Can you Compost Dog Poop?

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Last updated: February 22, 2023

Can you compost dog poop? The simple answer is yes.

Dogs are the greatest, but getting rid of their poop is not.

Composting your dog’s poop is an environmentally friendly way to keep your yard healthy and clean for your dog, your family and your environment.


Do I Need to Compost My Dog’s Poop Before I Feed it to My Garden?

Your dog may seem at home in the backyard, but their poop will need some processing before it will be accepted back into the environment.

You will definitely need to put your dog’s poop through a composting process before you start feeding it to your plants.

Like all animal waste, dog poop will carry bacteria in it from your dog’s gut which if exposed directly to your garden may do more harm than good.

Roundworms are a nasty little hazard commonly found in dog poop.


Can I compost Dog Poop? Is it Safe?

Dog Poop compost is safe to use on most plants, but should not used on anything you plan to eat.

This is a precaution should any harmful bacteria survive through the composting process.

The key to ensuring that your dog’s poop has been properly composted is making sure that the waste is reaching the correcting temperature whilst composting.

The higher the temperature, the more bacteria is killed off during the composting process.

Some experts including the University of Florida recommend that your compost needs to reach at least 140 degrees F in order to kill off Roundworm, which is one of the toughest bacteria to get rid off.


What Can I Use Dog Poop Compost For?

Dog Poop can make great compost for ornamental gardens, flowers and shrubs.

It’s not recommended for any fruits or vegetables that you plan to eat, in case your dog passes on any unhealthy bacteria from their gut.

But many plants and flowers that provide shade or color to your garden may benefit from the extra nutrients.

purple flowers outdoors
Ornamental flower beds will love your new compost.

Like all animal manures, ensure that these areas of your garden are well away from where people may tread.

This is important for young children and pregnant women who may be more susceptible to bugs and germs.


How to Compost Dog Poop

There are several great methods available on the web for mastering the making of dog poop compost.

All of these methods share the following key elements to ensure that you get the best out of your poop.

Temperature

As I mentioned earlier, monitoring the temperature of your compost is key to creating the healthiest and cleanest mixture for your garden.

This can easily be achieved by regularly checking your compost with a long-stem thermometer.

In colder parts of the world you should consider getting a composting container with better walls for insulation.

So that the heat from the compost may be trapped inside the vessel and work more quickly and effectively in killing harmful bacteria.


Composting Additive

Turning your dog poop into compost requires the addition of another substance to accelerate the process and help kill off the bugs.

Dog poop compost
Adding some Septic Tank starter will help speed up the process. You can find this on Amazon.

Some methods recommend Septic Starter, which is especially designed for breaking down excrement and promoting good bacteria growth.

Other options may include sawdust or other natural green matter (lawn clippings, fruit scraps) both which assist in the production of enzymes to aid the biodegrading process.


what is the Best Dog Poop Composter?

There are plenty of decent composters around, and if you are on a tight budget or are particularly crafty you can even build your own.

If that seems like too much effort, here are few examples on the market to suit a variety of backyard composting needs:


Doggie Dooley

The Doggie Dooley is like a neat little septic tank for your pets.

It’s a small discreet container you can bury in your backyard, and with the luxury of a foot-operated lid to avoid you having to get any more down and dirty than you already have with your dog’s droppings.

Doggie Dooley also offers their own brand of “Waste Terminator” Septic solution to help break down the poop.

The Doggie Dooley comes in two different sizes, the smaller size being able to accommodate 2 large dogs or 4 small dogs depending on your needs.

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Four Paws Waste Manager

The Four Paws Waste Manager is another popular pet waste solution.

It functions in a similar way to the Doggie Dooley, but is sold in a kit that comes with its own enzyme tablets to help you get started.

In addition to this, its patented lid is also designed to collect rainwater, which helps speed up the poop breakdown process.

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Final Thoughts

Managing your pet’s waste in a sustainable way doesn’t need to be a chore.

And if you have other pets around the home you may consider looking for similar methods of disposing of their poop as well.

Hopefully by following some of these helpful tips you will be able to keep your best friend and your garden happy, healthy and green!

There are plenty of other ways to make your household more green, we have a great list here of the easy green new year’s resolutions for you to follow.


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Bel Herron

Ecostalk is your destination for finding and sharing great green ideas to help you live healthier, happier and in a more sustainable way.

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