Neighbor/Dog Poo Issue

[disykat]

You can just say that you notice that their dog is pooping in your yard and that even though they clean it up you would appreciate it if they didn’t let the dog go there.
Approach them in a friendly way, maybe even make a joke about it or something. That way they won’t feel the need to get defensive and compative.

I would do this but add "hey, x tracked dog poop in the other day between the car and the house." No reason for them to be combative, it's just a fact - and it is sort of amusing on many levels.

 

[thinkerbell]

Are one of you my neighbor?? Since I posted this, they have not brought their dog into our yard. Hopefully that continues.

 

[Cheburashka]

Let it go. They're cleaning it up, so it isn't a real problem. This is the kind of thing you have to deal with living in a townhome and having a connected yard. Even if you had your own house, it could happen with an unfenced front yard. It's better to have this very minor annoyance, than to have a feud with your neighbors.

As for germs possibly being on the bottom of your shoes, well, consider what is on the bottom of your shoes after a day out in public places, using public restrooms, etc. We live in a world of germs and that's natural. Stressing over it so much isn't healthy.

 

[Lilsia]

Are one of you my neighbor?? Since I posted this, they have not brought their dog into our yard. Hopefully that continues.

Fingers crossed they stay on their side. We had to move homes because of our neighbors' dogs. On both side of us, we had the most irresponsible dog owners possible. One side would breed their cocker spaniels for extra money. But they did not like to pick up the dog poop and put no effort into training them at all. The smell was horrendous and my kids could not go out and play in our yard because they would always bark and charge the fence scaring my kids. The other side got a dog that they would not train either and would leave outside. My office was on the lower level and the window looked out on the side yard in the back so I was pretty close to their back gate. The dog would see me through the window and bark constantly. Same issue with us not being able to go out because of that stupid dogs. I swear, a good 90% of people should not own dogs.

 

[DisneyOma]

I understood that, I would not have a problem.

You have no problem getting some small amount of dog poop on your shoes and bringing it into your car or into your house?

 

[DisneyOma]

I have a four month old black lab who poops in the leaves on the edge of the lawn of a house about half a block away, every time we walk by. Even after she has pooped at home, in our yard, she will poop there. She is a pooping machine, I guess. I scoop up a lot of the leaves along with the poop - at this rate, the homeowners won't need to rake the edge of the yard in a few months! There are a lot of leaves, BTW. I think they raked them to the curb thinking the town would pick them up with a streetsweeper? I still feel bad that she poops there, and we have changed our walk so that we are on the other side of the street. She tries to pull me over there, but I won't let her. I know I'm getting all of the poop picked up, and all the leaves that the poop touched, but it's still not nice to have a dog poop in front of your house when they walk by

 

[kdonnel]

You have no problem getting some small amount of dog poop on your shoes and bringing it into your car or into your house?

I imagine that happens. It has yet to kill me. I am not one to take off my shoes before entering my house or car. I have noticed crap and gum on my shoes while putting them on so I know I have tracked it through the house or my car.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

You have no problem getting some small amount of dog poop on your shoes and bringing it into your car or into your house?

Germs on my shoes don’t really bother me, but the smell of dog poop does, and I’m a huge dog person.

Overall I think the sign would eliminate the need to talk to the neighbors about this.

 

[disykat]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with asking a neighbor not to let their dog poop on the path between their car and their house - and there's really no excuse for neighbor apparently knowingly allowing it to happen. And no one should have to put a sign between their driveway and their front door for people to know that this is not a place to poop. We are not talking about the edge of the yard by the road here. We're talking about between their driveway and their door. I don't care if it is a townhouse, that is pretty specific space belonging to the resident.

 

[meggiebeth]

If there is a communal garden, how is it acceptable for dog owners to allow their dog to use someone’s private garden instead?

As a dog owner, I’d be mortified if my dog went to the toilet in someone else’s garden. A public pavement passing the gardens is one thing but private gardens should absolutely be off limits.

 

[Dentam]

You have no problem getting some small amount of dog poop on your shoes and bringing it into your car or into your house?

This thread makes me wonder how many people wear their shoes inside their homes. I was raised to take my shoes off before entering the house or right inside the front door. At least if you get it on the car floor it's not a surface you or your children are sitting/crawling on. And if you walk in parks at all like the ones we have all around my city, you are surely stepping in microscopic (or not so microscopic) bits of dog poop. As someone else mentioned, just think of all the other surfaces you walk on every day.

That said, now I own pets whereas growing up we weren't allowed to have them due to the cleanliness issue - my mom was and is fairly OCD about this stuff. With pets, there is just no way I can keep my place immaculate but I do still take my shoes off right inside the front door most of the time.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

This thread makes me wonder how many people wear their shoes inside their homes.

Well, everyone in our house wears their shoes inside. As did my family when I was a child.

Now, for the most part, we do tend to take our shoes off once inside. Not at the door, but INSIDE, in our rooms and walk around inside the house in stocking/bare feet.

 

[Dcgc28]

I would be upset but like many have said there’s only a small amount that can be done about it. Either have to break the ice in the awkward conversation or try to drop hints.

The only time I’ve ever had an issue is when a dog recently tried to bite me and a few days later my daughter. When I say “tried” it took me physically holding the dog from doing it in both situations. I felt I have to call animal control and they didn’t take the owners dog, and I didn’t want them to. But they did fine them and remind them about the leash laws here.

That being said I’ve never called or had a conversation about poop, usually just clean it and move on. But I can understand the frustration and I’d say to talk with them if it bothers you enough.

 

[HopperFan]

This thread makes me wonder how many people wear their shoes inside their homes. I was raised to take my shoes off before entering the house or right inside the front door. At least if you get it on the car floor it's not a surface you or your children are sitting/crawling on. And if you walk in parks at all like the ones we have all around my city, you are surely stepping in microscopic (or not so microscopic) bits of dog poop. As someone else mentioned, just think of all the other surfaces you walk on every day.

That said, now I own pets whereas growing up we weren't allowed to have them due to the cleanliness issue - my mom was and is fairly OCD about this stuff. With pets, there is just no way I can keep my place immaculate but I do still take my shoes off right inside the front door most of the time.

Interesting thread here about that question ...

https://www.disboards.com/threads/awkward-situation-no-shoes-at-baby-shower.3867616/

 

[TheIncredibles!]

I have found that the best way to deal with dumb people is to somehow make it a YOU issue not a THEM issue.

Oh dear neighbor. I am so sorry. I have OCD and while I know you are cleaning up after your pup, all I can think of is that I am still stepping on that spot. I know it's a bit silly etc and I apologize for taking what seems like a small thing and making it a big deal but I can't help it. Could you possibly have the dog try and find another favorite spot for me so I can tell my OCD to stop focusing on this? Thanks!

I do have a clinical OCD diagnosis but really anybody can use this excuse