Dog s**tting in garden

[Londonwriter]

We’re lucky enough to have a (narrow) 50ft garden during lockdown.

My DH has been allowing our dog to s*t in the garden. Everytime my three-year-old DS goes to play in the garden, which is currently his main outdoor recreation as the playground is closed, there is at least one or two cold, dry c*ps hidden in the grass.

My DH says that he feels sorry for the dog because, although we are using our one ‘exercise’ trip each day to walk the dog, the dog can’t manage. He says he doesn’t know the dog is c***g in the garden because he often wants to go in the dark.

I’m sick and tired of it. He’s pooing twice a day (on each trip out) and then, it appears, in addition, he c*d six times in the garden over the Easter weekend. I’m worried that my DS gets sick from the garden being a dog toilet. When my DH isn’t working from home, the dog manages perfectly fine on a short run in the morning, a brief walk around 4pm and a further brief walk around midnight.

I told my DH to try to get the dog to c**p in one place only, but apparently this is not feasible given he’s working full-time and we have a colicky baby.

AIBU? DH thinks I’m a hygiene Nazi and it’s fine provided the c**p is picked up.

Our 2 dogs poo all over the garden! We just pick it up - it's not difficult.

Either check in the daylight and pick it up before you let your child out or go outside in the dark with the dog and take a torch - we have outside lights so can always see where they poo in the dark.

Lastly worm your dog so there's no risk to your child.

Hi OP.
We let our dog out the front garden on an extendable lead to do his business frequently in the day (maybe every 3 hours). Then if it gets left (for example hubby / I let him out early in the morning in a rush for work) then at least it's not where the children play and of course it's cleaned up every day - usually as soon as he is done. This means he rarely poos in the back garden. This is the compromise we've worked out in our house as my hubby also used to miss the dog pooing as he would be busy with kids or with housework and genuinely not notice. We've been doing this for 2 years and everyone is happy. No poo in the garden and dog is free to roam. He of course gets walked but with 3 kids this is usually after he needs to go. Same for the evening as kids are in bed by 6pm and he needs to go around 8/9pm.

I don't think you can keep the dog out the garden and if your DH isn't noticing you'll have to agree a new routine between you. For example every morning after breakfast DH goes and picks up poo, you do lunch, he does eve etc....Or work out a system like ours or change your walking times to meet the dog's needs. When we had a huge garden we did have a fenced area as that was easier to monitor as keeping the grass short all the time was tricky. That's really the other key bit of advice, keep the grass short.
Hope this helps :)

So you never go and play in a park/woods/field where a dog might have pooed and then the poo been picked up?

So long as you pick up the majority of the poo I really can’t see a problem. Yes most dog owners let their dogs poo in their garden and just pick it up.

I had no idea so many people let dogs poo in the garden.
I think it is disgusting.
My dog goes out 3/4 times a day for a wee and a poo.
Now this includes 1 exercise x 2 adults and one walk round the block.
This is essential - if you live in a flat without a garden - like people do in Italy and Spain, you could consider this normal and police consider it essential.
How and why are people turning their gardens into literal shitholes

@Makeitgoaway what same public spot? Did you not see the bit about how it's a private carpark, or did you just ignore that to ask an irrelevant question? When we do go for walkies, we tend to go some place different every day too and it's not gross for them to poop in public places because I am not out there wanting to relax in the grass without worrying about stepping in poo! Don't feel like that needs an explanation tbh.

@RepairAndRelax random thing to say and completely untrue. Have you read "every single bit of behavioural science on canine learning" or are you making stuff up to try and make a point? I give both dogs plenty of bathroom breaks and also spend time encouraging them to toilet when we go out for that purpose (so that same dog knows what 'have a wee' means and will pee if he needs to on that command - or is that also against "every single bit of behavioural science on canine learning"?) They learn because we have pretty set routines and I take the time to train them consistently and reinforce that training regularly.

A dog will defecate (on average) about 5-6 times a day. That's just the way the canine digestive system works.

Either follow the dog out an pick up after it, or section a part of the garden off so that the dog can be taken to it for toiletting purposes, but your child can't get in (still pick up as soon as possible, obviously!).

You can't expect an animal to wait.

I've got four dogs - three of them are spaniels and seem to poo at least three times each on an hour long walk, and then the same again during the rest of the day. That's because they eat a huge amount for their size, and are very active (movement stimulates defecation).

The other is a great dane and he poos 2-3 times a day - eats much less in proportion to his size, and is almost comatose for most of the day.

I just nip out and clean up frequently.

Why don’t you just stick to the routine you normally have, where the dog poos during its walks? If that normally works, it sounds like a win win.

OK, the same spot outside your garden that's used by other people

* * * * **
(Just tell your dh to pick up the poo)

@Mythologies but you're fine with your dog pooing in public spaces? OK........

Mmm, you are being unreasonable, so is he, also fairly ignorant which is worrying.

Dog poo does not make anyone blind. Poo does not do that.

Worms that may be present in canid poo and also feline poo, CAN cause blindness.

Poo containing worm eggs needs to sit for between 10 and 21 days, at a constant temp and moisture level (ie not freeze, bake or dry out) for those eggs to hatch and pose an infection risk for someone who consumes the poo. (Yes, you need to eat it).

Worm your dog. Then the risk from your dog is gone.
Pick up poo straight away, this also removes the risk immediately.

Foxes WILL have worms, you can't worm foxes. Therefore, if foxes poo in your garden, and your child comes into contact with it, thats the risk of blindness from toxocariasis (ditto cat poo from unwormed cats).

Keep the grass short. Pick up poo.
Chuck hot water down, no bleach (it breaks down into ammonia and will attract animals back to mark there, foxes mark with shit!)

If you want to, fence off a bit for the dog to poo in and he doesn't go in the child play bit unless supervised.

You ABSOLUTELY can train a dog to poo in a specific place, it does take work, thought, supervision and effort though, from everyone who deals with the dog.

If you try to teach a dog where NOT to poo by taking them to it, pointing at it and saying no and frightening your dog, you just teach him that you + turd = scary, and you may teach him to avoid shitting near you, avoid you finding shit (they tend to eat it to do this, or hide to shit).

How and why are people turning their gardens into literal shitholes

I watch my dogs and pick up immediately after them.

What turns my garden into a shithole is fucking cats shitting everywhere, so I have to pick up after them as well. Now the weather is nice and dry though I have one dog stationed in the back and one in the front so any cat that enters does so on it's own risk. I've had it.

How and why are people turning their gardens into literal shitholes

They’re not. In this beautiful weather the back door’s open all the time, the dog wanders in and out, shits occasionally and we clear it up. It’s not a shithole. HTH.

@Smile19 Front garden is a good idea :) Doesn’t risk giving anyone COVID-19 and my DS isn’t playing there.

I’m cross with DH because I don’t understand how he’s not noticing the dog shitting. The dog is a complete Velcro woof so, if he’s not underfoot or practically sat on top of us, I think he’s sick or something. As such, he only goes into the garden when DS1 is there, and my DH was in the garden with DS1 over the Easter weekend. He must have done it in front of my DH. In fact, given his size, and the number of times I accidentally trip over him because he’s following me around (the dog, not my DH), it’s a wonder he didn’t poo on his shoes.

[NB: Some websites have automatic blocks on particular words, e.g. swear words. Looks like Mumsnet doesn’t].

its own risk.

How is your dog going to give anyone COVID? Do you have it?

Just slightly off topic but perhaps worth mentioning...

With absolutely no authority, I’d advise anyone who’s dog pooh is that vile to look at what they are eating. My dog eats raw food and does little tiny dry nuggets. They’re easy to pick up and don’t leave obvious bits behind.

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Oh and to add, dog doesn’t go very often. Wouldn’t like to quote but I feel like it’s maybe once a day?!

You didn't say that you had Covid in your OP.

Your DH clearly doesn't want to pick up dog poo in the garden and he's leaving it up to you to sort. Hence the letting him out and walking away.

With absolutely no authority, I’d advise anyone who’s dog pooh is that vile to look at what they are eating. My dog eats raw food and does little tiny dry nuggets. They’re easy to pick up and don’t leave obvious bits behind

This. There are still many poor dogs fed on the horror that is Bakers though (and the like).

It was the best thing for us (we only have one dog now but used to have two). It MADE him notice because he has to let dog out. So no more poo unless it's really late at night or one of us is in a super rush - so not the 'norm'. Do what works for you but he may be being honest when he says he doesn't notice my DH is the same. Good luck.

but you're fine with your dog pooing in public spaces? OK.......
My dog poos in the street in the gutter. I then bag (in biodegradable bag) and bin in dog poo bins.
She does not poo in the park or in any other public place where people are - especially children playing - that would be disgusting too.
It isn't too difficult to do this

I have decided not to get a cat again (mine died of old age) . Because I have thighs about it and decided letting it poo in other people’s space and public space is disgusting.