Cleaning up dog poop is the one duty I dislike having as a dog owner, especially if it’s in my backyard.
It’s a messy job, and I’m fairly certain that the majority of you can relate. Even with the best dog cleaning tools, it can be challenging to pick up dog waste from the grass. It’s also difficult to see the dog poop now that the grass in the backyard has grown tall, which makes this chore even more difficult.
Most dog owners skip the pick-up process in order to avoid having to step in it and to avoid wasting time looking for dog poop to pick up instead of just mowing instead. But is this the right way to do it?.
I, for one, don’t do this. Yes, it makes the job easier, that’s a fact. But keep in mind that if you don’t pick up dog waste before mowing, there will be more serious problems.
There are some pretty compelling reasons to pick up dog waste prior to mowing, so why do you do it?
Why You Should Pick Up Dog Poop before Mowing
Any dog poop must always be removed before you begin mowing your lawn. Here’s why:
#1. Mowing doesn’t clean up dog poop. You might not see the poop after mowing a lawn covered in it, but it’s still there. Mowing causes the dog waste to be squished, shredded, and spread throughout your lawn.
#2. Dog waste isn’t a fertilizer. In contrast, it has a high nitrogen content, which may lead to soil imbalance. The imbalance reduces the availability of other nutrients in the soil, causing your lawn’s grass to turn yellow or even die. Additionally, the EPA classifies pet waste as a nonpoint source pollutant. Other nonpoint pollutants include toxic chemicals from cars (how to keep a car off your lawn), grease, oil, acid drainage, insecticides, and herbicides. These nonpoint pollutants can contaminate drinking water, harm recreational areas, endanger fish and wildlife, and destroy native plants.
# 3. Poop in the backyard can make your space smell bad and is an eyesore. Picking up dog droppings from your lawn will make it appear as though you’ve neglected your pet and your house in general. You don’t want that, especially if you’re planning to sell your home. A neglected lawn is a big turn-off and could significantly reduce the value of your home.
# 4. The feces from dog poop can be harmful to your health, which is another disadvantage of using it to mow your lawn. This is because it has dangerous parasites and bacteria that can make people sick and even make other animals sick. Some of the most common diseases include:
From Bacteria
From Parasites
It squishes and shreds, but does not vacuum
Looks can be deceiving especially when you have the “out of sight, out of mind” attitude. The average lawn mower will cut your grass 1.5 – 3 inches tall – one might like to believe that the mower has finely chopped the unwanted excrement into oblivion, but more than likely it has simply flattened the droppings below the grass line and out of view.
Dog poop is smooshed, dispersed, and – as many disgruntled landscapers will attest to – pressed into the inner workings of your wheels when using a push mower or ride-on mower, leaving a rather unpleasant stench for subsequent mows.
Since the poop has been flattened, it will be much harder to find it, and since you and your family are more likely to accidentally step on the hidden waste and drag it into the house, not scooping before you mow can actually cause more problems in the long run.
This is a common fallacy. The truth is that dog waste cannot serve as fertlizer on its own as it is very high in nitrogen and riddled with parasites that can actually contaminate your soil and spread harmful bacteria. It is only after dog waste is properly composted with other carbon materials for an extended period of time to form a humus that can then be recycled into the environment. .
Cattle are vegetarian by nature and produce the “ideal” manure for fertilizing that is mostly made of of digested grass and grain that has retained much of its nutrients . On average, their dung will contain about 3% nitrogen, 2% phosphorus, and 1% potassium, Upon comparison, dog poop has 2-1/2 times as much nitrogen and half as much potassium as cattle poo.
Too much nitrogen can lead to an imbalance in the soil, causing a significant decrease in calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. Ever wonder why you’re seeing yellow spots in your grass? You guessed it – an excess of nitrogen due to your dog’s bathroom habits.
Can I mow the lawn with dog poop on it?
The answer is categorically no; dog poop cannot be used to mow a lawn. Dog poop isn’t the fertilizer you’ve been looking for, at the very least. Even though it may appear to simplify your work, if you don’t pick up dog poop before mowing, there are more underlying issues.
Never mow the lawn with dog poop in it. Any bacteria or parasites in the poop will be spread throughout your yard by your lawnmower.
FAQ
What happens if you mow a lawn with dog poop?
You are spreading chemicals that the EPA and CDC have deemed “toxic” across your lawn by leaving the dog’s waste in the backyard while you mow. It will undoubtedly make your lush green grass look and feel less vibrant, and it will increase your risk of contracting zoonoses.
Is dog poop toxic to grass?
Animal waste immediately harms grass, seeds, and living plants. If allowed to rot, this material becomes toxic and breaks down in the soil. Numerous bacteria and viruses, including those that cause campylobacteriosis, salmonellosis, coccidia, toxocarisis, cysticerosis (tapeworms), and E
Is it bad to leave dog poop on the ground?
What’s wrong with leaving dog waste on a lawn or other grassy area? Dog waste, when left on the ground, can be detrimental to lawns and other grassy areas. The waste contains bacteria that can contaminate the ground for years, making it dangerous for people to be around, especially children and pets.
What do you do when your yard is full of dog poop?
Basically, there are three ways to remove dog waste from your yard’s surfaces so that you can dispose of it: pick it up by hand, use a pooper scooper, or vacuum it up.