Dogs peeing on lawns

[hesperus]

But to stay on topic: Did the grass die?

Turned yellow underneath after I scooped it up with a shovel a week later

Ripper, I think a small sign would eliminate 99% of the problem. Dog owners probably assume it's not a big deal, but if they know otherwise I'm sure most would respect that.

 

[samclem]

Well, I'm thankful this thread was started. I try to be a considerate neighbor, pick up the poop after our dog, etc. Our female miniature poodle pees frequently on our walks, and I never even considered it might cause damage to a lawn (after her first pee, always in our yard, the remainder are a few drops). So, there are three separate issues I guess:
1) Do these 2cc urine deposits cause brown spots on lawns?
2) When my neighbors see my dog taking a wizz, do they assume I'm wrecking someone's lawn?
3) Per Travelover's post, is it feasible for me to pull/cajole this particular dog to get her to pee somewhere else?
If the respective answers are no, yes, and no, should I make a sign for my dog to wear? "I'm not wrecking your lawn, blame the squirrels".

 

[Alan]

But if one walks a dog in a neighborhood(I don't) lawns are the only option. People might say....let them do it in their own yard before going on a walk. Dogs are going to pee on a long walk.

Our neighborhood has sidewalks and lampposts at regular intervals. We have a lot of dog walkers pass our house, the male dogs use the lampposts or the walls on driveways and the femal dogs, at times with some leash control from the owners, pee on the sidewalk close to the lawns. It doesn’t seem that difficult, but then I’m not a dog owner.

 

[Keim]

Of course. How does that solve the problem?

 

[Keim]

Peeing on the sidewalk is less sanitary.And, ever try to move a large dog that decides it's time to pee?

 

[aja8888]

My male dog whizzes on only vertical objects so I have to be careful when other people are around us.

 

[Dawg52]

Our neighborhood has sidewalks and lampposts at regular intervals. We have a lot of dog walkers pass our house, the male dogs use the lampposts or the walls on driveways and the femal dogs, at times with some leash control from the owners, pee on the sidewalk close to the lawns. It doesn’t seem that difficult, but then I’m not a dog owner.

That would be the thing to do in neighborhoods as you describe. In neighborhoods like mine with no sidewalks, that is not an option. Lampposts and mailboxes are in homeowner's yards....although some mailboxes have a small flower bed around them. Perhaps dogs could be trained to pee in the street.

 

[travelover]

.........3) Per Travelover's post, is it feasible for me to pull/cajole this particular dog to get her to pee somewhere else?
..........

I would think your pup would be receptive to guidance as to where and when to pee. I'm sure you have other rules that the dog has acknowledged. I tell my dog "no" at certain times and she recognizes that I'm referring to a particular action she is about to engage in. A gentle tug on the leash reinforces the keep moving idea.

 

[Amethyst]

Don't lawns generally have some sort of "easement" between the owner's portion and the street? You know, where the utility companies bury their cables and pipes. Yes, it's grass, and an extension of the lawn; but it's not the owner's actual property.

That is where leashed dogs go, on our street.

 

[samclem]

Don't lawns generally have some sort of "easement" between the owner's portion and the street?
That is where leashed dogs go, on our street.

Our neighborhood is like that, 15 feet wide on each side of the street. Still, I think a home owner would get a note and fine from the city if they didn't mow it. And any argument that "my dog isn't even on your yard" will not enhance neighborhood harmony.

I would think your pup would be receptive to guidance as to where and when to pee.

It might work. We got her as a rescue about 7 years ago, and she still has "issues." Not dumb at all, but I've never had a dog with a lower drive to please her owner than this one. It was a struggle to get her housebroken. Whatever she wants to do is her first priority, what "authority" wants is way down the list. She'd fit right in here!

 

[MRG]

Peeing on the sidewalk is less sanitary.And, ever try to move a large dog that decides it's time to pee?

I can't make my 12 pound Maltese not go where he wants to go. Outside of picking him up, he's going where he wants to.

 

[Alan]

That would be the thing to do in neighborhoods as you describe. In neighborhoods like mine with no sidewalks, that is not an option. Lampposts and mailboxes are in homeowner's yards....although some mailboxes have a small flower bed around them. Perhaps dogs could be trained to pee in the street.

Got it, thanks. The 2 neighborhoods I lived in Baton Rouge had sidewalks but I did know that outside of the city were plenty neighborhoods without sidewalks. We had 2 sets of friends who lived on the outskirts in a brand new subdivision that had no sidewalks and they complained that it was the one thing they didn’t like about it as a lot of young families lived there so they had to be careful of kids riding their toy cars and trikes on the road.

 

[Sunset]

Don't lawns generally have some sort of "easement" between the owner's portion and the street? You know, where the utility companies bury their cables and pipes. Yes, it's grass, and an extension of the lawn; but it's not the owner's actual property.

That is where leashed dogs go, on our street.

True, but it is an easement not a peesment
The thing I hate about the easement, is the city claims all sorts of rights about what I can/cannot plant on it, (but no issue for my property on my side of the easement).
Yet, they don't come an mow it.
So easements are really a burden to a homeowner with greatly reduced rights of use.

 

[Sunset]

Personally I don't care about dogs peeing on my grass, it seems fine enough.

I just wish all the dog owners would pick up the piles, or about as bad is the ones who "drop" their plastic bag of doggy doo behind our hedge..

 

[joeea]

But if one walks a dog in a neighborhood(I don't) lawns are the only option. People might say....let them do it in their own yard before going on a walk. Dogs are going to pee on a long walk.

Make sure the dogs goes on your own lawn before the walk. Then find non-lawn space (woods, etc) for any further dribbling. It's not that hard if you care to try.

 

[Alan]

Personally I don't care about dogs peeing on my grass, it seems fine enough.

I just wish all the dog owners would pick up the piles, or about as bad is the ones who "drop" their plastic bag of doggy doo behind our hedge..

In 2011 we rented a house on this same estate we live now, but higher up the hill, close to the woods. We used to enjoy watching folks pass the house taking their dog for a walk. The dogs would be very excited, at the end of their leash as they knew where they were headed. Sometime later we’d often see them going back home, with the exhausted dogs trailing behind their owners. The front lawn used to end at the sidewalk then there was a grassed easement before the road. On our easement was a small tree and one morning when I went out for a walk I found a plastic bag of poop behind the tree. Now, that was annoying.

 

[Keim]

I'll let you talk to Charley about that. He isn't listening to me.

 

[samclem]

On our easement was a small tree and one morning when I went out for a walk I found a plastic bag of poop behind the tree. Now, that was annoying.

I bet! But it brings up another question (maybe worthy of its own thread): After I've got my dog's poop in a bag, if my neighbors have their trash cans out at the curb for pickup, is it discourteous to throw the poop in? What about if the trash can is now empty and waiting to get rolled back to the house?


I keep the bag with me and throw it in my own trash, which means I may be carrying it with me for 30 minutes or more. Another person I know very well says it is not a problem to throw it in a neigbor's can, full or not. I confess I would have no objection if another dog owner deposited a bagged dog poop in our trash can (either way), but I'm guessing I may be an outlier.

 

[mystang52]

Gotta confess, I'm amazed at what seems to be the majority opinion that OP should just accept the current situation. This is not grounds for World War III, but he has a right to enjoy his property.

More to the point, dog owners have a responsibility to control their dogs. Why don't they walk their dogs on their own property until they pee, THEN take a nice walk?

I am not a dog owner, but on occasion I walk my son's dog when his DW will be late getting home. As an occasional dog walker, I can tell when the dog is about to pee; surely the owners can.

One time a dog owner let his dog pee on my lawn...as I was right there. I smiled at him, and said something to the effect of " Please, in the future make sure your dog doesn't pee on my lawn." It was said with NO sarcasm. The owner did not apologize, but said he would do so.
As far as I know it hasn't happened since. I suggest to OP he make similar comment to the dog owners and see if gentle persuasion works. If it doesn't, I don't blame him if he brings it up a level.

 

[frayne]

First world problems ! Folks, time for a reality check my dog can't get a boner.

 

[Keim]

If the cans at the curb I use it. Trash belongs in a can. And, in my neighborhood the can frequently stays at the alley curb all week. But, I suspect you just opened up Pandora's box.

 

[braumeister]

Sometimes yes, sometimes no.
On my street, everyone keeps their trash cans inside the attached garage until trash day. So a bag full of someone else's dog poop would NOT be welcomed. Especially in the warm weather.

Other places, the trash cans are kept outside the house, and it would be, as you say, no big deal.

But I'm with you, and would always default to depositing it in my own trash can, unless it was pickup day and I passed by someone's can that hadn't been emptied yet.

 

[Walt34]

I bet! But it brings up another question (maybe worthy of its own thread): After I've got my dog's poop in a bag, if my neighbors have their trash cans out at the curb for pickup, is it discourteous to throw the poop in? What about if the trash can is now empty and waiting to get rolled back to the house?

That depends on the collection agency's policy where one lives. Where we used to live, and where we live now, if there is excrement of any kind in the can they won't take it. And no, they won't separate out the bag with the poop in it.

So yes, if I found a can hadn't been taken because someone had placed a bag of poop in the can it is gross understatement to say that I would be annoyed. Sort of like FDR was "annoyed" with Japan after Pearl Harbor.

 

[Alan]

Sometimes yes, sometimes no.
On my street, everyone keeps their trash cans inside the attached garage until trash day. So a bag full of someone else's dog poop would NOT be welcomed. Especially in the warm weather.

Other places, the trash cans are kept outside the house, and it would be, as you say, no big deal.

But I'm with you, and would always default to depositing it in my own trash can, unless it was pickup day and I passed by someone's can that hadn't been emptied yet.

Our trash cans are keep behind a locked gate well away from the road until collection day and I have no problem with anyone dropping trash into our bin at any time, before or after it has been emptied, including dog poop bags. I would much rather this than have folks throw trash on the ground.

Our neighborhood has dog poop bins as well as regular public trash cans all over the place so there really is no excuse for leaving poop bags on the roads and paths.

 

[Dawg52]

Make sure the dogs goes on your own lawn before the walk. Then find non-lawn space (woods, etc) for any further dribbling. It's not that hard if you care to try.

Exactly what i do when I'm at my condo on the coast. The grounds have doggie bag stations scattered all around and I always grab one. He does his thing and I pick up. When I do walk him down the street for a longer walk I always let him do his peeing on natural wooded areas. But again......not all neighborhoods have vacant lots and wooded areas for further dribbling. I guess those people need to drive to a park or something for their dog walks.