to ask my neighbours to pick up their dog shit!?

[Robotgirl]

Ongoing issues with the couple next door. Don't want to get on the wrong side of them as they're not very friendly & it's just me & my toddler living here but have had 'a word' in an assertive yet friendly way before & they've listened for a while...
There is a thin wooden fence dividing our gardens. Theirs is FULL of dog shit. I mean about 20 turds. They rarely pick them up/clean the yard. I put a note through their door (as they were out) last week. A friendly note! Me & DD will be using our garden again soon & it's gonna stink when it gets hotter. I pointed out in the note that dog shit is a rat magnet.
I have spoken to their estate agent before re a separate issue & they were useless. I'm all for the face to face communication but sick of having to speak to them about stuff-feel like their mum! Any ideas how to approach this 'shitty issue'?

Thanks Shoeaddict
That poor dog! Sounds like it had a horrible life.
If we both had massive gardens & lots of space it really wouldn't be an issue but it's impacting & yes it's tricky...
It WILL stink when the weather gets hotter & I feel sorry for the dog (he's running outta space to do his business & having to wade through old poo to do new...
Thanks Poverty.... More good ideas - keep 'em coming

I never realised it attracted rats, just googled "dog poo rats" and OP is right. Amazing what you learn on Mumsnet .
I've got 2 large dogs and a tiny garden, hate the thought of it stinking so always go out with the dogs and pick poo up immediately. In summer will also use a watering can to flush pee away, nothing worse than a hot sunny day in a garden smelling of dog pee.

Wish my neighbours did the same, Black Marigold....
Seems like most people think IABU; ...going to hold off on talking to them for now but when the weather's warmer it's prob going to be revolting out there.

You have my sympathies, until v recently I had a neighbour downstairs with 2 large dogs, they were letting their dogs out their front door when none of us have any fencing out the front, meaning for 3 households our front gardens became dog toilets- wouldn't of been so bad had they cleared it up immediately but they never did and I would have to knock and ask them to remove it- one week I was away most of the week and came back to a front garden full of shit, about 20 large piles, so gross.

We put up a fence in the end but it didn't help much as they would then let them off in their back garden and never clearedit up so every time I was in my back garden in the summer the stench of dog shit was unbearable, you couldn't eat or have a bbq outside, the smell was too much.

That sounds rancid, makingmiracles.
Trying to prevent all of this as want to ENJOY our little patio in the Spring!
I just don't understand why people have dogs if they're not willing to pick up it's shit (when it impacts on others)

makingmiracles That is so negligent! Just letting their 2 dogs out the front door, what if something happened? They got hit by a car or attacked someone? But then people like that just don't give a shit about anything do they?

I also don't fucking understand the amount of people who won't pick up their dog's shit. I don't care if your dog is a teacup chihuahua or an irish wolfhound, pick it up! Argh!

They sound like my old neighbours!! They didn't clean up their dogs mess for weeks, they would hang clothes out which would be left out for days only to end up blowing off the line into the mess. They also had 4 kids who would play in the yard after it had been 'cleaned' for want of a better word. Their house was an end terrace rented property and in the end somebody reported them (not sure who to) but they had an inspection and was forced to clean up and keep on top of it. They were proper nightmare neighbours who eventually moved out

It's just lazy! It takes 30 seconds to pick up a poo! We have a small town house garden and poo is removed daily. Not only that, but the garden is hosed down with soapy water, to remove any smell of pee.

The garden will stink in summer. I'd call environmental health.

If it's in their own garden. I don't think you'd have a leg to stand on. Even though morally. I don't think YABU. Yes they have to lay their logs somewhere, but their owners should scoop it up and get rid of it, due to not only the stench but also because of the risk of blindness, if touched. But I guess the argument for the defence would be. Is that children should not be playing in someone's private garden to begin with

Thinking about speaking to their renting agent & seeing if an inspection is due? Maybe if I confidentially highlight the dog shit issue they'll be advised to clean the yard?
Thanks for all your posts....

I sympathise. I live in a small block with a shared garden and have a neighbour we had to officially complain about - found 14 massive turds one weekend. No idea why people buy a dog and never walk the poor thing - surely that is the point of having one. Some people are not fit to have animals.

I would tell them (and the estate agent if they're rented) I'd seen a rat in the garden. Ought to get them cleaning up!

I had the same at our old place and it stank to high heaven in the summer. I'd report to letting agency again.

pommes if you think leaving 20 odd dog shits in a small garden is acceptable then I'd hate to see the state of your garden. YANBU OP. It's a question of cleanliness, hygiene and generally being house proud. Must be manky bastards.

Thanks Breezy
Love hanging out in the garden in Spring. Might not be very pleasant when the weather improves....