How To Keep A Dog From Pooping In Your Yard: Natural Products To Stop Dogs From Pooping In The Yard

​Cuteness may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.​

You like to keep your front lawn looking and smelling nice. However, when dogs walk by and poop in your yard, it messes everything up.

You've tried putting up signs, but people don't like to scoop their dogs' poop. Or perhaps stray dogs are getting into your yard and pooping. Maybe you're having trouble training your dog not to poop on your lawn.

No matter what your issue is, there is a way to stop dogs from pooping in your yard. Here are some natural products and ideas you can use to avoid seeing poop on your lawn.

Nuli_k/iStock/Getty Images

If a dog is coming and pooping in your yard at a certain time every day, you can program your automatic sprinklers to stop him. This is completely harmless, as a little squirt of water won't hurt a dog. It will hopefully keep them away, though.

You can create DIY, natural homemade dog repellants to stop dogs from pooping in your yard. For instance, you could mix 1 cup of white vinegar with 2 cups of apple cider vinegar, and then mist your lawn with it. Another option is to mix white vinegar with lime juice, soak cotton balls in this mix, and place them around the areas where you don't want dogs to poop. Just make sure you avoid spraying your plants with vinegar.

You could also mix together a few drops of essential oils with water, put the mixture in a spray bottle, and then mist around your yard. The essential oils that are going to be the most effective include cinnamon, lemon, sour apple, orange, eucalyptus, and lemon eucalyptus. Use food-grade or therapeutic oils instead of the ones for the diffuser because they may contain harmful chemicals.

Note: While some dog repellant recipes may call for you to use ammonia, chili powder, or rubbing alcohol, these ingredients can be toxic to dogs and cause irritation. For instance, if a [dog ingests rubbing alcohol](https://bluepearlvet.com/articles/these-common-household-cleaners-can-actually-harm-your-pet/#:~:text=Isopropyl%20Alcohol%20(or%20rubbing%20alcohol,home%20on%20a%20pet), he may vomit, become disoriented, have a seizure, or experience respiratory depression. Ammonia ingestion can lead to tearing, burning, eye swelling, and irritation to the lungs and throat, which could cause coughing and airway inflammation. Whenever you're using any ingredients in dog repellants, look up information online about it or ask you're veterinarian if you're unsure as to whether or not they're safe for dogs.

You could always put barriers, such as a line of tall trees shrubs, or fences in order to keep dogs away from your lawn. This is certainly a more expensive option, but it could be a permanent solution that will always keep dogs away from your lawn. If you're trying to cut back on costs, you could just fence in certain areas, such as your garden, to keep your dogs out.

Dogs don't like walking on mulch or other ground covers that could irritate them. This could include thorny plant clippings from blackberry or rose, chunky pinecones, or large wood chips. On the other hand, dogs love to dig in the sand, so it's best to avoid using that throughout the yard.

Additionally, you could spray citrus oil around your yard or use citrus peels in places where you don't want the dogs to poop. Another solution is to plant prickly plants like prickly pear, hollies, aloe, agave, barberries, and huckleberry to keep dogs away. While garlic and onion could keep them away, you need to avoid using these since they are toxic to dogs if dogs eat them.

If the problem is dog owners, and not necessarily dogs, then you could put up signs that tell owners to pick up their dogs' poop from your yard. You could also install signage that shows how much of a fine an owner could pay if they are caught leaving poop on the ground. Your signs could include information on how you have recording devices on your property.

You may want to purchase products that are designed to keep dogs from pooping in the yard. One option is Bonide Go Away! Rabbit, Dog & Cat Repellent, Outdoor Animal Repellent Granules. This formula safely repels dogs as well as cats, rabbits, and other animals, prevents damage to property and plants, and is a pet training aid. Its natural ingredients include thyme oil and cinnamon oil, and it's not harmful to gardens, lawns, or flowerbeds. It can also be safely used around children.

Another helpful product is the VOTENVO Decorative Garden Fence, Animal Barrier Wire Fence for Yard. This decorative fence's measurements are 18" in height by 13" in width, and it's made with high-quality iron. It's also made with a rustproof coat, which means it's weather-resistant. You don't need any tools to to install the fence, and you can simply move it when you need to. It'll protect your trees, garden, and lawn from dogs.

There are many ways in which you can stop dogs from pooping in your yard, including buying the right products, using water to keep them away, and making homemade sprays. Before you concoct any DIY sprays, double-check to see that all the ingredients are safe for dogs.