Neighbour's Dog Defecates on My Council Strip

I recently moved into a new property and noticed a few big dog poos on the nature strip. Within the first week, I witnessed my immediate neighbour's dog running out of it's driveway, turning left, and shitting on the front nature strip just past my driveway.

My daughters have now stepped in the dog poo twice before getting into the car and I don't want to stress the kids out by always making them check their shoes before jumping into the car.

The problem: the neighbour is a lovely old man that lives on his own with the 10-year-old Kelpie. The neighbour is a war veteran and is obviously taking the path of least resistance and trained the dog to poo outside of his own property.

I have had a couple of lovely chats with my neighbour thus far and don't want to burden him with having to follow his dog and laboriously clean up after him since he is easily 85+ years old.

Are there any proven dog pooing deterrents that I could use so the dog is more inclined on turning right to the other neighbour?
Any other suggestions?

Comments

  • +38

    "Your" council strip?

    All pet owners are responsible for their animals poo. Their age is irrelevant.

    • +17

      Yes, I paid a whole year in advance of council rates! Makes it mine for at least another 10 months :P

      • +6

        Have you thought about retribution?
        Take your pants off, lay a brick in front of neighbours patch, maintain eye contact.

        The dog will understand, and the War Veteran will like the cut of your jib.

    • +5

      Agree age is irrelevant. There's no excuse for not cleaning up.

      Obviously, you know your neighbors situation. If you feel its hard for them to clean up and are happy to be the nice neighbour then you could clean it up.

      • Maybe he could offer to change his depends at the same time.
        Now that’s nice and neighbourly and all 😀

  • +64

    Dog 10 and neighbour 85, time is on your side.

    Can’t see what wrong telling the kids to be careful about where they walk and how that would stress them.

    • +6

      True, wont stress the kids but rather me. The youngest one (3) has a defiant attitude. Can't tell her not to do something - it's like a challenge.

      • +12

        Try reverse psychology. 60% of the time it works every time.

      • +26

        Just be parent, your car your rules. Defiance is not a part of growing up, it's a lack of parental skills.

        • +15

          Unfortunately, they have been attending speech therapy and have been identified as likely to have some level of 'oppositional defiant disorder' which we are hoping will outgrow.

          I like to treat kids with love and respect. Until they can have their own car, my car is their car and they should own and feel safe in the space they ride in almost every day. They help clean the car for a reason.

          I'd hate to have the attitude my parents had "as long as you live in this house"

          • +31

            @Suspect420: I think you'll find that you grew up to be a better person than your kids are going to.
            I lot of young parents criticise the ways of the past but offering no better alternative.

            I'm no expert but I can't imagine any kid allowed to get away with defiance is going to grow out of it.

            • +2

              @SlickMick: Behaviour is a skill, just like reading and writing. Needs to be taught how to behave, just as we teach to read. Not be punished into behaving.

          • +7

            @Suspect420: So your kids rule the roost at your place. And we will have to endure them in years to come. Be the parent. Set boundaries and have consequences for overstepping the boundaries. Kids thrive when disciplined that way. Your way will ensure life is very hard for them once out in the real world.

          • +14

            @Suspect420: My 6yr old son was diagnosed by a children's counselor with 'oppositional defiant disorder'. He still gets punished for being a sh*t.

            You need to stop being their friend and start being their parent.

          • +9

            @Suspect420: Get a new therapist, your kids behaviour is not some genetic disease. They might have some tendancies to act or behave a certain way, that's understandable, but remember that most people in prison have "oppositional defiant disorder" ie they were raised to be irrresponsible adults and now they are screwed up. She's three, plenty of time to shape her attitudes positively.

          • +1

            @Suspect420: “ I'd hate to have the attitude my parents had "as long as you live in this house"

            Sounds like your going to be in the same position with your kids as you were with your parents.

          • @Suspect420: i get where you are coming from, and I certainly agree in some sense not to do as I say but not as I do. But kids will need structure and rules, as they are still learning about living in the world. So they don't understand what are expectations when it comes to most things and are learning as they grow up, just like there are laws to abide by, have some ground rules and things you can teach them early on that will help them later on in life. We are only finding out recently that the early years of their life (i think about 8 years is what is now accepted are the core foundational years)

            In this case, its something you do yourself, careful where you step on, if there is a bad smell check your shoes and rub it on the grass or let the parents know. Would save them washing their car/house mats/carpets themselves in the future.

          • @Suspect420: Kids need disciplines, discipline them does not mean you don’t love them nor you don’t treat them with respect.

            Well disciplines kids are a plus, most successful people have parents who disciplines them and they have rules they need to follow

            My kids now in their early 20s if I ask them to do something they just do it, they wired to it and disciplines from a young age. They know I don’t ask them to do stupid things or fruitless stuff if I asked that mean it important and need to be done and they understand that
            No back chat no rebellions

          • @Suspect420: im subscribed now just to follow the comment on this topic
            suspect my eldest would be in the same boat if i took him to the therapist
            90% of the time we succumb to his bad behaviour

      • -1

        Got to teach her early, or she might grow up to be a Republican!

      • +1

        Can't tell her not to do something - it's like a challenge.

        Perhaps this needs to change.

    • +10

      Could even ask your kids to remove with a doggy bag.. make sure the neighbour notices you instructing and helping the kids !!!!

      • +3

        Great comment around a constructive solution.

        Re the OP's statement: "The neighbour is a war veteran and is obviously taking the path of least resistance and trained the dog to poo outside of his own property". This logic is flawed and is not what is happening- the dog is behaving naturally.

        Dogs prefer to mark and poo in disputed territory. They will pee around their own home, but given the choice will poop as far as they can from their own territory as they can, or in-front of the home of another dog that is challenging their social position.

        • Dogs prefer to mark and poo in disputed territory.

          Let's call it Afghanistan.

        • -1

          Get the kids to take the bagged poo to him to dispose of. Eventually, they could mention how annoying it is to keep doing this and that they've stepped in it before.

    • I dunno about that.. we have a 16 year old kelpie that still runs around and plays..

  • +16

    Move. It's the only viable solution.

    • lol or pick it up. Eventually they'll see you pick up their dog's poop and perhaps get something out of it. Good opportunity imo.

    • +1

      ;) thx for the chuckle

    • +13

      Can you move it to neighbours doorstep in a paper bag and light it on fire?

    • Bikies aren’t a viable solution?

      • +3

        I'm not sure how bikies sh-tting on OPs grass too helps here….

        • -3

          OP might learn to park his high yield investment car in front of the neighbours or down the street and it wouldn’t be a problem anymore

  • +12

    Why not just tell the kids to look where they walk? If dog pop stresses them out, they probably need to learn a bit of resilience. Flick the pop back into old mates yard with a shovel when you get a chance.

    • -1

      Wrong wording - I'm in holiday mode and starting my second 6 pack.

      Kids are young, 3 & 4 and don't really think of avoiding dog poo.

      • +19

        Kids are young, 3 & 4 and don't really think of avoiding dog poo.

        Teach them? My 4 year old can avoid dog poo, I'm sure yours can as well.

      • +4

        step on it once or twice.
        They will learn the lesson if you teach them

        • +1

          Fool me once, shame on you.
          Fool me twice, shame on poo.

      • +8

        I've taught my kids to watch out for poop. Not hard. They even try not to step on possum poop. They make it a game like the floor is lava or don't step on cracks.

        • -1

          make them lick the poo
          like that scene from some movie

      • +5

        starting my second 6 pack.

        Piss on his nature strip as revenge.

      • +2

        Hey, new dad here, so I maybe excused for the hypotheses. But if my son seems to be stepping on poo more than once then it’s time for my wife and I to teach him about being clean. A child is essentially your person, so I’d like for my son to be smart and clean about everything. Attitudes and egos are of no play at home.

      • +1

        Can you turn it into a game of 'spot the poo' and then get a shovel to flick it somewhere back on your neighbours part of the council strip. Not as a revenge, but seems like he wouldn't care and nature can take its course and break it down eventually.

        When we were young my parents gamified the squashing of cockroaches…..we turned out okay.

  • +11

    Pick it up, put it in a bag and take it to his front door. Light it on fire.

    Demonstration seen here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uWjt2y_G0Q 😂

    • +1

      Tried this as a kid…didn't work and nearly burnt down the house. Too much newspaper and nobody at home

      commonly known as 'shit and run'

  • +4

    Bag it up and mail it back.

  • +16

    Shovel…… then flick it over the fence back to them.

    • +6

      You’ll need a pretty big shovel to flick a kelpie over the fence…

      • +2

        Yeah, that's easier with a catapult or trebuchet.

    • That's all I do with my dogs poo….

  • +3

    Shovel it onto his and plant your strip out.
    No dog wants to dump in bushes.

    • +2

      This. Some kind of spiky ground cover that you can still walk on in shoes but the dog won't find pleasant to walk on

  • +4
    • I heard spraying citronella mixed with some water will do the trick. You just need to reapply every few days.

  • +16

    If it were a nasty and rude neighbour I'd just put a camera and have council fine them.

    But for an 85 year old war veteran with a 10 year old furbaby I would just get a pooperscooper and take care of it myself every evening when I take the rubbish out. I'd also get a tall pooperscooper for the old man so he can collect poop off his own property without bending etc.
    Tell the kids to watch where they walk. I learnt it the hard way after stepping on a monster poop in Sydney cbd!! :P
    Sorry couldn't offer any deterrent suggestions :l

    • +4

      Thank you for the suggestion.

      I truly don't want to bother old mate and see how he has made it work with the previous owners. They didn't really take care of the garden and I've already started turning it around.

      I'll look into the poop scoopers.

      • mow the nature strip more often?

        • +1

          Mow the nature strip less often!
          Dog won't go there if the grass is so long it tickles its arse.

  • +6

    I have been told (no idea how accurate this is though) that you just need to pour a little bacon grease/fat on the offending deposit and the next time the dog visits the area they will enjoy the tasty treat.
    Recycling at it's best.

    Edit: Just did a little more reading and this may have not been the best advice. Apparently it may cause diarrhea so I guess that sort of defeats the purpose.

    • mmmm bacon fat
      .

    • +1

      Well, he may not make it on time so it could help.

      But no, dogs shouldn’t eat their own shit..

  • +21

    I'm seconding or thirding the 'just clean it and / or talk with the kids'. but in terms of a deterrent just sit out front with a trigger spray gun on your hose. Every time the door opens and the dog runs towards 'your' council strip, spray the old man with the hose. He'll learn after a couple of times.

    • +8

      I'm seconding or thirding turding

    • That was a little unexpected but enjoyable!

  • +1

    Just search for "dog-repellent sprays" and you'll find plenty.

  • +4

    do you know where their nature strip is ?

    do you know what you must do next?

    • You'd be better off finding the dog's sleeping place, and working out where the equivalent of the dog's nature strip would be.

  • +13

    It's simple, just defecate on his lawn

  • +2

    I found this, let us know if this works ;)

    Save your bacon grease, then pour warm bacon grease on the poop by using a zip lock sandwich bag (like icing a cupcake). I did this after repeatedly (and politely) asking my neighbor to stop his dog from pooping on my yard. Neighbor repeatedly stated "wasn't my dog" so I "treated" the dog poop. The dog gleefully recycled the new bacon treats and magically poop disappeared from my lawn!

  • +3

    buy a tub or two of black pepper and grind it into a powder. Sprinkle it over your grass area, the dog won't go there any more. You will have to apply if a few times till the dog decides it's easier to go somewhere else. I've also shovelled it back over the neighbours side and, sometimes there's nothing like sharing so I'll fling it down the road where they can drive over it.

    • +6

      I'll try the pepper out.

      Couldnt do it to the old bugger. Poor bloke wont be able to get back up if he tried to pick it up

      • -5

        He shouldn't own a dog if he isn't capable of looking after it.

        And if he is as frail as all that, he should have a nurse or something come to help him with household tasks, picking up dog poo would be one of them.

        • -2

          It's of concern if the elderly neighbour is unable to take care of his pet properly which includes picking up after the dog.

          If the neighbour has no family or carer/s that visit regularly then perhaps a call to the animal welfare league to see whether they have any suggestions to ensure the dog is receiving proper care.

          • +1

            @[Deactivated]: Wow, you (profanity).. take away the only thing he has left?

      • +4

        So who's been picking up his dog poop all this time? Or is his front covered in dog poop and doggy has to go poop somewhere else?

        • I offered to help clean his yard and he declined, almost angrily. He seems to be a very proud man and I won't hold that against him.
          He did say he has gardeners come every fortnight to clean, mow, trim hedges etc.

          The old man is lonely and needs the dog more than the dog needs him I would say.

          No way I would be calling RSPCA. The dog is healthy apart from some optional dental cleaning.

  • +8

    It's only fair that you defecate on their naturestrip, I would recommend doing it at night so no one casts judgement on a human squatting on a naturestrip.
    Be sure to eat a lot of protein in advance to ensure a 10/10 defecation.

  • +16

    OP try not to use any deterrent methods that might give the poor dog diarrhoea or be detrimental to its health. It's an old dog and an old man.. any sickness would be very inconvenient and cruel to them..
    Sometimes it's best to let it go and deal with the situation with kindness. Cheers!

    • +2

      This is a very good point. Thank you for highlighting it from this perspective.

      Honestly, the last thing I would want to do is negatively affect the dog or the owner.

      I will be trying the pepper and citrus suggestions above and if it doesn't work then just pick it up and hose it away.

      Is there any way to try and make the dog poo in the same section rather than in random spots?

      • +4

        The one thing I've learnt from fostering hundreds of dogs is that you have a better chance of getting the dog to do something by being it's friend. Dogs and cats will usually listen to people they know so maybe try getting friendly with the dog. Second thing is they usually won't poop at places they associate with food and eating so you might try giving the dog some snuggles and treats on your nature strip regularly (only with the old man's permission ofcourse). If the dog has been pooping there for years then it'll be a very difficult habit to break.
        Pooper scoopers are quite cheap only $5-$10 so can be a very easy option. Once the old man sees you cleaning up then he would be more inclined to use it himself.

    • +1

      Yep, normally you would take some action to get neighbour to take responsibility for their dog, but circumstances alter cases.

      Just quietly clean it up every day with a pooper scooper.

  • Vinegar – Vinegar is another strong-smelling scent that will act as a repellent to dogs.

    • +1

      Vinegar can also form the basis of a good natural weed killer. Possibly two birds with one stone scenario.

  • Poodillypoo neighbourino

  • +1

    tit for tat, go and shit on his nature strip everyday

    • That will be a dog act.

  • +1

    Keep Off from Bunnings is effective

  • +3

    My experience said unfortunately no deterrent can solve this sort of problem. I had the same problem with my neighbor’s dog. It pooled on the pathway from his house to ours some 2 houses away and then to some other sides of closed by residents’s pathway. Too many poos for me to pick up while that neighbor ( who is a renter) did not care to picking the poos up. He is not civil minded. Sometimes that dog even went in to my front garden to release its loads. At first I took all the poos and dumped to the neingbouur’s front driveway. No much response taken by him . Someone in this website suggested to leave the poos into his letter box. My civil instinct forbade me to take such auction despite of my growing frustration. Luckily the problem solved by itself much later after that sh..t dog died from disease and I understand it’s owner was not willing to foot its medical bill of $4,500.00.!

    • +1

      Probably got something from the 💩 never being removed

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