Pet Lovers

[Scooby Doo]

If I watched someone destroying my property I doubt I would be reticent about it.  Just blunt and matter of fact tell the woman what's happening to your property.  You have that right.  I've watched men shout at people and tell them to come back and clean it up.  Why can't women speak up?

[1Snickers]

     My neighbor’s  dog had a habit of going in my yard by the back door. I bagged it and took it to her, told her he did it daily.

     That afternoon she came to my door to apologize with a plate of brownies.

     My husband wouldn’t eat them!

[K9buddy]

1. Was it really necessary to bag it and taken it to her. Couldn’t you just have spoken to her about the problem.

[Equuleus]

---

@coffee drinker wrote:

 I've got a mouth for everything else, but not this.  

---

Why is that?

[CamilleP]

Coffeedrinker, can you place short, decorative fencing around your lawn, so that the dog would have to jump over an 8-12" fence to be able to urinate on your lawn?  I've seen such fencing sold at places like Home Depot, they come in sections with little spike-type feet that you push into the soil at the edge of a flower bed or whatever.  You wouldn't have to fence the whole yard, just enough along the sidewalk so that the dog walker would have to actually trespass on your driveway or whatever to let the dog get around the fencing.  If they trespass, then you can confront them on legal grounds, if needed.  Such fencing may require a small investment up front, but it will keep you from having to re-sod or re-seed the lawn, which would probably be much more expensive in the long run.  If you add in a sign asking people not to let their dogs eliminate on your lawn, the message ought to be pretty clear even to the least intuitive dog walker.  Another option is motion-sensitive sprinklers that are set to hose people intruding on the lawn, but of course you'd have to set them to not spray the mailman or UPS man, for instance.  Fencing is easier, I think.

ETA: If your HOA complains about the fencing, you can tell them what the problem is, and ask them if they want you outside with a bullhorn or other noisemaker trying to drive the dogs off your lawn? 

[kitcat51]

Make it a friendly conversation... introduce yourself, so glad you have the chance to talk, thanks for picking up #2 & please no #1 because it kills the grass, chit chat about weather or dogwalking or neighborhood, great meeting you, take care, bye. No reason to over think it...you have every right to ask & the direct approach is best.

[Foxxee]

@Kachina624 

You bet I would.  Like @coffee drinker we spend a lot of time and money on our property.  Frequent peeing on the lawn can create  very large growing brown spots that will not grow grass. Once a dog pees there, that dog will pee there again and again. It attracts other dogs to pee there, too.

I don't allow my dog to pee all over the grass.  She's trained to go in the same area in the backyard where it's no problem.  

Calling the police is the last resort, not that I think the dog walker will be a problem.  I don't.  

Police do all kinds of things that help residents some might consider petty.  

[Foolywooly11]

I don't allow my dog to relieve himself on anyone's lawn but my own. When I bought my house years ago, & saw someone stopping to let their dog do their business on my property, I simply went out & asked them to please not allow them to do so. I've never had a problem with anyone I said this to, & the folks that regularly walked their dogs around the block steered clear of my lawn. I had to speak up, or put up with it. For me, it was that simple. Good luck to you.

[Kachina624]

I'm so glad everyone has gravel front yards where I live, with xeriscaping.  I didn't realize how many problem were being avoided.

[HLP]

---

@coffee drinker wrote:

How can I tell a dog walker that our lawn is not a toilet for the dog she is walking.  Ours isn't the only lawn this mutt uses.  Yes, she does pick up #2, I think, but #1 wrecks havoc on the lawn leaving brown spots that are awful.  We work hard and spend plenty trying to keep the lawn looking good, but this is not right.  We live in a "community" type place and there is a place for the dogs to do their duty.  Telling the Board wouldn't really do much, so I need your advise.  I did have the perfect opportunity to tell her this morning, but chickened out.  I've got a mouth for everything else, but not this.  

---

I have no problem with this, I put a huge sign up5x5. "This is private property, not your dogs toilet" It's been 10 years ago,and my property is avoided..When my neighbor Lady got after them, and they said they cleaned it up, she always said "Did you clean the smell up too"? We spend a lot of money on our lawn, and if you walk by you know we have, so be respectful.