Author Topic: Dog waste in my yard  (Read 17131 times)

mm1970

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #50 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.

MsPeacock

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #51 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.
« Last Edit: October 26, 2017, 05:51:14 PM by MsPeacock »

sequoia

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #52 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.

nora

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #53 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?

mm1970

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #54 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.

BlueHouse

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #55 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). 

PJ

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #56 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/  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!

BlueHouse

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #57 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. 

Altons Bobs

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #58 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!!!

PJ

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #59 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...

ahoy

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #60 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.

skiddieleet

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #61 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.

Mrbeardedbigbucks

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #62 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!


one piece at a time

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #63 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.

sequoia

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #64 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. 

Mrbeardedbigbucks

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #65 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!

TrMama

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #66 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 . . .

Mrbeardedbigbucks

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #67 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?).

BlueHouse

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #68 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. 

RidetheRain

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #69 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"

pk_aeryn

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #70 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.

GuitarStv

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #71 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.

RidetheRain

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #72 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.

pk_aeryn

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #73 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.

Goldielocks

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #74 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.

Goldielocks

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #75 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.

GuitarStv

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Re: Dog waste in my yard
« Reply #76 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?