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?

Our dogs hardly ever shit in the garden. I’d rather if they did it in the garden, but they both prefer to shit on their walks.

You could try and walk the dog straight after meals?

I've always had dogs that have gone in their own garden, it's never harmed anyone using the lawn. The simple solution is to simply pick up once they've been, you can hose off if you feel you need to.

Your child is more likely to encounter nasties with the hedgehog/fox/rat pigeon etc shit that is inevitable outdoors.

I would give it a good hose down if you’re worried.

Why on earth did you agree to dogsit if you are not a dog person op? It sounds like hell!

You shouldn't walk dogs after meals it can cause very painful bloat which they can die from it not caught early , they need at least an hour after eating before exercise.

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At risk of wading into the perennial MN pro-/anti- dog debate... I'm slightly agog at all the dog owners who say they hose down their lawn / jeyes fluid their pathway... yet happily take their dog out to shit on the parks where kids will be playing, the grass verge at the end of my front garden (that I mow and maintain) and the end of my driveway (saw it happen last week). Accepting that most people pick up after their dogs, I don't see any hosing or disinfecting going on out in the wild... The ultimate case of NIMBY, hey?

Oh boy, just wait until you hear about foxes! And rats, mice, birds, sheep, rabbits, horses, deer, cats, humans. Dirty, dirty creatures.

Just scoop the poop and teach your kids to wash their hands and not put things in their mouths.

i pick up the dog poo and I have a bag of souls in the shed that I then sprinkle on top of where he went so at least the kids know where not to stand. I’m not sure if this is a good idea or not but it’s what I do.

They were in a bit of a bind and we wanted to be kind. Normally in laws look after dog, but FIL has recently had a stroke. They tried to find a professional dog sitter but couldn't get one that worked.

That sounds like a really clever idea to me. I'll do that.

It wouldn't harm your daughter as long as its picked up and any loose stuff hosed away.

I keep a little pot in the bag of soil. It’s easier in nicer weather as you can just pick it up but in the rain it’s a nightmare so that’s when I thought of it. Hope it helps.

Do not agree to dog sit ..... just say NO!

Dogs means no more cat poo in our garden so even with the dogs pooing we've got a net loss of poo to deal with 😂

Is she pooing on the walk and in the garden, or just in the garden.

A friend once told me that if a dog is reluctant to poo on a walk. Stand still and check which way the wind is blowing, then turn their body so the wind is blowing directly at their bum. Weirdly it works.

I don't know anyone who disinfects lawns after their dog has been, I think it's maybe more a suggestion as the op is obviously concerned. A kennel environment with dogs with possible illness would be a different matter due to the infection risk to other dogs.