Phantom pooper

[Samaranian]

< not envy

Short version - A phantom pooper (I have assumed a dog) keeps pooping outside my front door, how can I stop this?

Long version - we live in a flat with no back garden and have two dogs. The flat door opens directly onto the street. Therefore their before bed pee and poop consists of me standing in the communal door way whilst they do their business before bed (mornings and afternoons are on walks usually unless bursting in which case it wil be the second they get out the door).

I always pick up their poop, because I am not a minky bastard.

For 2 weeks now, there has been poop on the street directly outside my flat. At first I thought maybe one of them had pooped and I had missed it but it was affa big to be any of my dogs. Then the next day, same again, and the next so on and so forth.

My street is a dead end so no reason to walk down it unless you live on it.

I find picking up other dogs poo to be vile and disgusting. Though I don't mind when it's my own (I wonder if this is the same for mothers changing nappies? Anyway.)

I have to pick up the poo because otherwise the whole street wil think it's me as they see me standing there with my dogs every night. Although why I would leave dog shit on my doorstep is another matter.

How can I stop the phantom pooper?!? I had thought of cleaning and spraying citronella around but I still want my dogs to continue to go there so I don't have to traipse around the block at 10.30pm ever night.

Any suggestions?!

[Hecksonaplane]

We had this, every morning without fail it was there and we never caught them.

I put up a sign next to where it was - at the end of my pat h - Please pick up after your dog.

They couldn't fail to see it and shows them you're watching.

It worked too although I wish I'd caught them!

[Hecksonaplane]

It was a sign off amazon , I didn't make it myself

[Gladimnotcampinginthisweather]

I once picked up one of the poos and hung it in a black bag from the tree in our garden with a sign that said 'If this belongs to your dog please take it home with you'. No one took it (obviously) but a man from up the road started walking their dog on the opposite side of the street

[missbattenburg]

I read somewhere that illustrations of watching eyes are most effective on signs asking people to do something they should, such as pick up poo.

It makes us feel like someone is watching, even if the eyes are not real.