# Dog people, please help



## thatrebecca (Jun 20, 2013)

OK dog owners, I could use your input here. We recently bought our first home, a ramshackle little house that we've fixed up with great pride, put in a beautiful lawn and flowers... And are coming home to 4-5 poops on it a day, plus burned patches from pee. Folks in our neighborhood seem to walk their dogs in an oblivious state, yakking on cell phones and taking no notice of what they're leaving behind. We've tried a cute and subtle wooden 'Please Curb Your Dog' sign with a paw print, we've tried ugly yellow caution tape, we've tried asking people nicely (last night a guy gave my husband the finger and a woman told me, "Well you're the one who moved into a neighborhood with a lot of dogs.") We're at wits' end -- and they're killing the lawn and flowers we've spent a lot of time and money on. What can we do? Revenge fantasies involving a team of marauding tortoises only get me so far.


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## Beck (Jun 20, 2013)

If its away from your tortoises/tortoise food, you can spread out moth balls on the lawn. I don't know if it works with all dogs, but my dog hates them. I don't like them either. We keep away from yards with moth balls.


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## hunterk997 (Jun 20, 2013)

Well, it's kinda rude of them to behave like that, considering it is common courtesy to clean up after one's dog, my parents suggest calling the police, and file a report, get a picture of the dog "in the act". But don't say anything to the owners, you've already asked them politely to stop. My mother says it's a "nusance law" or something. They can get in trouble for doing it. 


Sent from my Ipod using the tortoiseforum app


Another suggestion is used coffe grounds. Dogs and cats do not like them apparently. 


Sent from my Ipod using the tortoiseforum app


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## kimber_lee_314 (Jun 20, 2013)

They should definitely clean up any poop. That is a health hazard and I'm sure there are city codes against it - so the police can be called. How about a small picket fence - just high enough to keep dogs from running up on the lawn. I did this with a small picket fence from Lowes and then planted boxwood close to it. Eventually the boxwood grew and formed a 2 1/2 foot barrier. You can also grow some roses close to it. They are prickly and most dogs won't try to get through it. I'm sorry you're going through this. It gives us dog people a bad name!


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## yagyujubei (Jun 20, 2013)

Yeah, good advice. Move into a new neighborhood, and call the police on other residents. I'm sure they will understand, and not retaliate.


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## Yvonne G (Jun 20, 2013)

If the dogs are being walked on leash, then a little decorative fence might do the trick.


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## CourtneyAndCarl (Jun 20, 2013)

They sell sprays and things that keep dogs from wanting to urinate in certain areas, you could try those! If not, I'd suggest calling the police and filing a report if you actually see who it is and can give a description. It's the law to pick up after your animal, it's not ust a nuisance o people but it's unsafe for people and for other dogs to just leave it sitting there.


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## jax7271 (Jun 20, 2013)

I have been a dog owner my whole life and I have never done anything like this....rude and disgusting...I would probably put up a small fence or call the authorities...they are giving dogs and their owners a bad reputation and that's not fair to the rest of us....


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## Vickie (Jun 20, 2013)

Yvonne G said:


> If the dogs are being walked on leash, then a little decorative fence might do the trick.



Yep, you hit the nail on the head there! I was thinking the same thing. Living in a small village ourselves this is also an issue at times here (luckily not as much as your apparently having). However, you can find relatively cheap fences in the garden area of stores even like Walmart etc even the thinner ones that come in 10ft lengths work great. I would get the slightly taller ones that are a good 2-3ft tall (which are still pretty reasonable). That way even a tall dog isn't likely especially on leash to just walk over them. Then along the inside of fence you can just mulch it in a thin even 1ft wide area put in plants every foot or so or not. Its a cheap way to deal with this migraine without messing up your nicely manicured lawn.

GOOD LUCK!


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## Beck (Jun 20, 2013)

Beck said:


> If its away from your tortoises/tortoise food, you can spread out moth balls on the lawn. I don't know if it works with all dogs, but my dog hates them. I don't like them either. We keep away from yards with moth balls.



I would just like to clarify, I always clean up after my dog. l also avoid private properties.


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## Vickie (Jun 20, 2013)

Beck said:


> Beck said:
> 
> 
> > If its away from your tortoises/tortoise food, you can spread out moth balls on the lawn. I don't know if it works with all dogs, but my dog hates them. I don't like them either. We keep away from yards with moth balls.
> ...



I bet you do or you wouldn't be thinking of moth balls.  Seems like most that know such things or fences are the ones that do know because they expect people to be as polite as they are and if not try to stop them in one way or another.


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## Jenley (Jun 20, 2013)

I ALWAYS pick up after my dog. Whether it's when we are out for a walk, or at the lake or the park or where ever we may be that's not out own yard. 


I hate it when there are leash laws and we have our dog on a leash and there will be someone else with their dog NOT on the leash...and WE get the dirty looks when their dog runs over to us (luckily our dog just wants to play with every other dog she sees).


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## Tom (Jun 20, 2013)

All things considered, your best bet here is the little picket fence idea. I cannot conceive of letting my dog poop on someone else's yard and not cleaning it up, but I have seen others do it. I don't let them get away with it when I'm out in the world. They have no idea who I am or where I live so they can't retaliate. Obviously that won't work in your own neighborhood. I "help" the poop that gets left behind find its way home. If the person was exceptionally rude or surly, the poop finds its way all over their home, and their cars, and hidden under the door handles of their cars... After finding a few surprises, they become much more cognizant of their dogs poop and where they leave it. Not suggesting these tactics for your situation. Just sharing some past fun and success stories.

Unless you want to go to war with these people, some sort of barrier to keep the dogs off of your turf is about your best option.

BTW, in a neighborhood with lots of peeing dogs, boxwood won't survive. It dies the first time a dogs pees on it.

On behalf of courteous and responsible dog owners everywhere, I apologize for the abhorrent behavior of the cretins in your neighborhood.


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## Beck (Jun 20, 2013)

Motion activated sprinkler.


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## lisa127 (Jun 20, 2013)

I hate that. Most of us dog people hate this type of rude behavior, because it tends to reflect on the rest of us.

I like the idea of getting a short decorative fence. My local Lowes has do it yourself, no dig decorative black fencing that looks real nice. Not tall, but just tall enough.


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## kathyth (Jun 20, 2013)

I would definitely build the best fence that I could.
That wiuld solve the problem.


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## Vickie (Jun 20, 2013)

Beck said:


> Motion activated sprinkler.



Beck LOVE IT!!! That is too funny and boy would most dogs run or be to busy playing and have owners pulling the dogs away! Way to funny but would work on any way dog is thinking of relieving itself. Gosh now I want one! LOL


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## wiccan_chicken (Jun 20, 2013)

Beck said:


> Motion activated sprinkler.



And just turn it off when you're doing yard work XD Brilliant!



I'd like to say, my girls are trained to go two places in my neighborhood, and both plots of land are un owned by people. I hate when people let their dogs pee in my yard, and I find it rude to let my dogs pee all over their yard. So I ahve trained them to pee on two un owned places in the neighborhood, and this saves people a ton of headache. 

Well, except when my girl Ruth can't hold it and HAS to cop a squat in the road XD Don't know where she got that from, and has only recently started that up, probably because she's 13 and doesn't feel like waiting XD Better in the road than on someone's lawn!


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## LolaMyLove (Jun 20, 2013)

Fence it, I would. My neighbor lets his dog do his business anywhere and doesn't clean it up so another neighbor picked it up and left the first neighbor a present of his own... I have't seen it happen since. I didn't actually see the "present" just heard the screaming...


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## Laura (Jun 20, 2013)

Plant cactus! 
Animal Control might be able to contact the owners IF you have their address.. Pictures are great.. as its proof its that dog.. 
Check your local Ordinances.. Muni Codes.. see if there is one for picking up after your dog.


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## AustinASU (Jun 20, 2013)

You can call the police and the owner will receive a fine. You can also place a security camera up or a hunting cam to find out whos doing it. You never know it could be a homeless guy doing this lols.


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## EchoTheLeoTort (Jun 20, 2013)

I kind of feel bad if they do the fence idea though because why should they pour more money into something they already invested in, when the damage being done isn't their fault? It is a good option but if you don't have money to waste I would call police. In my state its a BIG fine if you leave poop in the parks or on other property, basically anywhere. I would tell police that it's happening for one, so you get your first complaint in. And then sit around with a camera for a day and take pictures of any owners and dogs doing the act, and turn them in to the police, so the police have proof and have known that you previously complained of it, and I'm sure they will take action. Fence isn't a bad idea I just hate that you'd have to spend $ on something that isn't your fault  Best of luck!


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## 7oasty23 (Jun 20, 2013)

yagyujubei said:


> Yeah, good advice. Move into a new neighborhood, and call the police on other residents. I'm sure they will understand, and not retaliate.



Agreed. Just build a fence, or get used to it. Calling the cops would do you way more harm than good.


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## thatrebecca (Jun 20, 2013)

Wow, thanks for the feedback everybody! We're saving up to build a nice wooden picket fence in the next year or so, but it'll probably be awhile -- we'd like to wait until we can afford to put in one we love. At this point, we're looking for a short-term solution that doesn't involve law enforcement. We live in the jurisdiction of the LAPD -- unless a labradoodle pulls a gun on me, no one with a badge is coming out to the house. 

I'm interested in the moth ball idea. Question -- the torts don't go in the front yard, but we'd like to be able to harvest some weeds and flowers from there for them. Would the moth balls impact the soil at all in a way that could hurt the torts?

Finally, I just wanted to say that there have been some terrific dog owners in the neighborhood who have been very thoughtful and welcoming -- picking up after others and thanking us for beautifying the street. So I know dog owners aren't all villains -- after all, it was a guy who walked by our house every day with his two collies who gave us our two desert torts in April -- he said we looked like the kind of people who would be good caretakers for some special creatures.


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## wellington (Jun 20, 2013)

Your city should have an ordinance for picking up after ones dog. Find out what it is. Then call the city and ask them who to contact about enforcing this ordinance. Then kindly tell the idiots again in a nice manner what you would like them to do. If they don't pick up after their dog and keep their dog from peeing on your stuff, then take a bad of crap and place right outside their door. Dump the poop out of the bag or call whoever the city told you to call. You have to deal with idiots the hard way, they are too stupid to learn if you try to do it the nice way.
I have the problem in my gangway with humans. Believe me, I have made quite a few pee on themselves.


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## Beck (Jun 20, 2013)

While not the most expert of websites: http://www.ehow.com/facts_8184327_moth-balls-harmful-plants-shrubs.html

It appears mothballs are very toxic if ingested. However, the chemicals do not seem to dissolve or attach to the soil, rather they 'evaporate' which is why they are so odorous. Some websites suggest grounding them up so that children and dogs are less likely to pick them up. Most websites say its toxic and a bad idea. 

If I were at my wit's end and I wanted to try it, I'd probably keep a patch of clean of them for tort food.


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## Jd3 (Jun 20, 2013)

We used a motion activated sprinkler and it fixed our problem...


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## theelectraco (Jun 20, 2013)

Theres repellents you can put on your grass that will help. Honestly i would pick up the **** and stick it on their porch. Idc if they know where i live, that is their job as a pet owner to cleanup after it, and where i live it is the law to clean it up. If you want to be nice maybe u can put a dog poop bag dispenser for them to use....but if it were me and you let your dog do that and i saw you you would be dodging turds.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using TortForum mobile app


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## wellington (Jun 20, 2013)

What ever you do, it should be against the owners. It's not the dogs fault, s/he is just doing what comes natural. It's the owners that are arses.


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## immayo (Jun 20, 2013)

You can put up a fake security camera if you don't want to go all out and pay for a real one. My dad has done this for various reasons, not just dog poop related.


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## mike taylor (Jun 20, 2013)

Get you a news paper and some toilet paper follow them home and take a big poop in there yard . Them guys are some a..holes !!!! But thats what I would do theres no shame in my game . A plus they will think your crazy and avoid your house. You my get a ticket for indecent exposure but it would be worth it to me.

Sent from my C771 using TortForum mobile app


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## Tom (Jun 20, 2013)

littlestella said:


> Fence it, I would. My neighbor lets his dog do his business anywhere and doesn't clean it up so another neighbor picked it up and left the first neighbor a present of his own... I have't seen it happen since. I didn't actually see the "present" just heard the screaming...



SEE!!! It totally works! 




Beck said:


> Motion activated sprinkler.



This is brilliant. Love it. Set it so when the dog goes on your lawn the water sprays all the way to the side walk and the oblivious cell phone using dog owner. I bet the dog will take off running so fast it will jerk the cell phone right out of the owners hand and onto the sidewalk.


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## harris (Jun 21, 2013)

Tom said:


> I "help" the poop that gets left behind find its way home. If the person was exceptionally rude or surly, the poop finds its way all over their home, and their cars, and hidden under the door handles of their cars... After finding a few surprises, they become much more cognizant of their dogs poop and where they leave it. Not suggesting these tactics for your situation. Just sharing some past fun and success stories.



That, my friend, is priceless!! Love it.


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