How To Prevent The Neighbor’s Dog From Pooping In Your Yard

A lot of people love dogs for obvious reasons. They are sociable, make the perfect companions and are just so cuddly and adorable!

Yes, we love dogs when they’re being cute but it’s a different story when your neighbor’s dog keeps pooping in your yard. How do you handle this annoying situation while still being a friendly neighbor?

In this article, we’ll talk about how to prevent your neighbor’s dog from pooping in your yard using different tricks. Hopefully, your neighbor’s dog will get the message and do its business somewhere else.

The Dangers Of Dog Waste In Your Yard

Not only is dog poop smelly and unsightly, it is also a direct threat to your health and that of your grass. Dog poop is harmful in the following ways:

• Toxic to grass. Dog poop is acidic and kills grass.

• Transmits serious diseases to humans e.g Salmonellosis

• Pollutes nearby water sources

• Carries harmful bacteria and parasites

If any person or your pet comes in contact with dog poop, they run the risk of getting infected. Children are most vulnerable to such contaminants because they play in this dirt.

How To Prevent The Neighbor’s Dog From Pooping In Your Yard

Now that you know the dangers of allowing dog poop on the lawn, here are the steps you need to take to prevent this:

1. Use Dog-repellent Scents

Dogs are attracted and repelled by certain scents. Keep your lawn beautiful and keep the neighbors dog away at the same time with dog-repellent plants.

Citrus Trees

The strong citrus smell is known to deter dogs but they do take a long time to grow, so if you will have to buy fully established citrus trees.

Chili pepper

Chili peppers are used in a lot of commercial dog repellents, primarily because the capsicum acts as an irritant to dogs. It will cause itching and inflammation around the sensitive area of the nose.

Rue Plant

Dogs are not keen on the way the rue plant feels, so it can be used to prevent canine invaders.

Lavender

While we humans love it, it has proven less popular with dogs and other pets.

Citronella

Citronella is well known for its mosquito repelling capabilities, but it also works very well to deter dogs.

It is important to note that some scents will attract them rather than repel them. You may be using a commercial scent to repel rabbits, deer, skunks, or raccoons, but these often contain coyote urine – a scent that will attract all the dogs in your neighborhood.

Read Also: How To Get Rid Of Anthracnose In The Lawn

2. Put Up A Barrier Around Your Yard

Put up an aesthetically appealing barrier around your yard. The barrier can be in the form of ground barrier, hedges or fences. 

Ground Barrier

You can try creating a barrier on the ground by laying a line out of something  dogs don’t like walking on. A ring of sharp gravel can be enough to keep local canines at bay as it would damage their pads as they run and they would prefer to stay away.

Hedges

Another option is to create a living barrier in the form of a dog-proof hedge or a row of plants or shrubs. This option doesn’t create as impenetrable a barrier as a fence, but it can be enough to deter dogs from using your yard as their regular toilet.

Fences

Fences provide a physical barrier method to deter unwanted visitors. They can be placed around your property lines to keep neighbors’ dogs out.

3. Install Lawn Sprinklers

If you’d rather not fence or barricade your own home, a sprinkler system is another option that could prevent your neighbor’s dog from pooping on your lawn. There are motion-activated lawn sprinklers similar to a motion detector. 

After a few baths, dogs will soon learn that your lawn is a place to avoid and will seek somewhere else to relieve themselves.

4. Buy An Ultrasonic Repellent Device

An ultrasonic repeller is similar to the high-pitched whistles used to train dogs. It emits a tone that humans cannot hear but  drives dogs insane. 

Having one of these devices in your yard will ensure that dogs are kept away. The sound of an ultrasonic repeller may temporarily disorient your neighbor’s dog, but shouldn’t do any permanent harm. 

Sound doesn’t penetrate walls, so it won’t disturb pets in your home. Just remember to turn off the device before letting your own dog out. 

Look for an ultrasonic repeller with these characteristics:

Designed for working with dogs 

Designed for outdoor use 

Fixed, not held in the hand 

Reach wide enough to cover your yard 

Motion- activated

Read Also: 4 Ways To Remove Lawn Grass

5. Get A Poop Bag Dispenser

One reason your neighbor might leave dog poop in your yard is because they forgot to take a poop bag out for the walk or didn’t bring enough with them. You might be kind enough to install a small plastic bag dispenser like the ones you see at dog parks to encourage your neighbors to go fetch for their puppies. 

Install the dispenser near the road in a conspicuous place. This is a friendly way to help your neighbor help you.

6. Talk To Your Neighbor 

If you have a constant problem with the same neighbor letting their dog poop in their yard, perhaps the easiest solution is to ask them to stop. But before you do that, make sure you know who’s to blame. 

Don’t make assumptions unless you have 

seen the dog with your own eyes. Here are some tips on how to convince your neighbor to pick up their dogs poo:

Find a good time to talk. 

Don’t mug them when they’re coming home from work or when they’re obviously about to leave the house. 

Don’t blame or threaten. 

Just let him or her know you’re bothered by the poop. Explain why you don’t want the dog to defecate on your lawn.

Talk about the smell, the risk of spreading disease, or the possibility of damaging your lawn. Let them know how uncomfortable the poop in your yard is making you. 

Offer solutions to the problem. 

Suggest they take dog bags with them when they go for a walk, or suggest a nearby dog ​​park they could go to instead of walking around the neighborhood. Don’t use retaliatory tactics like throwing poop on your neighbor’s porch or hurting their dog.

These actions create a hostile environment and do not solve your problem. Most people will probably start picking up after their dog at least outside your house as soon as you call them to order.

7. Put Up Signs

Many homeowners have found that simply putting up signs is enough to encourage neighbors to stay away from them completely. 

If you don’t know which neighbor’s dog is the problem, or prefer not to confront them directly, there is another way to achieve the same goal. You can put up signs near the street or sidewalk that say things like “Please clean up after your dog” and “Keep out.” 

Of course, the effectiveness of this method depends on the personality of your neighbor.

8. Install Security Cameras

Visible surveillance cameras and “Under Surveillance” signs are a great deterrent to all sorts of misdeeds, such as leaving dog poo in the garden. Security cameras also allow you to gather evidence that your neighbor is neglecting their dog so he can’t deny it. 

Video evidence is helpful if you end up having to file a complaint with  Animal Control or your HOA (homeowners association).

9. Create A “Poo Zone”

If you have a dog yourself, or you don’t mind other dogs coming into your yard, you may prefer a solution that simply prevents dogs from using your lawn as a toilet. In this case, you can try teaching your dog or other local dogs to use a  designated area instead of just walking in the middle of your manicured lawn. 

Create an area for the dogs, perhaps an area with sand, and encourage them to go there instead. If it’s your own dog, you simply need to train it the same way you train a puppy at home. 

Is It Legal For A Neighbor’s Dog To Poop In My Yard?

In most states, it’s illegal for dogs to poop in other people’s yards. In the same way, a neighbor’s dog entering your yard without your permission can fall under trespassing.

If a dog poops or urinates on your property, it is the dog owner’s responsibility. If the dog has caused damage, the owner must pay for the repair.

Depending on the laws where you live, your neighbor may have to pay a fine if they continue to let their dog poop in your yard.

A Last Legal Resort To Keep The Neighbor’s Dogs Off Your Grass

Local and state laws regulate how you can keep animals in residential areas. When talking directly to your neighbor is unsuccessful, understanding these laws is one of the first steps in resolving animal-related disputes. 

And as a last resort in this type of disagreement, you can file a civil harassment suit and seek a court order requiring your neighbor to resolve the issue in a timely manner.

Conclusion

There are many natural and chemical repellents to keep your neighbor’s dog from pooping on the front lawn. Some of these deterrents may already be in your kitchen. 

You can easily purchase others from Amazon or your favorite garden center. You can make your garden less attractive by setting your lawn sprinklers to spray it, or by removing balls or other interesting objects that might attract your neighbor’s dog.

Frequently Asked Questions