Question:
After you scoop, how do you dispose of your dog's droppings?

I always thought I was doing the right thing, being responsible by not leaving my dogs mess behind for anyone to find, step in, or have their own dog find.
Using a small plastic bag, (the sandwich bag type, fits right over the hand.) I pick the poop up and carry it till I find a garbage can for deposit. If no can is available, I put in my pocket,and take it home to flush. (have to be careful not to forget about this My dog is a toy breed, a tiny amount of waste is produced each time.

I was talking to a city worker a few months ago abiout this issue. She agreed that dog excrement was a big problem in our city,but the way I was doing it, dropping it into their garbage cans was also an issue.(for pickup of the waste by city workers)
When I asked what I should do with it, she didnt exactly know. It was a grey area she said, for which they didnt have a clear answer just yet.

She suggested that I use paper towel or a small scooper and just move the poop out of the way of humans, leaving it to degrade. This process only took a couple of days she said and was the most environmentally friendly.

Is this how you do it?

Answer:
We do not have boulevards in my neighbourhood. I pick up with a plastic bag and take it home to my "poop can" and then put that big bag out to the garbage pickup. I am in an upper duplex, so my options are more limited.

For those who own their own homes, I saw a doggie composter in the Sears catalogue. It is sunk into the lawn with a step lid like a garbage can and the poop decomposes there and seeps back into the ground.

Answer:
I have plastic grocery sacks in the pockets of all my jackets & in both vehicles.
I never thought about it being a problem for the folks who pick up public trash...I thought that's what trash cans were for. Yes, I put it in whatever nearest public Dumpster or trash can is available, or take it home.

I keep a five gallon bucket in my back yard with a kitchen trash bag in it, & it goes out with the regular trash. A much less stinky job in winter.

Answer:
personally I don't have a dog, but I never got the scooping thing.

picking up your poop, putting it in plastic, and putting it in the garbage is one of the worst things, as it just ends up in a landfill and takes 30 years to decompose because all the garbage is packed in to such tight spots, no air gets to it to decompose.

I have no problems seeing poop on the ground, as long as it's not on the sidewalk. If it's on the grass, then it doesn't bother me.

I totally agree with the idea of composting it. Makes sense. But like the garbage person said, it just degrades over a few days and turns into fertilizer for the ground.

If you have green boxes where you are, you could probably put it in there, as you can put diapers in those.

Answer:
How come the poop in my yard doesn't degrade???? If it only takes a few days, why would anyone ever pick it up... unless it's in public of course.

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yeah, the poop in my yard will last forever so we have to pick it up once a week when we mow.

Answer:
Very interesting topic! Our yard is large enough that we don't really pick it up (we used to, but then hubby decided it didn't make sense - he never understood the whole "plastic bag" thing either). It does eventually degrade, and Phoebe is good enough about pooping outside the children's usual play area. In the summer, hubby just mows right over it.

A former obedience trainer of ours once told us about his solution. He took a kitchen garbage can, the ones with the step-on lid, and punched a bunch of holes in the bottom. He then buried the can up to the lid, so that the only part of the can that was above-ground was the lid. Whenever he scooped, he'd deposit it into the can. Once in a while (not sure how often - once a month, I think, but it depends on the amount of waste), he'd toss in some of the stuff you put in compost heaps to help it biodegrade. It would decompose, and leach into the ground. I know alot of people have issues with the content of a dog's poop being good or bad for the grass, but he claims he never had issues (actually, he said he had the greenest lawn around). Although we let ours biodegrade naturally, we don't have issues with the lawn either.

Answer:
Poop most certainly takes more than a few days to degrade! Trust me, weeks and weeks after the poop is left, it will still be there. Depending on weather, it can take weeks to just about forever. It won't "degrade" when the temps are below freezing...ask anyone who has gone mountaineering. It literally lasts forever on high peaks & dry climates.

And I think it's the height of rudeness to leave dog poop behind, whether it's on grass or concrete or wherever. That's just nasty. I'm not sure how good a compost carnivore poop is...everything I've ever read about composting (quite a bit) has said that dog & cat poop isn't at all good for soil & gardens.

I used to have one of those doggy dooley (inground composters) things, it really worked great! I got it from Cabelas. I have no clue what it would do to groundwater if those things got real popular though.

Answer:
There's a great little business in the Montreal area called "Poop Patrol" for those of you who are dreading that spring backyard clean-up...I think he quotes about 60$ to have that nasty job done... He doens't service my area...so I can't say anything more about him, but I know I'd pay 60 bucks to have someone take over THAT job for sure!!! (even more!! )

Answer:
Well, in one's own yard, to dispose of or just leave can be your own choice.. whatever you find works best for you.
I was really referrring more to other locations.. dogwalking in parks, etc.

Personally, I find the sight of big mounds of dog excrement gross and repellant, and I believe they can be both a health and safety hazard. Once I almost broke my neck at night slipping in a poopy mess left on some wet grass, sliding in it, and getting it all over the side of my pants. oh joy! I always visualize little children - always running as they do ...
As I also cycle in summer, have ran over dog poop many times on trails - what fun getting it out of the wheels.

My dog is pretty much a house dog, a five-pound couch potato who seldom uses the yard to actually go in However I'm also pretty sure that except for maybe ideal conditions, dog poop takes a lot longer than "a few days" to degrade. Before I had a dog of my own, I used to do cleanup duty for my neighbours big dog.. who found our front yard a wonderful "dumping ground". It sure didnt seem to be disappearing on it own,. as much as I willled it to.
It's true that I just wasnt thinking of the environmental/ waste management aspects of just dropping a plastic poop baggie in a park recepticle. I suppose I should have been.
Since the city worker informed me I was part of creating "another" problem... I now bring both paper towel and plastic bags. IF I can find a spot to drop the deposit where no one could ever find it or even have to see it.. then I do. This does make sense, and every little bit out of the landfills is a good thing.

Otherwise, I go with my original M.O.

Answer:
Apparently the best thing to do is bring it home and put it in the toilet (assuming it doesn't have sticks or rocks stuck to it).
That leaves the issue of a plastic bag that still has to go into the garbage.
I have emailed the bio bag people BioBag their bags are completely biodegradable, compostable, and flushable!
I am hoping they are not priced too high, I would pay a reasonable price to help out the environment.

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I always thought it was plenty enough to pick up with plastic bag, tie plastic bag and dispose at nearest garbage can. Is that ok or no?

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Since Bear won't poop anywhere but at home, we luckily don't have to worry about this one. Unfortunately, the spring melt gets kind of nasty smelling, but we eventually get large shovel and a garbage bag and scoop away. (large dog=large shovel=large garbage bag).

Funny story: I get up for dayshift at 4:30 am. I'm standing out front of our house (we don't smoke inside) having my coffee and smoke. Lady is walking big GSD past our house (we'd only been in the house for about a week, so I'm pretty house proud). GSD squats and leaves a huge load on our front lawn. As I'm standing there, she just starts walking away!!! So I call out, "you ARE going to pick that up, aren't you?" I SWEAR she jumped about a foot. Looks at me, whips a bag out of her pocket and picks it up. Go figure. She had the bag with her, but was going to leave a steaming pile on my front lawn???? Grrrr.

Answer:
Originally Posted by Bearsmom
Lady is walking big GSD past our house (we'd only been in the house for about a week, so I'm pretty house proud). GSD squats and leaves a huge load on our front lawn. As I'm standing there, she just starts walking away!!! So I call out, "you ARE going to pick that up, aren't you?" I SWEAR she jumped about a foot. Looks at me, whips a bag out of her pocket and picks it up. Go figure. She had the bag with her, but was going to leave a steaming pile on my front lawn???? Grrrr.

LOL. Doesn't that just pi## you off?
There is an empty lot across the street from my house. Last week I realised someone on this block takes her dog out a few times a day, and lets the dog poop there, never picks it up. A few days ago I was amused to see the woman who lives next to the empty lot yelling at the woman about not picking up the doo doo.
Now when it's cold, it is probably not such a big deal, (well it is, really) but way worse in summer! I can't imagine the smell & flies. Yuck. If she keeps doing it I'll be out there yelling at her too!

Dogma, did you find out the price for those biobags?

Answer:
Not yet Carina, they haven't emailed me back, but it has been the weekend. I will bug them again if I don't hear this week.

Answer:
I buy the biodegradeable bags in our chain of pet stores.

The roll of blue bags that go in the dispenser (a mini garbage can that attaches to the leash) are biodegradeable. I have also see other bio bags that don't need a dispenser in JE Mondou.

Every spring, when we had the house, I would have to do poop patrol. A 3000 sq ft back yard and 2 goldens contributing. My hamstrings were sore for days after all that stooping and scooping.

Sears did carry a compost accelerator for the doggie composter.

I am also so paranoid (with my neighbours) that not only to I pick up what my dog does, but anything else I see nearby where he has gone. I have had a warning letter form the city that they have received a complaint that I do not clean up after my dog and he has been running loose on the streets. Both 100% false. I do not live in a "pet friendly" neighbourhood. They are not pleased with my landlord for renting to me with my golden and then further, that he allows me to foster for rescue.

I am lucky with the mini doxie. When he uses his puppy pee pads for #2, down the toilet it goes. It is just the 80 pound golden that causes issues (and the fosters).

Answer:
My next door neighbor has a small geriatric dog (unsure on breed). His wife bought him a pooper scooper that had been developed by a police dog trainer. Because their dogs poops are so small, he didn't use it. When I got Lindy he gave it to me. It works great in the back yard. The handle has slits to attach a plastic bag(Safeway bag) and the scooper is a wide hollow tube with a "V" cut out that scoops up the poop very effectively. No fuss, no muss no bother!!

Answer:
Originally Posted by twinmommy
There's a great little business in the Montreal area called "Poop Patrol" for those of you who are dreading that spring backyard clean-up...I think he quotes about 60$ to have that nasty job done... He doens't service my area...so I can't say anything more about him, but I know I'd pay 60 bucks to have someone take over THAT job for sure!!! (even more!! )

I see those guys around here. They always have PLENTY of room around them in traffic. No one wants to rear-end that guy!

Answer:
Bio Bags are available from Berry's stores. If they don't have it in they are willing to order them.
I called the one in the east end of Ottawa, the Bio Bags come in a package of 25 for $4.99. Not bad, I am going to try them, and switch back to taking boxes to the grocery store instead of bringing home plastic bags.

Answer:
Bearsmom in my last house we lived beside these people who had a vicious little toy mix that used to use my lawn and backyard as its toilet. Well sorry but I clean up after my dog not cleaning up after someone elses. So I went and knocked on her door and asked very nicely if she would mind either cleaning up after her dog or have her dog use her lawn if she did not want to pick up after it. I was shocked by her response "you can barely see it why should I, you are cleaning up after your dog it is no big deal to pick up a couple of extra poops" Well I really could not think of anything to say back that was not four letters so I walked away. Talked to my roomie and he was amazed at her response and more than a little pissed he has 3 Siamese cats that he lets out in the back for some fresh air. So we decided that Boo was going to start pooping on her lawn and we were not cleaning up either, well after 3 days of Boo leaving Mastiff size presents for her she came banging on my door and freaking out about the poop on her lawn. I told her if she does not feel the need to clean up after her dog neither do I and shut the door. Later that week her dog is back in my backyard and pooping and no sign of her so I called and reported her and then threw her dogs crap on her front porch entrance mat, after 4 days of that we never heard or saw her rat on our property. Sorry but nothing is worse than walking in it so I agree till they offer composters on corners I guess I will still be bags in the garbage

Answer:
Aw, mastifflover, in my stomach flu laden residence, you are the first one to make me laugh today!!!!!! Love the "mastiff size presents"

Answer:
mastifflover, that is perfect! lol!
I cannot beleive that I let my neighbour get away with allowing her dog to mess in our front yard. It was disgusting. I didnt want to make "waves".. and I thought she would deny it was her dog...(though i'd seen it in the act many times) The dog died of old age several years ago.. but today, with a dog of my own.. I wouldnt hesitate to take action - as you did.

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