Don’t you detest when the dog from next door ventures into your backyard to use the bathroom? And they did it without asking. How do I get them to stop? Mothballs are known to keep dogs away. How is that? In this article, we will teach you everything there is to know about keeping dogs away from your yard to use the bathroom.
What to Do When the Neighbors Dog Poops in Your Yard
Be calm. Don’t do anything that you may regret. While dogs should know better, you should have a conversation with the pet owners. We are all human. The pet owners may not be aware that their dog decided to use the bathroom in your yard. It’s best to talk about the situation out in a civil manner, and most importantly, like adults.
1. Have a Calm Negotiation with the Neighbors
Communicating with neighbors is a must. Neighbors should not be at war with one another. You live next to each other so live in peace. Once you notice that the neighbor’s dog has pooped in your yard, find the right time to talk. Don’t angrily march up to your neighbor’s door and pound on the door. Instead, find the right time to talk about the dilemma.
This is the best time to get to know your neighbor. It’s not okay to automatically assume that they are someone who does not care. Keep your voice gentle and not loud. Some people are triggered by yelling. Nobody knows what anyone is going through. Speak with your neighbor about what you can do with the dog and ways in which they should not come into your yard.
2. Set Up Security Cameras
To get evidence that the neighbor’s dog pooped in your yard, set up a security camera. Marching up to your neighbors or authorities without evidence does not set you up in a good light. Install an outdoor security camera that picks up any strange activity during the night.
The security footage also picks up if the neighbor is actually with the dog and ignores picking up the poop. They don’t notice that they are being recorded. More or less, you may put a surveillance sign, with the word description, “This yard is under 24/7 monitoring.” It’s a warning to the neighbors and anyone who walks by your property. That warning sign will make burglars runoff.
3. Build a Fence Around Your Yard
Your property is your property. Building a fence over your property is the best option to avoid dogs coming into your yard. Unfortunately, dogs find a way to get into your yard. Check for any holes near the fences. It’s in a dog’s nature to dig holes. If dogs have been digging holes, block it with a rock or a block of wood.
What Not to Do When the Dog Poops in Your Yard
Many have made the mistake to go bonkers quickly. Oftentimes, the dog believes that your yard is there. First and foremost, there is no need for revenge. Don’t go all Home Alone and set up traps to get back at your neighbors. And don’t you dare do what the dog did.
Here’s what else you should not do. Actions like the ones listed will only get you into bad legal trouble. Refrain from the dark side, and take a breath.
- Ship the dropping back to the neighbors as mail
- Pelt the droppings into their yard
- Poison the dog
Is it Illegal for a Dog to Poop on Someone Else’s Lawn?
Facts, first. The pet owner is responsible to pick up what a dog leaves behind when they are out in public. Refusal to pick up your pet’s excretes does not look good on your part. It is disrespectful, especially when it is on someone else’s lawn.
It all depends on how frequently that incident has occurred. There are some states, like Maryland and Virginia, that have strict animal control regulations that pet owners should keep their pets restrained when in public areas.
Before going straight to your neighbor’s house and angrily banging on the door, check with local regulations and laws concerning dog poop issues. If you are unsure about how to find out the corresponding ordinances, consult the police or local attorney for legal advice as well.
Home Remedies to Repel Dogs From Pooping in Your Yard
Mothballs
Yes, mothballs repel unwanted dogs from coming into the yard. The balls are filled with chemical pesticide and deodorant. Normally, mothballs keep moths away. All you have to do is put a Mothball outside. Mothballs smell bad. Then the dog will turn its nose up and leave your yard alone.
However, mothballs are poisonous. If the dog is not turned off by the smell, the curious hound may think that this is a snack. Mothballs are poisonous when ingested. Even a small amount can feign serious health risks to dogs and may need them to obtain immediate treatment.
Commercial Dog Repellant Products
Outdoor commercial deterrents are prepared at your local pet supply, grocery, or hardware stores. These products use natural ingredients that are secure for animals as well as for any vegetation in your yard. They repel dogs through a repulsive odor, taste, or feel.
Typically the deterrent comes in granules or sprayable liquids, and they create an unpleasant scent that keeps dogs from pooping in the area. The downside to these is that the scent remains for a only few weeks, so general application, including after rain, is required.
Just Use Water
Yes, water can save the dog. The liquid keeps us hydrated, and it will keep dogs from coming into the yard. Water is a natural deterrent that stops dogs from pooping in your yard. Change your watering schedule and consider making that dog’s time of day your watering time.
Motion-detector sprinklers work well for the offending dog. Place the sprinklers in areas you want to keep poop-free. Sprinklers frighten the dog, get him wet, and then make him run. Other motion-activated devices emit high-pitched sounds or explosions or air instead of water to deter animals that venture close.
Creating Your Own Homemade Deterrents
instead of wasting money on store-bought products, make up a deterrent for free in your kitchen. Your kitchen may already have natural deterrents to keep dogs out of your neighbor’s yard. If chili pepper is sprinkled around the area, it irritates the skin and noses of dogs. Other natural products include ammonia and vinegar. These products have distinct odors and are sensitive to the dog’s nose.
The downside is that both of these can kill vegetation. Soak cotton balls with vinegar or ammonia and set the cotton balls around your yard. Just like commercial deterrents, homemade deterrents need regular application.
Steps on How to Prepare Your Own Deterrent
Step 1:
- Mix 1 tsp. of cayenne pepper with 8 oz. of water in a spray bottle. NOTE: Do not use more than 1 tsp of cayenne pepper because it could hurt the dog.
- Spray your vegetable or flower gardens with the mixture.
- The cayenne pepper will irritate the dog’s noses and deter them from coming back in the future.
Step 2:
- Mix 6 oz. of vinegar with 2 oz. of lemon juice into a spray bottle.
- Spray the mixture on your shoes, items in the house, and out on the lawn where your dog likes to go.
- The vinegar and lemon juice odors are repulsive to dogs but are effective at reducing strong odors in your shoes or other items.
Step 3:
- Soak coffee filters with rubbing alcohol.
- Set the filters out in the sun to dry.
- Cut the filters up and then sprinkle are the yard. This will keep dogs away from going into the neighbor’s yard to use the bathroom.
Step 4:
- Put 20 drops of eucalyptus oil in 8 oz. of water in an empty spray bottle. Eucalyptus has a powerful scent that is sensitive to a dog’s nose.
- Spray anywhere else in your house, and out on the lawn. That way it will keep dogs away.
- Apply an Alternative Landscape
If you are on the lookout for a long-term deterrent, alternative landscaping is an alternative. Plants, like aloe, holly, and berry vines, have sharp edges. Dogs will not venture through these sharp thorns. Pinecone mulch gives a rough exterior that may be too much for a dog’s feet.
In terms of scent deterrents, the Coleus Canina plant gives off an offensive odor that keeps most animals away from the yard. The essence of this plant is defined as that of licorice or nicotine, and sometimes like skunk scent.
Using Citrus
Dogs run away at the small of citrus. They do not like it. Protect your yard by placing slices of oranges or lemons throughout.
How to Stop a Dog Pooping in a Certain Area
Set up Warning Signs
Signs get people’s attention. Create a warning sign that refrains dog’s from pooping in certain areas. Some signs can read, ‘No Trespassing’ or ‘Clean up After Your Dog, Please.’ While dogs are smart, they cannot read. These signs are more for the owners. Warning signs are polite ways to express where dogs can use the bathroom when out on a walk.
Get a Neighborhood Watch Together
Most of the time, you are not alone in this battle. Get together with your neighbors and create a program that bands dogs from going to the bathroom in anybody’s yards. Contact the local authorities and talk about the issue at hand.
Once you get clearance organize meetings and talk about how to hand the issue and spread the word around the neighborhood. Talk about how this program is beneficial to everyone in the neighborhood. By doing so, you can defeat dog trespassing, excessive barking, and the other relevant nuisance in your neighborhood.
Lawn Sprinklers
Use a lawn sprinkler to get the message across. Lawn sprinklers are activated by movement in a similar way to a motion-detecting light. After a few soakings, dogs will learn that the neighbor’s lawn is off-limits. Then the dog will seek out another place to do their doggy business.
Offer Doggy Bags
If you happen to be outside and notice that a dog walker is not going to pick up their dog’s excretes, kindly offer them a doggy bag. No, you should not rush off your property to scream at their faces and threaten to get the authorities involved. That only leads to a horrible fight.
Use a Deterrent
Dogs have excellent senses. Create your own deterrent that the dog is not attracted to. That way, the dog will leave your yard alone.
Examples of deterrent include:
- Garden Water sprayer
- Motion Activated Water System
- Ultrasonic Dog Repellant
- Mothballs
- Plants
Train the Dog
This is more for the owner of the dog, but training enforces the dog to better behave. Dogs are trainable. Once a dog understands what it’s doing is wrong, then they won’t come back to the neighbor’s yard. Either train the dog yourself or take it to a special trainer.
Does Cayenne Pepper Keep Dogs From Pooping in Your Yard?
Cayenne peppers irritate a dog’s eyes, nose, and throat. It is not harmful. To keep your dog out of the neighbor’s yard, scrape a mixture of black pepper and cayenne pepper, and sprinkle it throughout the yard. It is also a good technique for keeping dogs off the furniture in the house. Leave a bowl of chilis next to the sofa and the dog will avoid it.
Patience is a Virtue
Patience is key. The most important element in any situation is to keep a level head. Don’t let the situation get out of hand if the neighbor’s dog keeps coming over to poop in your yard. Speaking to your neighbor is your best option to see if you can work together to solve the problem. Talking things out is better than letting tensions escalate in a heated battle against neighbors.