Hi,
Don’t know if anyone can help on this.
A few weeks ago I noticed a green patch on my front lawn. The grass in this patch was much greener and grew much more quickly than the surrounding grass (so it was a lot taller). I wondered what it was but now a few more have appeared on the lawn – plus on neighbours’ lawns and I can now tell they’re where a dog has weeed (a bitch’s urine is high in nitrogen so it causes this problem). Now on top of this a dog has started fouling on the lawn. I really object having to clear up another person’s dog mess –it’s disgusting :020: and it would be really bad if there were children living here.
I’m not a fussy gardener - but my front lawn was awful when I bought the house and I’ve worked hard to make it look OK. Now it’s absolutely ruined again – the patches grow much quicker than normal grass – so even a few days after mowing it looks absolutely terrible :(. I have no idea what dog is doing this as I live in a small road and there is only 1 dog here – and she’s next door. To be fair my next door neighbours don’t allow her out the front and they keep her under close supervision (always on the lead) – so I don’t think it’s her. We don’t have any “stray” dogs running around either. However our road is used a cut through by walkers (as although it’s a dead end – there’s a path at the end of the road leading to another road) and I’ve seen 2 people walk their dogs off their leads (with the dogs running over peoples’ gardens) and a woman who has a dog on an extender lead who stands on the pavement and allows her pooch to wee on lawns (saw her a few months back). What really annoys me is that I love dogs (was brought up with them) and it’s stupid owners with dirty habits and "couldn't care less" attitudes that give all dog owners a bad name :mad:. Our dogs were never allowed out of the back garden, were on leads and actually never showed the remotest interest in doing their business on other peoples’ gardens or pavements. I’ve already had to install one of those things in my back garden (that emit a noise than animals hate but humans can’t hear) to stop cats digging up plants and using the back garden as a toilet – but I can’t really put one of these in the front garden.
So – after this rant – does anyone know of anything I can buy to stop dogs using my front lawn as a public convenience ? I'd be really grateful.
I’ve got a lot on at the moment so having this perhaps seems more upsetting than it normally would.
Many thanks.
I live in exactly the same situation (we do have a dog and she is always under close supervision and never allowed out at the front of the house unsupervised). I'm still surprised by some dog owners who just let there dogs foul anywhere and don't pick it up.
I have to say that the fox population seems to be getting out of hand where we are and they don't mind where they foul, everywhere. The other problem is, is cats. Although we have a dog, they are still happy to foul in our back garden and then the dog finds it!!! Not only that we have children, so our dog is wormed regularly but what about the cats? Don't some cats carry Toxoplasmosis?
Anyway, I would also like some deterrants for cats and foxes. As for dogs they only way is to shame the owners at the exact time of fouling, although I've never managed to catch them. I always walk around with a handful in my pocket and some on show.
A water sprinkler on an ipr sensor would be good (avoiding pathways etc, don't want to soak the postman :D)
Best wishes
Peppermint
This really annoys me, these people give dog owners a bad name.
You could try some of the "[url]Get Off[/url]" products, although I'm not sure how environmentally friendly they are.
Something else you can do but I do not recommend or condone this, even though I did it once: A fair few years ago, I had the same problem and I was fairly convinced it was just one or two dogs/owners. So, when I was home one day I watched through the window (it happened pretty much every day) until I saw the culprit. Like you mentioned, it was one of these people who use the extending lead and let the dog do what it wanted on people's lawns. So, I followed the dog and owner home (from a distance) to see where they lived. I then scooped up what the dog had left behind and put it into an envelope on which I had written "return to sender" and then, you guessed it, posted it through their letterbox. I guess they started walking a different route as it rarely happened after that.
Thanks both for your replies.
I did think it might be a fox but I think fox mess has a really awful smell (I remember coming across it when I used to go riding). Like the idea about the water sprinkler :rollaugh:- it may come to that. Also like the “return to sender” – trouble is I haven’t seen anyone’s dog actually doing anything on my lawn.
I’ll try the spray and see what happens. I’ll also try diluted Jeyes fluid around the lawn which I remember my Dad puts down to stop cats (don’t know if it stops dogs though).
What exasperates me is that people tried to get some dog owners to stop their dogs fouling public places not just because it’s awful (esp if you walk in it or something) but also for health reasons. Yet these owners allow their dogs to foul peoples’ gardens which is exactly the same. It could cause a health problem to someone living at that house - particularly someone pregnant or a young child. A friend of mine who lives by a beach walks his dog every day by the cliffs (on a lead) and he says that some owners do pick up their dogs mess and put it in a plastic bag – but instead of taking it home or putting it in a bin – they just throw the plastic bag to blow around the path and surrounding land :eek:.
Will let you know of any updates ;).
... found a small dog dollup on the front lawn today. There hasn't been any for a while but now I'm going to be watching!!!
Peppermint 😡
I once worried about this when I lived somewhere else, so I decided that the easiest thing to do was to create a sort of a natural barrier. I planted a low level hedge and it sorted out the problem. That way it meant I wasn't getting cross and looking out for would be pooooers and weee-ers and I could still say hello like I like to when folks passed with their dogs.
I decided that the easiest thing to do was to create a sort of a natural barrier. I planted a low level hedge.
Either that or a fence.
I have to admit that i've got no patience for pople like this.
I have a dog and take him to the park to do his business, and ALWAYS take a bag to pick up after him.
If it was me, i'd have the garden hose ready to rock and roll, and take a day off work to watch out!:eek:
As soon as someone let the dog start doing something i'd be straight out there with the hose and give the OWNER a blast with it:mad: and say 'if you want to ruin my property i'll ruin yours' (clothing that is)
Not clever or sensible, but I would have to laugh 😀
I have a similar problem, but with one of my own cats. A few weeks ago i had left my back lawn to grow a bit too long, and I noticed one day my cat joey, squating in the middle of my grass. I ran out and shouted at him and decided to get the grass cut quick as i figured that that was the reason. But now even though i'm keeping the grass short, i still keep spotting him doing it and it really annoys me.
I'm worried about letting my rabbits out incase they catch something. I was saying the other day that even if there was something i could get to put down to stop him, i wouldn't incase it would hurt the rabbits.