Dog pooing in garden while dogsitting: how to make grass safe?

[BastetBaby]

We are looking after BIL's dog. We are not dog people.

The dog keeps pooing in the garden. Is there anything I can do to make the grass safe to play on again?

Obviously we are picking up the poo and for now I'm trying not to let my daughter play on the grass. But it is her garden and I want her to be able to play freely.

We're going to try and convince the dog to poo somewhere else - but as I said we're not dog people and it's proving difficult to look after the dog as it is!

Will time, sun, rain, soul bacteria make it safe again eventually? How long might this take?

Errm, have you thought about taking the dog for a walk?

Yeah indeed.

Our dogs hate pooing in our garden and do it as a last resort...

It doesnt even need to be long up and down the road after feeding is enough to do the job

Um.. obviously?
We take her for three half hour walks a day. Or one two-hour walk and another half-hour walk later in the day.

As above. Mine doesn't like pooing in our garden and will actively hold it in, so we walk him early in the morning, in the evening, and during the day. Take poo bags with you and find a poo bin or bring it home and put it in your own bin.

If you don't want it to poo in the garden then don't let it in the garden and take it for a walk at least twice a day instead.
However, there are plenty of homes which have dogs that poo in the garden and children who also play in the garden. If you're picking it up its fine. If its a bit sloppy then just water it down with a watering can.

Pour water from a watering can over the remains after you've picked up the poo. Not 100% safe obviously but better than nothing.

X posts.

Timing is key - are you taking the dog on walks at the right time? First thing on waking, at lunchtime or early afternoon, and then after dinner should mean the dog poos at the critical times.

Then this is very unusual

Are you feeding before walk?
Your timings may be off...
Did youor brother not leave a routine or instructions?

How many poos is it doing in your garden?

I think if you’ve picked it up and poured some water over it just to wash anything that may remain away, what else can you do? I think it’s a stretch to immediately jump to making out you’re not walking the dog, it’s more a case of timing I think. Dogs are a creature of habit so I’d be paying close attention to their routine, timing and when they’ve eaten etc and what that means for when they’re pooing in the garden and working around that if I could.

Sorry, it was not obvious in your post 😁

I think you're right that we're getting the timing wrong. But hers poos have been quite random! I think her tummy might be unsettled (she ate one of my daughter's toys and apparently gets a nervous tummy whenever she's a bit stressed which she probably is as she's never stayed with us before).

BIL did say she usually poos in the morning (8.30ish) which is when we've been taking her out - but she's been pooing all sorts of times!

Garden hose. Hose the grass down.

I'd try and time the feeding for about half hour before a walk, and only give dry food

My dog won't poo on a walk, will only go in the garden or while off-lead on grass

@FishingInTheRiversOfLife
drag? you sound lovely

Poor doggy won't be going at her usual time if she's not at home, she'll be nervous and unsettled won't she. Just pick it up as quick as you can and wash the area with a watering can full of water , that's what we do if our dog poops on the grass even though we get lots of rain. If he does it on the path I scrub with jeyes fluid and then rinse with a can of water.

Before everyone gets started and derails the thread, can we stop with the dog hate on here please it's getting ridiculous!

I don't hate dogs. I hate shitty owners and shitty dog shit everywhere. I firmly believe that if you want a dog, you must train it to shit in your own garden, not impose it on the rest of us.

Yea tbh I wish all dog owners were required to have a garden /private land and that was where their dog had to poo.

Imagine the OP’s dog poops in a park instead and a family - maybe one that has no garden- has to take their toddler out onto that same grass. How is that fair or respectful to others?

I have one that will only go in the garden and one that will only go on walks. Both are the same breed, are fed the same food at the same time and go on the same walks. They're just different dogs, not robots.

Add in a change of scenery and it's not a surprise the dog is out of its routine, doesn't mean OP is doing anything wrong.

She ate one of your child's toys? I assume you took her to the vet. Of course she's stressed.

Where are you walking her? Aside from your timings likely to be to suit you and not her, are you ensuring she is walked on grass?

Exactly. It's not. It's vile. There is absolutely no reason dogs can't be trained to poo in their owner's own home or garden. I am sick of the entitlement that the shared parks and paths are dog toilets.

We would never have a dog ourselves. Partly because of the dog poo issue!

Next time, don't take on their shit machine!

Can you block off a small area of the lawn to let dog use? Then you can focus on washing that down when he’s gone home rather than your whole lawn?

My dogs go on 2 long walks a day but they do also use their outside dog toilet (a set aside area hidden away that we use for toileting)