This has bothered me for a long time, so I’m finally venting about it. Why is it okay for my neighbors to let their dogs pee on my lawn, but I can’t pee on their lawns? I estimate that 20 to 30 dogs pee on my lawn daily. And their owners think it’s soooooo cute when they’re walking the dogs and the dogs choose my lawn to take a pee. Why is that okay? I think it’s disgusting, frankly, and I think they should have their dogs pee on their own lawns. Why can’t I pee on their lawns?
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10 Aug 08 at 10:44 am[...] but recently, I was taken aback by this provocative question from Tracy (the blog’s author): “Why Cant I Pee On My Neighbor’s Lawn?” She laments the fact that her neighbors’ dogs have taken a liking to her lawn, and not in a [...]
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About the Author
Tracy Coenen is a forensic accountant and fraud examiner who investigates white collar crimes, including cases of financial statement fraud, embezzlement, tax fraud, and insurance fraud. She is the author of Essentials of Corporate Fraud and more than 100 articles on fraud featured in industry publications.
05 Aug 08 at 8:18 pm
Wow, Tracy, that’s a pretty weird fantasy you have there … seriously, you are begging to be taken out of context: “On the news at noon: blogger and forensic accountant Tracy Coenen wants to pee on YOUR lawn … but first, we have exclusive footage of Brett Favre walking.”
Of course, the reason it is acceptable is because it is acceptable in our society. Same reason why I can’t sue my neighbor for noise pollution for using a gas mower at 8am on a Saturday. In a different society, that would not be acceptable and would possibly be illegal.
05 Aug 08 at 8:20 pm
But it’s NOT acceptable. I don’t want dogs peeing on my lawn!!!!
05 Aug 08 at 8:22 pm
How many people have pets? I bet all of them will say it is acceptable. Considering the minimal damage it does to your lawn, you have little hope of outlawing it, and your only hope is to change everyone else’s mind on the matter. Good luck.
Or, you could just act like a crazy person and scream at anyone who lets their dog relieve itself on your lawn. That would help. Or you could move to a less busy area.
05 Aug 08 at 8:23 pm
Good question Tracey! My husband and I catch the neighbors walking their dogs down the street and ocasionally Fido stops to poop on our lawn. Thankfully they gather the junk that has fallen from their dogs trunk but I know they are peeing on the lawn too. We all know dog urine does a number on a great looking lawn. Do we have to put up a sign with dog peeing in a crossed out circle letting our neighbors we don’t want them doing thier business on our lawns just like we put up signs to stop solicitors…
On a scale of 1 - 10 for entertainment value this blog gets a 10 from me. Very amusing and makes you think for a moment… Hmmmm Why can’t I pee on my neighbors lawn?
05 Aug 08 at 8:25 pm
See, it’s not about damage to me. It’s just gross and rude and it IS trespassing. Why do pet owners get the benefit of the doubt on this? Aren’t my property rights superior to their right to have their dog pee wherever they want? I know this is a losing argument because people DO think their pets should be able to do anything anywhere and everyone should love it. It’s disgusting. It’s dirty. It’s unsanitary. And it’s rude. Blech.
05 Aug 08 at 8:26 pm
Barbara - Thank you for positively reinforcing my unusual rantings.
06 Aug 08 at 6:22 am
Hey, as long as I don’t have to look at your bare butt I don’t give a hoot if you pee on my lawn. Its pee . . its slightly acidic water. get over it. If you really take an issue, fence in your yard. I’ve had a dog for 12 years. I always clean up after him, and if there is a sidewalk, we try to stick to the sidewalk. but you can’t keep a dog strictly on the sidewalk, and frankly I don’t know about your state but in mine, if your yard extends to the street, the first 10 feet of it are considered common walkway anyway.
I”m with Mike. No one stops my neighbors kids from screeching like banshees, and frankly their litter is much more unsightly than my dog’s pee.
06 Aug 08 at 7:35 am
Why should I have to pay for fencing just because others don’t respect my property rights? (I’d be all for the kids shutting up too, by the way.)
06 Aug 08 at 8:01 am
For the record, I’m with Tracy on this. When I’m walking my dogs, I don’t permit them to walk on people’s lawns or to mark on private property, only on public boulevards (which is where all the good lamposts and fire hydrants are anyways), and certainly not doing #2. Letting your dogs relieve themselves on someone else’s private property is disrepectful and rude. I regret that we’re at a point in society where people rationalize away ignorant and anti-social behaviors as okay.
06 Aug 08 at 8:04 am
I love it when people see things my way!!!
06 Aug 08 at 8:49 am
Do you call it trespassing when a squirrel walks across your lawn too? It’s pretty hard to tell an animal where it can’t pee.
06 Aug 08 at 8:55 am
If an owner of a pet cannot properly train the pet and control it, then the owner should keep the pet in its own yard to avoid trespassing on other people’s property and committing unsanitary acts on the property of others.
06 Aug 08 at 9:45 am
I own two dogs, and it bugs the crap out of me that other pet owners think it’s OK to disrespect other people’s property. I’m embarrassed any time my dogs even step on someone’s yard, I would never let them take a leak on it. To those who say you can’t control where your dog does its business, try buying a leash, it makes a superb method of control.
As to the squirrel question: yes, I call it trespassing, and I let my dogs deal with squirrels as they see fit.
06 Aug 08 at 12:54 pm
Tracy,
My understanding of people walking their dogs in the first place is to give the animal exercise. Most dogs (at least the ones my friends have) usually pee as soon as they are let outside on the first thing they find interesting. Sure some like to mark their teratory but I feel a leash does make a world of differance on how much control an owner has over their animals.
I am lucky enought ot live in an area where my neighbors and I live on a 1/2 acre lot. We also have areas that are considered green belts, which means nothing can be built on them (Untill the county decides there is no where else to build and they want more money coming in). I know my neighbor would not want someone elses dog doing thier business in their yard, especially knowing we all have a 1/2 acre to let the dog roam (most yards fenced in also).
My reasoning for finding it anoying also has to do with the fact that I ownwed a cat who would see a neighbor dog (or cat) wandering around and the first thing my cat would do is pee at the doors on the insde of the home to mark his terratory because he felt threatened by the neighbor dog (or cat). Let me tell you cat urine is much worse than dog urine. If your dog can pee on my lawn then my cat should be aloud to pee on your front step. Then tell me how anoying that is.
By the way did any of you know it is possible to train a dog to use a litter box??? True story.
10 Aug 08 at 12:59 am
I find it horrible and rude that my neighbors’ dogs do the same thing. They casually walk past my house then have their dog take a leak on my prized flower bushes. I end up having to replace my plants because of the damage the dogs do. There are also leashless dogs that roam our street once in a while and enter my yard (somehow) scaring my children. They are not vicious dogs, but some are larger dogs that can intimidate younger kids.
When dog owners allow their dogs to do these things, it’s just a sheer lack of disrespect. Then again, I have an outdoor cat who does whatever he wants. But at least he only stays in our yard napping under the bushes most of the time.
I feel for you!
10 Aug 08 at 6:34 am
You must own or hire dogs to pee on their lawns, unless the dog owners themselves begin to pee on your lawn; in that event, you are then allowed to personally pee on their lawns, sans dog ownership/employment requirement. The trick is figuring out where these people live, so that you don’t pee on the lawns of the innocents. Of course, if these so-called innocents themselves own dogs, then their dogs are undoubtedly peeing on SOMEone’s lawn, which in my view (and therefore also in the law’s view), constitutes justification for you to go ahead and pee on their lawn anyway. Good luck.
11 Aug 08 at 7:36 am
Tracy,
Full disclosure: I have 2 dogs and yes, they do pee in people’s yards. I doubt it does that much damage, but if you have evidence to the contrary, please share. I would say 95% of the time my dogs pee in the grass space between the street and the sidewalk, which is not considered the home owner’s property anyway. I don’t know how it works in your city/state, but I imagine most places have right-of-ways or easements similar to my town. Now, if the people are “walking” their dogs with no leash and the dogs run up to your front door and pee, that is a different story.
If it irks you that much, why not move somewhere where you have no neighbors to worry about? I’m sure there are things you do that your neighbors don’t like…it’s called being a part of society. Either deal with it or move.
And Digerati - you crack me up. You first complain about people letting their dogs pee on your prized flowers, but then readily admit you have a cat that is outdoors running free. Pot, meet kettle.
Kevin
11 Aug 08 at 7:39 am
Kevin - You do have to admit that it’s kind of silly to think that I should move because the people in my neighborhood do not respect my property rights. It’s a simple matter of mine versus theirs. THEIR dog should stay off MY lawn. Whatever they want to do with their dogs in their own yards is fine by me. Just not on my property, which I have paid for, and on which I have the right to dictate what happens. I don’t want dogs peeing on my lawn. I don’t care if they damage it or not. They don’t belong on my property, period.
11 Aug 08 at 8:03 am
Tracy -
I don’t think my suggestion is silly at all. My whole point was - if it bothers you that much you have to consider whether living there is worth it. If you can’t deal with things that are going on around you, in this case dogs peeing on your lawn, maybe you need to move. It obviously bothers you quite a bit.
A similar example - at my first house, we had a neighbor 2 doors up that was a complete @ss. He once parked a pickup truck with a camping trailer right in front of our house. It had to be about 75-100 ft long total. It is a public street, but I asked him politely to move it and explained we had company coming over later that day and needed the parking space. He proceeded to scream at me that “he had lived there longer than I had and could do whatever the hell he wanted.” Then his son came out and did the same. We moved a few months later because of this and a few other incidents. Why would I want to live in a place that caused me so much grief? It seems you are in the same situation.
I assume you’ve never set foot on someone else’s property? Because that’s what you are suggesting with your post.
11 Aug 08 at 8:10 am
Kevin - You’re right. I don’t go on the property of others and I certainly don’t leave trash or waste on their property.
And you’re missing my whole point. The point is that others need to respect the rights of me and every other property owner in the neighborhood. They should keep their dogs off others’ property. THEY are the one who should be modifying their behavior, not me. Your situation isn’t the same: Parking on a public street is parking on a public street. Trespassing and defacing the property of another is not legal. Although in the case of dogs, their owners apparently have no problem justifying their behavior.
11 Aug 08 at 8:17 am
Tracy -
You once again missed the point of my example. I was merely suggesting that the situation got so bad for me that I decided it was better to move than to continue being frustrated by this angry-at-the-world neighbor. It seems to me that unless you hire a guard to protect your precious grass, dogs will continue to water it. If it frustrates you that much, then move. Otherwise, deal with it or call the police. When they’re done laughing at you for reporting Fido or Spot, I’m sure they’ll come right over.
I bet if I took a anonymous poll of your neighbors there would be something that you did that they didn’t like. You may not even realize it, just like dog owners may not realize that their dogs peeing on your lawn angers you so much.
Kevin
11 Aug 08 at 8:21 am
Kevin - I understand that you’re trying to rationalize law-breaking, as all the dog owners in the neighborhood do. Not only is their behavior against the law, it’s rude and inconsiderate.
You could take a poll of my neighbors, and with the exception of about 4 of them, they’d say WHO? They rarely see me. They never hear me. They certainly don’t see me on their property or even in the vicinity of it. I mind my own business and don’t bother anyone because I’m a good neighbor.
On the other hand, we have 20 to 30 neighbors each day who are breaking the law and defiling my property. You can justify it all you want, but the point is that they are disrespecting my property rights. And I shouldn’t have to move because of it. They should start following the law and respecting their neighbors.
11 Aug 08 at 9:07 am
Tracy -
Where exactly did I rationalize law-breaking? I guess you read my first post that stated I was a dog-owner and immediately put a slant on my words.
Have you tried stopping any of these people and asking them not to allow their dogs to pee on your lawn? Or is it easier just to complain about it on a blog? It seems like you would fare much better in a rural area just by your comments about this dog issue and “wanting kids to shut up”.
Kevin
11 Aug 08 at 9:11 am
LOL - Because most parents don’t parent anymore and don’t teach their children respect and manners, I’m moving to a farm! You’ve been drinking somebody’s Kool-Aid. I’m not sure whose it is, but it sounds like the kind in which no one takes personal responsibility, misbehaving is cute (especially if we give it a cute name like “having a meltdown”) and too bad if others don’t like the inconsiderate (and law-breaking) behavior of you, your family, and your pets. Thanks for participating here!
11 Aug 08 at 2:16 pm
How about installing a motion-detecting lawn sprinkler? If the dogs can sprinkle on your lawn, why sprinkle back? Hopefully the neighbours and their dogs will get the message.
http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.aspx?c=2&p=44958&cat=2,2280,33159
(No affiliation with Lee Valley, just an avid fan of their products. This one keeps squirrels away from Mr DC’s tomato garden.)
… DC. My drippiness comes from Dividend reinvestment programs, not critters
11 Aug 08 at 9:07 pm
Kevin. You are an idiot, and by the way I’m being kind. You obviously advocate for annoying behaviors which you engage in yourself. Why don’t you stfu or at least have some empathy. Your posts identify you as a selfless idiot. Tracey, I totally agree with you.
11 Aug 08 at 11:43 pm
Sorry Kevin. I meant to say selfish not selfless. Your attitude disgusts me. I have inconsiderate neighbors such as yourself. You have posted nothing helpful and in fact have been verbally assaulting someone who is looking for help and reassurance. I would certainly like to pee in your yard.
11 Aug 08 at 11:44 pm
If not your face!!!!!!!!!!!!
11 Aug 08 at 11:53 pm
BTY Kevin. How old are you. Sounds to me that you must be about twelve by your attitude to others rights. Oh, and if you moved because you couldn’t stand up to your previous neighbors then you are a wuss and your comments are moot.
12 Aug 08 at 12:24 am
Tracy, A simple solution….treat your lawn with weed killer and insecticide, then post caution signs. Totally legal. Or, if you are environmentally conscious, then just post the signs (available at hardware or garden stores). I live in Canada, which is a civilized society. In other words, it is against the law to trespass on others property. Here we are responsible for the upkeep of any common property adjacent to the road and are protected as such.
12 Aug 08 at 6:20 am
Ian, don’t you have anything better to do? Your email to me didn’t even make any sense …
12 Aug 08 at 8:07 am
I love Ian! He’s on my side!
The reason so many dog owners let their dogs defile the property of others is because somehow they feel entitled to do so. They think their rights as dog owners trump the rights of property owners. Really, they do not on paper, but law enforcement generally doesn’t enforce laws against trespassing.
I just wish dog owners were more courteous and respectful and didn’t let their dogs do disgusting things on my property.
12 Aug 08 at 12:30 pm
Tracy,
I’m back again with a little something to brighten your day. I read this article and thought of your post. I figured it would make you laugh and let those dog owners out there know what can be done if they are not careful.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/10/AR2008081001943.html
I was amazed to see 33 posts after it just sat at 14 for a few days. You have obviously hit a nerve in a few people out there who do not agree with you. I believe we are all intitled to our own opinions. Some are just a little narrow minded in their views.
12 Aug 08 at 6:46 pm
look - get yourself a paint-ball gun - order skunk essence online- refill the paintballs with the essence- then when you see the dog pissing on your lawn - pop him with that skunk ball - the dog owner will cease to think his precious pet is so cute for a few days until he gets all that stench off of the dog- - and if the dog owner is anywhere as smart as the dog, it will definitely be the last time that owner walks the canine offender on your side of the street -
22 Aug 08 at 11:00 am
Wow- there is a lot of hate on this blog site! I was walking my dogs today & one of them has a bladder infection. She tries to go pee but barely anything comes out. She was trying to pee on the strip of grass between the sidewalk & the street ( I believe this is a public area). The door opens at the house and a lady just glares at me. This sort of behavior does not help- she should say something to me. I didn’t think I was doing anything wrong, but I would apologize if it upset her. I walk my dogs in a public field & pick up all their waste. I wish people were not so hateful.
29 Aug 08 at 5:34 am
I got on the internet looking for help with just about the same problem Tracy has. I stumbled upon this web site, so I thought I would stay and read all of it. Now I have to add my two cents worth. It is extremely rude for someone to take their dog in front of another house and let him squat there. Even if it were on the public property in front of the house I hear someone in here refer to. Why don’t they take it to the public property right outside their own house if it isn’t so bad. That’s what I thought. Using the “public property” excuse is just another way of trying to rationalize their rude behavior. The city says that I have a responsibility to take care of that “public property” in front of my house. These dog owners don’t have diddly squat to do with that “public property.” I am just about fed up with it too. I have already had to threaten to beat one woman’s ass if she didn’t stop bringing her dog down to our house. I talked with another woman who told me she put a legal poison out in front of her house to kill the fleas the dogs brought with them when the owners walked them. Unfortunately, she told me, it killed a couple of those dogs. (snicker, snicker) I have had it with these dog owners and all of their rudeness, and I’m not going to put up with it any more. Now when dog owners walk their dog on our lawn they had better be prepared for some verbal abusement because they’re really going to hear it from me. Tracy, my hats off to you. I think it’s about time these dog owners learned a few manners-something they must have never been taught by their mothers.
29 Aug 08 at 8:41 am
I cannot believe people think it is funny that a pet has died! What if a neighbor hood kid had gotten into the poison- I guess that would be funny too. I mean according to your way of thinking they would deserve it for being on their property or the public property near them.
30 Aug 08 at 7:48 am
There are no kids around my area. Only obnoxious adults moving into town homes with huge pets and no room for them to squat. Besides, if there were kids I would tell them about what I had dusted on my front lawn. You can only tell an adult so many times before you get fed up with telling them. I now have another man walking his dog in my yard. I have told him and shown him my displeasure with him walking his dog. But he continues to do it without any regards for my wishes. You give me some good advice about keeping him off my frown lawn and I will not dust it with poison. These people seem to think they have a right to walk their dogs on other peoples’ front lawns because it is “public property.” What they forget to think about is that I also am a taxpayer and it is also my “public property”, and it is in front of my house. And I am the one the city of Houston relegates the responsibility to keep it clean and neat. People walking their dogs conveniently seem to forget that part. Well I for one am fed up with it and I’m not going to stand for it any more.
30 Aug 08 at 7:53 am
Jeffrey - I totally understand where you’re coming from. You see how many people pooh-pooh’d my thoughts here. The dog owners will claim what they’re doing is harmless, and by and large, the authorities let them continue to think that.
For me it comes down to basic property rights. I don’t go on their property without permission, they shouldn’t go on mine. I don’t care if they think their dog is cute or has an emergency or an urge…. It is trespassing and it is defacing of my property.
But that’s where our country has come: It’s all about “ME” for so many. They really don’t care about my rights, and the rest of society tells them that’s just fine!
30 Aug 08 at 9:40 am
Tracy, what I plan on doing is getting some signs with pictures of dogs squatting “X” ed out. I have already bought one off of the internet here saying “dogs and owners: this is not a good place to be doing your business.” I am also planning on getting some signs that say “Do not walk your dogs on this lawn.” Maybe this will work, I don’t know. But something needs to be done. I plan on putting four or five of these signs all over our front fence so no dog owner can say “Well, I didn’t see any of your signs.” Then I will really have justification for jumping on their butt when they walk their dogs across our lawn.
I symapthize with you and all that you are having to go through. Most people you ask to stop will do just that. But some just will not no matter what. Those are the ones I hate. Tracy, I wish you all the luck in the world trying to stop those people from using your lawn as a toilet. WOW!!! Just as I am finishing up writing this I am watching a man walk his dog and let him pee in my neighbors yard. Where do these rude people come from?
30 Aug 08 at 10:09 am
The acid test for the value/harm of a social behavior is to ask “what if everyone else did it?” Really, who wants to live in a neighborhood that’s knee deep in feces? In that light, the entitlement that “it’s public property” can be seen as facile rationalization for selfish, anti-social behavior.
10 Sep 08 at 10:15 am
Wow…I love this website because just recently I have begun to experience the “dog can pee anywhere it wants” attitude from the people walking their dogs past my property. I have lived in my house for 20 years and have had the occasional dog droppings left on my lawn (illegal in my city) over the years. Well, 10 months ago I had my entire yard re-landscaped and a new lawn put in. Things seemed to go well the first few months….but then I started seeing more and more dog droppings left on my new lawn. Over the years I averaged maybe two to three dropping left over a years length…but now I was starting to average one a week. I could never seem to catch the culprits. Well…things have now turned into a nightmare because the house next door sold and the new owner decided to make it a rental and he rented it to a dog owner. The new renter (lady) started bringing her dog over to get acquainted with the house and yard prior to moving in. She told me I had nothing to worry about as far as her dog was concerned because he was a male dog and he couldn’t “burn” the lawn if he peed on it. She told me it is only the females that do the lawn damage…not being a dog owner myself…I blindly believed her. Well…a few of the times she visited the house…her dog wouldn’t pee on her new property because the lawn there was also just replaced…so what did she do? She brought the dog over to my property under the pretense of coming over to talk with me as I was mowing and edging my lawn. No sooner did she come over…her dog promptly squatted in front of me and relieved his entire bladder on my new lawn and only feet from where I was working. She laughed….said great…he’s finally had his pee and off course she said…don’t worry…it won’t hurt the lawn and then she promptly walked away. At first I was stunned that she brought him over for the express purpose of peeing on my lawn so she could take him back home in her car…but as she left…I was then filled with anger that what she did was totally disrespectful, rude and inconsiderate. Well….guess what…within 3 days I had a burn mark about 1 foot in diameter on my lawn. Over the next few weeks more and more burn marks started showing up on my lawn prior to her moving in…I strongly suspect she was letting her dog relieve himself on my property because he wouldn’t pee in her yard during their “get acquainted” with yard visits. Since then I have looked up info on dogs and burn marks and have come to realize both sex dogs are very capable of burning lawns…the female dog getting the bum rap for most of them. I finally pulled the lady aside one day and explained to her about her misconception of male dogs not burning lawns and asked her nicely to please not let her dog pee on my lawn anymore…as I showed her all the unsightly burn marks scattered across my lawn. I have to admit…she has tried to make a concerted effort to keep her dog off my lawn but now I’m having to deal with her dog owner friends that come to visit her and feel their dog is “entitled” to pee and defecate wherever they want…including my yard. I would go into detail about a verbal confrontation I had with one of her friends but this post is getting too long. If anyone would like to hear about it and hear her reasoning that it’s okay…I would be glad to add another posting…thanks…what a great site to vent on!! LOL
10 Sep 08 at 11:16 am
Jeff H, what you need to do is go to Home Depot and buy a big jug of Roundup herbicide, and use it to spell out profanity on her front lawn.
That’ll learn her!
10 Sep 08 at 5:44 pm
Well….I have ordered an ultrasonic dog repeller to keep dogs out of my front yard…just hope it works but I don’t have a lot of faith that it will….LOL
10 Sep 08 at 9:40 pm
I am having the same problem with dog owners in my subdivision. I recently moved from the city with my dog to the suburbs. My dog urinates on concrete sidewalks and my driveway (no lawns in city) I’m a corner lot that has a buffer with shrubs on the side of my house. One neighbor walks his beagles past my home every morning at different times. I have caught his dogs several times on my buffer urinating and deficating. I as well as my spouse have requested he keep dogs off buffer and lawn and suggested he allow them to relieve themselves on his own property. He plays stupid and agrees each time to keep them off but continually allows dogs to relieve themselves on my property. The shrub area now smells like urine. I too fantasize about retaliation…I was thinking about going over to his property and allowing my dog to pee/poo on his property but I just haven’t acted on this. I’m frustrated with this neighbor but don’t think 2 wrongs make a right. Instead, I bought a cat/dog repellant that I plan on spreading on my buffer tomorrow. If this doesn’t work I may reconsider heading over to his house for a stroll with my pup. Any advice???
11 Sep 08 at 10:41 am
Hi Laura…I’m not sure retaliation will necessarily work…it may only make the matter worse with the neighbor. Obviously he doesn’t care what you think…only giving you lip service when you confront him. I have found most dog owners only care about the comfort of their pet and have little or no regard for anyone else’s property or feelings (there are some exceptions…but very few). I have looked into the cat/dog repellent stuff but once you water the lawn or shrubs or whatever you have….it dilutes or washes away the repellent…you would almost have to re-apply the repellent every day for it to be effective. Hopefully the ultrasonic repeller I have ordered will work…I’ll let you know
11 Sep 08 at 3:13 pm
Laura, if you retaliate, you have to take the nuclear option. Scorched earth, literally.
I’ve heard good things about the ultrasonic repellers. I hope it works out for Jeff H.
15 Sep 08 at 10:50 am
I too think this is a disgrace, People let their dogs relieve themselves and poop all over our street, and when asked to “not let them ” I get the same lip service. There is a particular lady who lets her dog poo right outside my gate ! I have also asked this lady to stop her dog doing this and again I get the same oh I’m sorry reply, like she thought I wouldn’t mind this ? I also have a dog, and, 2 young children and neither my dog or infact my children poo or pee in the street. So after a couple of days of the poo being right outside my gate I got annoyed, and waited one morning for her to pass, and sure enough the little dog stopped to have his poo, and the lady looked right at me with as much to say, what can I do ? So I shouted at the dog in the same way as I used to have to shout at my dog when he was a pup for doing something wrong, only I did it alot louder and with more aggression moving hurridly towards the dog, and the little dog jumped and tried to run to the otherside of the street almost pulling the lady along with her. After a couple of seconds when the lady realised what had happened, she exclaimed, ” what did you do that for”, so I explained that if she couldn’t stop her dog from pooing there, then it was down to me to stop the dog.
Needless to say the dog no longer wants to pass our house anymore let alone poo right outside it.
Also when I am cleaning the pavement outside our house I use bleach and after rinsing it off I spread pepper while the pavement is still damp and make sure it gets into all the cracks, this also helps deter dogs from passing and is mostly harmless, although it does tend to need re-applying often as it is washed away easily. I also had a problem with cats pooing in my plant pots, so I trimmed ,my rose and lay the branches with all the thorns in the bottom of the pots, I havn’t had any poo in them since doing so.
It really is getting grim when you have no choice but to control other peoples pets for them, really these people shouldn’t be allowed pets, they give responsible pet owners a bad name due to their laziness. I really do feel for you Tracy but it sounds like the time has come for you too to take preventitave actions and take matters into your own hands.
23 Sep 08 at 4:14 pm
Well…..save your money and don’t buy an ultrasonic dog repeller! It had absolutely no affect on the dogs that passed withing 6-7 feet of it. What a disappointment! I had high hopes this would discourage dogs from pooing on my property. I’ve tried several of the settings with no luck…they don’t even acknowledge that there is any unusual sound whatsoever. Guess I will send it back and this one was supposed to be one of the best on the market….oh well. And to insult to injury…I found a nice fresh dog poo this morning next to my driveway. Amazing how many of these dog owners walk their dogs under the cover of darkness or early morning (before light) when they most likely won’t be seen letting their dogs use everyones front yard as their personal bathroom!
30 Sep 08 at 8:59 am
Responding to Alba’s message on Aug. 6th About the squirrels tresspassing on my lawn. I don’t reprimand them, I just capture them, then shoot them with a BB gun. They’re pests anyways. Enough said. Besides, animals are dumb and don’t know any better-People walking pets aren’t and they should know better.
I have many traps, and I will not hesitate to use them on rude owners dogs when they come tresspassing on my lawn. Except I will not shoot them; however the owners will be missing a dog when they wake up. I have had it with all these rude people. In my area are all these rude people moving into townhomes with no room whatsoever for an animal, yet they bring them-big animals-and I for one am fed up with it. Most rude people with animals around here don’t even have the dignity to pick up after their animals even though it is an ordinance where I live.
30 Sep 08 at 5:01 pm
Well, it’s finally happened. Someone walked their dog on my lawn when I was in a bad mood, and I let them know just how I felt about it. I imagine the entire neighborhood heard me. I must have called her every dirty, nasty word in the entire dictionary. She was a lesbian walking her two dogs when she stopped by my house to let her dogs pee on the lawn. I have had it with them and I am not going to take it any more. Where on earth do these nasty SOB’s come from. I just hope some other people in my neighborhood that have dogs heard exactly what I told her because they will be getting the same treatment if they walk their dogs on my lawn. Enough is enough!
30 Sep 08 at 5:23 pm
Tracy, you opened up a hornet’s nest with your blog “why can’t I pee on my neighbor’s lawn.” Bravo, bravo Now, why don’t we all get together and see if we can’t find a solution to these rude assho…. uh, individuals who use our lawns as their own personal toilets.
30 Sep 08 at 5:33 pm
Jeff - I did the same thing to a neighbor minus the yelling and cursing. They had a dog - not even on a leash - and let him wander all through my yard and pee near my house. When I opened the door and said that I didn’t want their dog on my private property, especially if he is peeing there, they said my lawn looked like it could use some water anyway. I informed them that dog pee is not water and that I’d appreciate it if they and their pet stay off my property. I’m sure that only encourages them more.
01 Oct 08 at 1:18 pm
Well…What can I say besides it’s nice to know I’m not alone in my anger and frustration with dog owners. I sent my ultrasonic dog repeller back after it failed miserably for dogs and it did no better on the explosion of squirrels around here this year. I had gone back and dug up all the dog burn holes (15 of them) and replanted them only to have the squirrels come and dig them all out after the seedlings were beginning to sprout. I’m not sure I care to take the same approach as Jeffrey about catching the squirrels and shooting them with a BB gun…but I will catch them and re-locate them to a park about 3 miles from my house….lol I have had dog poo on my lawn twice this week…each time the dog owner has used the cover of darkness to hide his/her rudeness and inconsideration. I keep trying to catch them in the act…but I’ll be damned if I’m going to sit in the dark all night waiting. It’s just a matter of time till I catch them and have it out with them…I’m looking forward to it!!!
06 Oct 08 at 2:07 pm
Pet owners are responsible for their pets, just like parents are responsible for their children. If I let my kid pee on the neighbor’s lawn you can sure as hell assume that I’d hear about it. How is this any different? You can teach an old dog new tricks. Humans, however. . .
07 Oct 08 at 8:49 am
Tabitha,
Ask your mom if she can’t just twitch her nose a little and cause these rude people to disappear. That would be so nice. LOL.
10 Oct 08 at 9:46 pm
Uhm. Wow. I stumbled upon this while looking for something COMPLETELY unrelated, but it just seemed interested enough to read, and sadly I read down the whole comment list and was forced to put my opinion out there. To start off with, Tracy, go ahead and pee on my yard it’s cool with me, my grass will survive. But as a dog owner and someone who walks a dog I have to say that some of you are some extreme crazies. Firstly Ian(way back near the front), way to take the 6 year old’s course with the “peeing on your face” bit. You sound mature. Jeffery, yeah the innocent dog that doesn’t know any better deserved to die. Hilarious. let me remember that if your kid is on my yard. Cause I’ll warn you about the poison and then call it a day, regardless of what your retarded child does. It seems that everyone on here is COMPLETELY overreacting to dog walkers. Yeah I walk my dog and though I try to avoid it occasionally my dog will pee in someones yard.If I realize she’s doing it I’ll crank on the leash so she stops buts sometimes I miss it. Stuff happens, and getting this worked up over the issue is utterly ridiculous. Especially on property that in the case of a walking dog in likely legally COMMON PROPERTY. Jesus.
12 Oct 08 at 9:42 am
Came across this blog while doing a search for ideas on how to stop my neighbor from “sharing” the use of my compost heap in my back yard (he continually trots across my yard and dumps whatever yard waste into it). I have recently relocated because of a job placement from the country to the city. It’s been a bit of an adjustment living in such close proximity to others. I sure have noticed peoples lack of respect for one another is rampant. There are so many rules and by-laws created so people don’t have their rights or their “pursuit of happiness” stepped on. This seems to have the added effect of creating a society where all manner of rude and selfish behavior is tolerated and protected. Let me give you a country folk perspective on this one:
If you live in a rural area you are most likely living not very far from someone who raises livestock for a living. Where I grew up people just would never let their dogs run free onto others property. If they did their dogs would probably end up returning home with some buckshot in their hide or, the dog might just never return. Farmers can’t afford to tolerate other peoples pets wandering onto their property and messing with their animals. Dogs and cats are known killers of chickens and other fowl and dogs will chase cows/horses and cause them great stress. This is just a simple fact of country living. No one feels hard done by because of this it’s just the “way of the land” so to speak. I call it RESPECT. The only time there is any issue with this is when pencil neck from the city moves in and decides that that ‘Buttons’ the family dog deserves some freedom and is allowed to run free. Well that kind of thing usually corrects itself shortly. Anyways I realize that your situation is a bit different than what I have described but the underlying principal is the same. People need to respect one another. People in the city get away with disrespect and use rules and by-laws to hide behind. That’s because they are selfish and were not raised proper. Now for some “country boy” solutions to your problem. Remember; these people are hiding behind their “rights”. They know that what they are doing is morally wrong but figure that they’re right to happiness outweighs your own. In order to beat them at this game you just have to change the rules a bit. You have to visibly show them that you are not an easy push and that you are a strong person who is dedicated to your own right to happiness. Here are some ideas that come to mind just off the top of my head:
1. If you have kids (or your friends kids), bring them to the offenders house and have your kids take a leak in their front yard. This is a good retaliation because it’s “just kids” and most others would find it somewhat cute and humorous. I’m sure the home owner wouldn’t though. This is making a point. Do this as ofter as you can. Take the kids to the park or corner store and give um lots of juice. Repeat as needed.
2. Because you live in the city you can’t just set out poison for animals. This is often done in the country but I feel it’s not the proper way to go. It’s both cruel and dangerous to others. But here is where you can get inventive. Do some research and find out what causes dogs to have diarrhea. Now take the diarrhea inducing ingredient and make some very small portions mixed with something dogs love (i don’t know…peanut butter?). Now mix up a big batch of it and for the next week leave some on the edge of your yard. The dog will eat these up and if they are small enough the owner wont have time to take it out of the dogs mouth. The dog will eventually go home and crap all over the house. If the dog owner confronts you about the treats you can say that you put them out to feed the cute squirels and chipmunks or whatever and that if their dog wasn’t in your yard in the first place then they wouldn’t be getting into them. You can even be real gutsy and ask that they reimburse you for the cost of the treats seeing as how their pet keeps eating them all.
3. For people who are doing their dog-walks at off hours you will have to be very dedicated and actually set your alarm clock early. You should find yourself a slightly unobtrusive spot to sit and just wait quietly. When the person walks by with the dog and does their business you ask in a very loud voice (or mega phone if you have one): “JUST WHAT IN THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING?!!” this should startle the person and it also let’s them know that your onto them and can catch them. After they walk away leave some dog “treats” just in case they not yet on their way home and will be walking the dog back past your place.
4. I’m not sure how viable this one is for you but it’s a good one which my father has done a couple of times. If you have anyplace in town that deals in large to medium sized live traps such as a business that deals in pest control or maybe a hunting/sports store. Purchase or rent a dog sized live trap (a live trap is just a cage with a trap door that swings shut after an animal has walked into it. It doesn’t harm the animal at all) Place the trap closer to your house than to the road and slightly hidden so as to not attract attention. Put some tasty smelling stuff inside and now the “trap is set”. A lot of the worst offenders are people who leave their dogs off the leash. Hopefully you will end up having the rude person knocking on your door asking you to let their dog out of the trap. This is exactly what you want. The mere fact that you have it within your power to “contain” their pet will rattle them deep down. Let their pet out of the trap and say something about trying to catch a family of raccoons or skunks or whatever. Also mention something off hand about how you were to dispatch the intended captives of your trap. This also should make them think twice about you.
Well those are just a few ideas. You have to be inventive when it comes to dealing with tyrants. Show that you have more resolve than them and that dealing with you is going to be more trouble than a piss on a lawn is worth.
Have a good one eh!
20 Oct 08 at 10:16 am
Tracy, thank you so much for validating my feelings! It’s so good to know there are people out there that are as frustrated as my husband and I. We have been in our house 3 years and have nicely confronted 2 dog walkers (out of many). One neighbor complied with our wishes and now doesn’t talk to us anymore! The other, defiantly ignored our request and continues to walk his dog several times per day - obviously doing it on purpose to “punish” us. He “picks up” during the day, but does not pick up under the cloak of darkness. We do not understand why dog owners think it is okay to let their pets step on anyone’s property. Why should WE be the ones who have to pay for devices and fences to keep your dogs off our grass? I would like to hear an intelligent response from dog walkers as to why they think it’s acceptable to be rude. If we ask you not to allow your dog on our lawn, would you please just comply - without retaliation and anger?
26 Oct 08 at 12:51 pm
Tracey I agree with you 100%, some people today are so disrespectful and think they can do whatever they like, its called, sod you jack Im alright. I have two dogs and never have they peed or poohed on other peoples property, but Im very tempted to let them on my neighbours garden because she just lets her dog roam the whole street, what I did so I didnt reduce myself to her level was call the dog warden, I am in England, and they sent her a letter informing her of our dog roaming law, I have had three chinese takeaways delivered that I did not order, it did not bother me, I just felt sorry for the poor poeple who cooked £70 worth of food, it has worked though and she has her dog on a lead now. Also I would like to say to Tina, people are not hateful, they are sick of idiots who are obviously braindead if they cant understand how disgusting they are, on top of everything wee and pooh stinks to high heaven, and we then cant let our children play in our own gardens. Control your dogs.
07 Nov 08 at 2:22 pm
Chris, you invited yourself in. Now, let me invite you back out the door-and don’t let it hit you in the ass on your way out! Just as was said in the first place, these damned dog owners seem to think that just because it is “public property” or “common propoerty,” that gives them the right to do whatever they wish with that property, even when it is in front of my home. Chris, here’s an idea. Walk your damned dogs on your own “public property.” You know, the “public property” right in front of your own home. PROBLEM SOLVED.
Personal opinion: If someone has to walk a dog, then that tells me they have no room for the animal. They need to use a little something called common sense-not common property-and get rid of the animal they have no room for!
07 Nov 08 at 2:37 pm
Tracy,
I wonder what would happen if I put on a kilt with no underwear and went to one of these dog owners yard’s and squatted by bending my knees just a little leaving them a big surprise in their driveway. Even though I didn’t expose anything while squatting, I bet I would still go to jail for it. What’s the difference between my feces and a dogs. I mean feces is feces no matter where it comes from! I didn’t expose myself so why should I go to jail for it. Sort of like the problem “why can’t I pee in my neighbor’s yard.” I really see no difference in what I would have done and what dogs do, but I would be willing to bet you anything that I would be the one to go to jail for it. Just a little thought to ponder.