First question: So we have a strip of gardening space between the sidewalk leading up to our front door and the house. We currently have one small bush that sits in the corner of that space & then some rubber mulch filling in all the empty areas. We don’t want any flowers or anything we really have to tend to because we’re not home much plus that wouldn’t help with this situation. Well the mulch was working out fine for the past few years until I noticed a horrible smell the other day. Turns out some animal, I’m pretty sure it’s a dog, is pooping in that area and then burying the poop with the mulch. Ugh! It’s right by our front door too! My husband has been scooping up the poop and all the mulch sticking to it and then some and throwing it away but it keeps on happening. I don’t know what dog or who’s dog is doing this either. So I’m thinking about taking out all the mulch and then putting in rocks there (because apparently I have nothing better to do with my time). I can’t imagine a dog going on rocks plus this one likes to cover its mess. But I don’t want a bunch of rocks migrating out of the gardening strip and then scattering around the walk area and creating a tripping hazard or looking messy. I really don’t want to use those large rocks because I’m worried about someone breaking out one of our windows with a rock. Maybe I’m being paranoid on that one. I also worry the weeds will still manage to sprout up around the big rocks. I saw something on pinterest that looked neat it was a bunch of little flat rocks made into a doormat, I also saw a bunch of little rocks made into a mat for a tea pot (can’t think of exact term). Do they make something like this for the garden? Some type of mat with rocks that I can just lay there and it won’t move?
Second question: after we take away this dog’s potty spot I’m afraid it will start using our yard. Is there any way to keep a dog from pooping in our yard? I’ve thought about putting up a fence, and that may be what we eventually do, but I’m wondering if there are any other ways or at least for now. I know I’m not the only one who has gone through this type of situation.
Thanks!
It's doesn't look like cat poop. We have a couple of indoor cats so I know cat poop. That's the first thing I thought of too but this is huge piles of poop being buried. Unless it's all sticking to itself and it's a couple piles in one? Yuck! We used to have a dog that would kick up grass and cover it a little bit so dogs do sort of try and cover it a little bit anyway and mulch is easy enough to kick up??? The poop isn't completely covered just somewhat. But then again I was wondering why the dog wouldn't just use the lawn. Thanks for the suggestions. I'm still trying to decide what to do next.
I don't know about the rocks but I found that cleaning up the poop right away and generously sprinkling black pepper in that spot will deter dogs from sniffing and using that spot again.
Dogs don't bury poop. It's probably a cat or multiple cats.
The rubber mulch is holding the scent of the poop and pee in that area, which is a signal for "potty here!". Rubber mulch makes a good litter box.
Removing all the mulch and using palm-sized river rock will create an inhospitable areas. Not sand, not small rocks or gravel - those are even better for litter boxes.
You can spray white vinegar in the area to deter critters of many kinds as well.
If it is being buried, it probably a cat pooping there. They like to bury their poo. I've read that if you put down and then cover with the mulch it discourages them. They don't like walking/digging on the wire. Google 'keeping cats out of your yard'. There's also stuff you can buy at the pet store but I'm not sure how that works.
Dogs don't bury, cats do.
Have you looked into the mulch looking mats? That way they can't dig at all.
So far as keeping animals out contact a garden shop, there is a mess of products that repel animals.
Oh, cats like the same spots so no matter what you do there is a good chance it will continue.
Its probably a cat pooping in your yard, not a dog. If you take away the mulch, and put in little rocks, you could put in some landscape timbers or that rubber edging stuff, and that will keep the rocks in without them spilling out. I have never had anyone take any rocks out of my yard and break my windows. In fact, I have never heard it from any of my neighbors either, so I am sure it happens but is probably a rarity. I have also never seen the rock mat thing, but if you can trim it down to size I'm sure that would probably work too. Good luck.
The dog has clearly chosen this as is his poop spot. Go to a pet store (or Walmart might even carry it) and get a bottle of spray specifically designed to get rid of their "marking" which will deter them from pooping there again. Sorry, I can't remember the name of it but I know it exists. Most people use it when an animal keeps going to the bathroom in the house. I think it's $5-$10. Worth it to keep the dog from pooping by your front door! The other thing you might want to consider is digging up most of the area, laying down gravel (a little below surface level should help keep it all from scattering), then covering it with the mulch. You will have the same look but animals will not want to walk on the uneven gravel surface. Good luck!
What about putting down that barrier stuff - it comes in rolls from gardening stores; it comes in plastic or cloth and you cut it to the size you need. Then put rocks over top and you won't have weeds popping thru. We have that in the back around our house and parts of our front yard and it looks really nice. Our dog never touches it and I've never seen any indication the neighborhood cats touch it either.
There are also sprays you can get. I have problems with a chipmunk chewing on my plants by my front steps - I spray a little diluted bleach every once in awhile and it does the trick.
Good luck!!
I've seen dogs bury their poop, it just depends on the dog. Our friend's dog used to do it all the time and we'd dog sit him and it was a pain trying to find his poop in our yard! It's a weird personality thing (or maybe breed thing I think)
I will say this though...once a dog find a "a spot" to something...like poop, throw up, pee, eat a treat, etc...they always go back to that spot. So, changing it to rock might not help stop it, but it might make it more visible. Plus, if you use little pebble rocks that dog will kick up those pebbles instead of dirt and they will go flying into your windows (probably won't break them but still) and yard. Ugh.
The cayenne pepper thing isn't a bad idea, but we were told to use that when our dog was chewing on our baseboards to get him to stop and it did work, but he was actually tasting it, I'm not sure about the smell. I would try it I guess though, it's a cheap experiment at least!
Go to a vets office and pick up some sort of product that repels the animals and they won't want to go in that spot anymore.
My FIL bought some and sprayed in around an area where the cat suddenly decided to start going. She is fully using her litter box again now.
Truthfully, I would take your sarcasm and put up a little sign asking the owners to not let their dog poop in your mulch. That would make my day. I wonder if because it is fake mulch, the poop isn't able to break down as fast. I don't know. I would be pissed, too. I wouldn't remove the mulch for rocks, just my preference.
I know that you can spray some scented something or other on plants to keep deer away, like hostas if they keep eating the leaves. I wonder if they have something like that that would repel the dog, too.
I would hate for you to be 'crazy neighbor', but you may have to keep watch to find out whose dog it is.
Good luck!
KATIE
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Found these:
http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?search_query=d...
Chances are it is a cat that is pooping in your mulched area. The neighborhood cats used our flower beds until the plants got big enough to crowd them out. I sprinkled the area liberally with mothballs. Neither dogs nor cats like the scent and will stay away. The mothballs will evaporate over a month or so. Of course, you have to put up with the smell yourself for a while. I prefers mothballs to animal poop.
Take out the mulch.
Put in little rounded river rocks.
Put up a little fence. (Even if it's just a garden fence.)
Spray rocks w/cat spray.
An aside, grass is easier to p/u poop of any kind rather than on mulch or rock.
might be racoons or skunks or possums
