PM »

sequoia

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #25 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).

Zamboni

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #26 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.

Cali Nonya

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #27 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.
« Last Edit: October 23, 2017, 07:14:39 PM by Cali Nonya »

BFGirl

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #28 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.

Fishindude

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #29 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.

Jouer

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #30 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.

GuitarStv

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #31 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.

Fishindude

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #32 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.

Cali Nonya

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #33 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. 

GuitarStv

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #34 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.

mm1970

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #35 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.

MrsPete

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #36 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. 

Indio

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #37 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.

mm1970

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #38 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.

Dicey

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #39 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.
« Last Edit: October 26, 2017, 06:11:08 PM by Dicey »

Jouer

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #40 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.

misshathaway

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #41 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!

GuitarStv

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #42 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.

Louisville

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #43 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....

NeonPegasus

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #44 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.

Cali Nonya

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #45 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.

ChpBstrd

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #46 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.

use2betrix

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #47 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.

RidetheRain

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #48 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!

marble_faun

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #49 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.