You are in trouble, and you immediately need to learn how to stop dog pooping on your lawn. One reason also is that dog urine is killing your grasses, and you are concerned about that issue. Let’s discuss that.
Suppose you’ve ever had a rampant dog in your neighborhood who enjoys nothing more than spoiling your manicured lawn in a defecating kind of way. In that case, you will have undoubtedly tried almost everything to stop him in his tracks. Vandalism of this nature can bring out the worst in any gardener.
It’s hard enough to see a disrespecting youth throw their cigarette butt in your camellia hedge than have to endure this as well.
I think I’ve just about seen everything when it comes to remedies for keeping dogs at bay. So I hope to unveil some of the common ones and give some tips for effective ways to keep dogs doing their doo doo’s on their own lawns. In fact, it may make a good story for Mythbusters Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage.
How to Stop Dog Pooping On Your Lawn
Myths For Keeping Dogs Off Your Lawn
Filled bottles of water laid on the lawn – and the rationale for this is? Apparently, the idea is that dogs won’t do defecate an area where there is freshwater. They see the water in the bottles and judge it to be fresh and, therefore, will leave your lawn alone.
This is the most stupid theory, but many gardeners still practice it. As if a dog could tell whether there was freshwater, salty water, or pure ether in those bottles. Results have proven conclusively that this is a myth. In a forum site, where it is discussed, one commenter accurately states;
Even if the bottle idea did work, wouldn’t a low profile dog doo doo that will break down in a day or so look better in your front yard than a heap of plastic water bottles. It would make the place look like there had been a huge party the night before. You might as well just throw all your rubbish out there.
Keeping a fake dog poo on your lawn will deter any dog. Deter them from what? It certainly won’t stop them from messing up your lawn. Dogs primarily use smells to navigate, while sight is a backup sense. If a dog saw a fake poop lying on the lawn, it may mistake it for a toy and head straight for your lawn.
If you can catch the dog, stick his nose in it. Ever tried rubbing your nose in your own feces? No. I didn’t think so, then don’t do it to a dog. Could you imagine your Mum rubbing your nose into a poop that missed the toilet? Family and Children’s Services would sue her.
This is no more effective than shouting cursory names at a foreigner. The dog will scoot but only while you’re around. The moment you’re not at home, they’ll be back.
You might also like that: 16 Tips on How to Keep Cats Out of Plants or Pots
So, if none of these ideas work, what will? You need to find out why the dog prefers your lawn over your neighbors. Perhaps the dog has some privacy from fences or hedges. Maybe the grass is greener or softer. Whatever it is, try and experiment with changes to your lawn that may deter it.
Start With These Poop Stopping Ideas
Change your fertilizer; some animals react strongly to other animals’ smells and odors. If you’ve been using organic fertilizers, try using a chemical one for a short period and vice versa.
Change your watering times if the offending dog is consistent in the time he or she turns up to relieve themselves make sure the sprinklers are already going. Even having the lawn wet before the animal presenting itself may be a considerable deterrent.
Keep gates closed and check for holes in fences; we found some dog poo on our back lawn last week, and we always keep our gates tightly closed. However, we found a hole had been dug on one of our shared fences, and the neighbor’s dog had tunneled through.
Install a motion-activated sprinkler that will only come on when an animal triggers its sensors. This will scare the living poop out of dogs trying to defecate on your lawn, and the bad memories will ensure they never try again.
There are some other more immediate responses you could make, but I’m sure your imagination can concur with those without my help.
The moral of the story – figure out why the dog is using your lawn and change it.
Dogs have “substrate preferences” they prefer to poop on certain kinds of stuff. My two girls like nice fresh grass (especially that in our back yard) or clean, dry sand (but only at the beach). One way to keep dogs from pooping on your landscaping is to change what is there to something that doesn’t appeal to them. Maybe a hedge of salvias along the curb, or replacing part of the lawn with thyme, which has a very different paw-feel.
My method is slightly simpler: I’m planting a pooping area along the “hell strip” between curb and sidewalk. I know when I take my girls for a walk I’m grateful for an obviously clear place for dog functions (and of course I always clean up after my dogs, although some of my neighbors seem to find it too difficult).
I know you’re going to find this hard to believe, but whether you pick it up or not, I still don’t want your dog crapping on my lawn. You don’t pick up the stink, and you don’t pick up the bacteria, and you don’t pick up all the crap. It attracts other dogs, some of whom nobody picks up after. Here’s an idea: LET THE DOG CRAP IN YOUR OWN YARD. One of my moron neighbors actually picks up after her dog then throws it in MY garbage can! Thanks. After a week of 90 degree heat, that smells real nice. What’s wrong with you disgusting dog people?
Your yard is teaming with bacteria of all kinds and the dog poop is adding very little to the situation. Generally speaking, if the poop goes away, the smell will too. I’m sure most owners would be fine with their dog pooping in their own lawn, unfortunately, you can’t always control when or where your dog does its business. Maybe if you focused on solving some real problems, these little things wouldn’t bother you so much.
How about you train your dog that it DOESN’T GET TO GO FOR A WALK UNTIL IT POOPS IN YOUR OWN YARD!
Yes, absolutely… train your dog that it DOESN’T GET TO GO FOR A WALK UNTIL IT POOPS IN YOUR OWN YARD
if it on a leash with a responsible owner it would’nt.Apparently your not.
Why can’t you control where and when they poop?
Try using a leash!! Duh!!!!
YESSS!!
Nuri, you are severely tempting my anti-dog sentiments. I will refrain from writing my solution for this problem.
What do you mean?
Vilad – could I “take a stab in the dark?”
If you know where the dog lives. Shovel the poop and fling it back over into the neighbors yard. Surly that will help the owner to pay more attention.
“Stab in the dark”? Oh no, nothing as tame as that! In fact, it involves a mini explosion set off by the interaction of a special chemical yet to be invented, when coming into contact with the offending material.
Well, you did encourage me!
Inspirational Vil. Pure genius.
This is a problem that I think has affected nearly every homeowner. Ultimately, it is the responsiblity of the dog owner to clean up after their dog(s), but we all know how seldom this actually happens. I solved the problem by installing a fence. Expensive, but it worked.
I live in a neighborhood where the homes are very close together. I take my small dog for long walks to wooded areas where no on resides so he doesn’t poop or pee in my yard or in the common areas. I just had a neighbor move next door and she deliberately let her large dog poop in my yard and didn’t get it up. Any recommendations on handling this issue?
Unless you own the “wooded” area…your dog is still crapping on someone elses property, be a decent person and clean up after YOUR pet
OMG…that is the best idea! I have two hugh bottles of the stuff, gonna hope it does the trick!
Bacon Grease .. from your BBW collecting bottle works best .. but A1A sauce is also great . Just sprinkle it all over the dog poop .. and in no time their owners will stop bringing them to your lawn cause they will start eating the poop. If the dog is allowed to run free in your yard .. hey .. now you may come out ahead on the deal … nothing like seen the owner of the dog trying to pull him away … “no no .. don’t eat that .. no .. ” .. nothing like the satisfaction of seen that ..
I have the same problem as Sharon. I do not have a pet. I live on a corner lot, my neighbors let their dogs out to poop in the afternoon and at night, and My yard is the bathroom. Is there anything we can buy to keep them out of our yard. We have leash laws in our city. The problem still exsist.Essie
Try a sign no dog poop
Good luck! I have three “Please, no potty break!” signs placed across my yard. Unfortunately, I live on a corner lot so the necessity for three became apparent. Yet, they just simply go somewhere else where there isn’t the sign posted within three feet. I’ve even tried kindly asking the owner’s when I see and explained why I didn’t appreciate the bathroom breaks at my yard. They simply tell me that “it is okay for my dog to go to the bathroom here. There nice dogs.” I don’t know what “nice” has to do with disease, stench, burned and now dead grass, constantly being the neighborhood pet clean up crew, etc. Obviously the issue went right over their heads. I’m with others, and truly at the point where only a fence will help. However, for me not only is it very expensive to install a new nice fence, but I’ll have to move the irrigation line next to the sidewalk as well. I’ve also seriously considered bagging up the mess and leaving it at their homes as a “I’ve asked and I’ve tried, and I really don’t appreciate cleaning up after your pets.” message, but my neighbor told me that he actually did this and the same people just kept coming with their dog to do it’s business on his lawn. Unfortunately it appears that their are many dog owners who are simply rude. I understand dogs too as I’ve been a dog owner myself, but believe they my dogs were never allowed to stop and go to the bathroom in someone else’s yard, the park, or anywhere else. I wouldn’t let my children do it and I don’t let my pets either. Maybe next time were on a walk and one of the kids needs to use the restroom I should knock on one of the “friendly” dog owner’s doors and ask if they wouldn’t mind us using their bathroom, since after all we are on a walk away from home. Maybe after a few times they might get the picture.
Corner lot here, too, with a “no signs” ordinance in my neighbourhood. Do I have to invent a sanitation station with graphics only in order to get the point across?
I love dogs, but this is shameful.
I hate dogs!
I live in a condo complex and my front yard is the community dog toilet. It is disgusting and has reached the point to where it smells when I walk out my front door. I bought some stuff you sprinkle on the grass to keep the dogs away. We will see how that works.
It is amazing how many pet owners don’t pick up after their dog. This is a huge national problem that many people are not aware of. We sell more no dog pooping signs than actual dog signs. Pet owners should always remember, “If your dog poops, please scoop”.
We own a dog that is 15 years old and still get out of the ornemental fense we put up to keep her in and poops on the neighbors lawns. We dont know what else to do. We come home from work and she’s out. We don’t know exactly were she get out from but she somehow squeezes her chubby 15 year old body under the fence everyday. Mind you, she’s a big yellow lab. We feel horrible that we have the pet from hell. We’ve barricated areas within the yard where we think she gets out and are fingers are crossed that it will work. For all the pet owners who owns a dog like us…we are sorry for our dog’s behavior. I would recommend letting the pet owners know what their pet is doing and ask them if they can either pick up after their dog and check for poop without you having to tell them.
If your dog is still getting out after barricading with fences and other barriers then I would certainly advise that you contemplate a dog containment system. These are usually constructed of harmless radio signals that deter your dog from going near the boundaries of your property and in most cases are quite successful.
Try gnat scat…it keeps mosquitoes away using lemon oil and garlic oil. I just picked up dog crap off my lawn…so I sprinkled this on my lawn. I am sure this will keep them off.
I own a shop that has a dog groomer business right behind me. So every day people go past my shop to get to the groomers. For some reason all the dogs pee on the same spot right in front of my shop. It really ticks me off. Just yesterday I saw a lady stop and made her dog pee on that spot and then she praised the dog like he was doing a good job? My shop is on the front of a shopping center, and I have customers that walk in front on the sidewalk. Right there is where the dogs pee. The pee is actually tearing appart the cement that holds the stone store front.
Oh- and the groomers themselves have put a sign right where the dogs pee- Unfortunately, the dogs just peed on the sign and it fell off.
WHAT DO I DO?
I just moved to a spot in an RV park that everyone takes their dog to do its business. 10% pick up the mess, so you can imagine how much crap I can see and smell. Most just do not care! Their are too many pets in the world (and people) putting a burden on the planet. And it is only worse when stupid inconsiderate people have pets! My wife and I have no pets or kids because the world does not need any more. We are making a bigger impact on saving the planet than anything else we can do. How about you?
I am facing the same problem. I have a dog that also poops in my yard and lawn in the afternoon and at night, and my yard is the bathroom for my dog. I need to work on its feeding and dietary plan for the day. Thank you for sharing.