Neighbour's dog doing its "business" on our lawn - small update p39

[Margo]

I would mention it to the neighbour and ask them to keep an eye on the dog until the fence is up.

I would not ask them to clear up the exisiting poop (and it sounds as though you have dealt with than anyway) but it sounds as though they probably have not noticed, or don't see it as an issue, so I think a polite

"You probably haven't realised, but Fido has been coming into our yard and doing his business - could you keep an eye on him, til the fence is finished, to make sure it doesn't happen again?" (If appropriate, you could also point our that your yard isn't dog proof, so that it is part concern over Fido's wellbeing as well as part you don't want dog dirt in your yard.

Alternatively, if you don;t want to speak to the neighbour, consider buying some of those 'get of my garden products and putting them down, and/or putting a temporary barrier across the gap.

[TootsNYC]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Several of you said this is a "one time incident". Well, yes and no. The dog has been coming into our yard every single day for the last week, and doing its business. So my view is that it's really multiple occasions. Or at least, one incident stretched over a number of days.

I think what people mean is, it's "one-time only" based on "time" being defined as "when the fence is down."

[z_squared82]

I'd clean it up myself, but ask the neighbor if you could borrow their pooper-scooper (or whatever tool they use to clean up their yard).

That way they are aware of the problem and are aware you aren't making a big deal of it (while the fence is going up).

[Outdoor Girl]

I'd clean it up myself, but ask the neighbor if you could borrow their pooper-scooper (or whatever tool they use to clean up their yard).

That way they are aware of the problem and are aware you aren't making a big deal of it (while the fence is going up).

I really like this.

[sparksals]

I'd clean it up myself, but ask the neighbor if you could borrow their pooper-scooper (or whatever tool they use to clean up their yard).

That way they are aware of the problem and are aware you aren't making a big deal of it (while the fence is going up).

This would be the best way to handle it.  There is nothing wrong with letting the neighbour know the dog is coming over to do his thing, but at the same time, you're not making a big deal of it since it is unusual circumstances.

[wyliefool]

If you get a giant bottle of cayenne pepper powder and scatter it around the gap and where the poop was it'll probably deter the dog. They like to sniff before pooping. I have to do that to keep the neighbor's dog out of my flower beds about every 6 months. After that he forgets.

[alkira6]

Okay, wait - HE is the one who doesn't want to make waves and yet is too sensitive to be the one to pick up the poo?  Does not compute with me. If he wants it to be his way then HE needs to be the one following up on it.

That said, I agree with the pps who said that asking the neighbor to borrow the pooper scooper would give them a "heads up" while also not being in their face about it. It is a tinge PA, but not really.

[bopper]

DF gets very squicked out when it comes to chores like this. So guess who went out last night and picked up the 10 stinking piles? Yup. Me. DF wasn't going to do it. I used a shovel and wrapped it in layers and layers of newspaper and stuck it in our bin.

When we had our first baby my DH said he was squicked out by barf. I said you are going to have to get over it.  He did.

[Arrynne]

I would assume the neighbor wasn't being malicious and was just a little clueless about where the extra poo had gone.   Neighbor should have been keeping a closer eye on his dog while the fence was down.  If it bugs you that much, ask him to please clean up after his dog.  Or at least lend you the pooper scooper. 

[LifeOnPluto]

Small update:

This week we found another five "piles" in our back yard.

This time, I firmly told DF that I was NOT picking them up, so he actually did it himself.

The fence is almost finished - there's only a small gap. DF has put up some barricading (on our side) so that the dog can't get through.

[Mikayla]

I think you made the right choice in just riding it out.

Also, on the issue of them noticing the sudden lack of poop....I'm not sure I'd notice it, for several reasons.  In the house I'm sharing now, for example, we have a lax arrangement on who picks it up.  I guess it's whoever notices it first. 

If it disappeared completely, I'd assume someone else was being extra vigilant!  And it wouldn't be noticed at all until I thanked them or commented on it.

[bopper]

Small update:

This week we found another five "piles" in our back yard.

This time, I firmly told DF that I was NOT picking them up, so he actually did it himself.

The fence is almost finished - there's only a small gap. DF has put up some barricading (on our side) so that the dog can't get through.

The only thing I might say to the neighbors is do they know that the dog is getting out of their yard and that you are concerned it could get away

[Cheapie]

Okay, wait - HE is the one who doesn't want to make waves and yet is too sensitive to be the one to pick up the poo?  Does not compute with me. If he wants it to be his way then HE needs to be the one following up on it.

That said, I agree with the pps who said that asking the neighbor to borrow the pooper scooper would give them a "heads up" while also not being in their face about it. It is a tinge PA, but not really.

I am glad to see someone suggest this!  I got to page 2 and no one had mentioned getting their pooper scooper ... definitely the first thing I would do.  And as a good dog owner, if my neighbor came over and kindly asked for the pooper scooper and explained what was happening, I would be over there like a shot to clean it up for them AND I would be blocking the gap so my doggie would stay safely in my yard.   

However, I wouldn't necessarily notice less poop in my yard.  We are pretty lucky in that our small dog does his business at the sides of our yard and we only clean it up about once a week or so.  I do the job as quickly as possible and try to block exactly what I am doing out of my mind ... have no idea how much poop I am scooping ... just want it gone!

[Dr. F.]

I'm glad the situation is well on it's way to being resolved. Every time I read the thread title, however, my brain went to this cartoon:

http://www.bestfunnyjokes4u.com/funny-cartoon-joke-lmao/

[Fleur]

Glad it's been resolved. I do have to say that I am in disagreement with the majority, though. I would have said something, very politely, to the neighbour. I am a little puzzled at the idea that the favour means that you can't say anything. A fence is a two sided thing, so it is not just the OP who benefits.