Cleaning up a yard

Ask any non-dog owner what they know about dogs and apart from needing daily exercise and something about puppies being cute, the next thing they are likely to mention is that fact that owners have to clear up after their dogs.

Owners will go further and share favorite tips and tricks for speedy ways to clean up, innovative ideas and even architectural solutions to the perennial issue of dog poop in the yard.

Why clean up a yard?

It is essential for dog owners to clear their yard regularly to prevent the spread of bacteria from dog poop. No matter how often a dog is walked, there will always be times when either the dog simply can’t wait or the owner is ill and chooses to let the dog out into the yard rather than taking it for a walk.

Even if the yard isn’t used regularly except by the dog, abandoned deposits are a health hazard to the dog as well as humans. Plus, an owner hardly wants the dog tracking it back indoors.

Ways to clean up a yard

• Use a pooper scooper and drop the results into a plastic bag. Dispose of in the trash.
• Pick up the waste using a plastic bag as a glove then tie the bag around the poop. Dispose of in the trash.
• Use a doggy compost bin or septic system to benefit the garden and stay organic.
• Dig a hole in the garden, edge it with stones, use a bucket for the poop and gravel to assist drainage, together with a commercially available enzyme kit to break down the poop.
• Use freeze spray to solidify wet or runny deposits to make picking up easier.

Cleaning up doggy deposits may not be the most pleasant job there is, but it is a very necessary one for health and hygiene. The yard should be checked every time a dog comes back inside, so that the chances of cross infection are lessened. If this is not possible, a full sweep of the yard should be performed daily, to ensure that all the waste is swiftly located and disposed of. It is unsafe to ignore dog fouling as the waste will attract flies which can cause disease in humans.

Dog waste should not be used as fertiliser without being treated, and treated fertiliser should not be used on edible plants. It should also not be disposed of in the toilet unless the area has an arrangement for pet waste to be flushed in this way.

Given that many dog owners are outdoors types, the organic route with an enzyme kit is ideal for those green-thumbed owners who like their garden as much as their dog.