How to Compost Dog Waste?

composting dog poop

In this article you will find out how to compost the right way - without buying unnecessary stuff websites will try to get you to buy.


The first thing you need to know is you should always compost dog waste, never put it in a septic tank. If you use a septic tank, you risk heating everything up so much that pathogens get destroyed and the necessary nutrients disappear. By not using a septic tank, you also prevent adding more stuff into an already overwhelmed system, whether it’s a landfill or a sewer.


Why should you compost dog waste?


Unless you know any better, you are bound to throw dog waste into a trash can and send it on its way to a sanitary landfill. By doing that, you are missing a great opportunity to improve your yard’s soil and trees. Without any organic matter, like composted dog waste, your soil will lack the necessary nutrients that no amount of chemicals will give.


When you compost dog waste, not only you improve your soil tenfold but you also save a lot of money on fertilizer. The only people who wouldn’t benefit from composting are people who live in apartments - but they wouldn’t have any use for fertilizer either. To those, we recommend using Doggielawn disposable dog potty lawn, because it is eco-friendly and easy to dispose of when you live in a small apartment or you have a small yard and you can still use it for your compost.


Does using dog waste create any problems?


Most of the harmful bacteria will die when you compost dog waste. There are unusual cases were pathogens travel from dogs to humans, such as roundworms who can survive up to 90 days if left alone.

Harmful worm eggs are destroyed after being composted for five days under 165 degrees. If you compost at 130 and turn it five times in three-day intervals, your compost pile will probably have no pathogens left in it after you’re done.


How do I compost?


Forget about having to buy an expensive storage bin. Composting is simple, natural, and easy to do.


1. The first thing you have to do is mark where you will be composting. Most people use a trash bin in order to save space - which is ideal if you have a small back yard. If you don’t want to buy a new bin, look for an old trash can around the neighborhood, people throw them out all the time. If you decide to use a bin, remember to drill holes on the side and bottom of it.


2. Always put dog waste first and cover it with carbon-like material such as grass clippings. Keep the dog waste to carbon material at a 2:1 ratio (What is the right composting ratio?). Use a shovel to put everything inside the bin.


3. Every few days toss old compost on the new pile you are making. A shovel full of it will be enough. This will help speed up the bacterial digestion of your new compost pile. If you have no old compost to use, dirt from your garden will help too. If you see an ad for a starter bacteria pack and think it would be a great idea to buy one - don’t. The starter bacteria advertised is the same you’ll find in your backyard dirt.


4. Always keep your compost pile moist. A good way to recycle water is to use the one you’re changing from your fish tanks - if you have any.


5. This final step is optional but always beneficial. For high-quality compost, you need to add worms - it’s a composting method also known as vermicomposting. If you decide to add worms to the mix, remember to add fruit peelings and other things like coffee grounds as food for the worms. When the worms are done eating the dog waste and everything else you added, you’ll find high-quality humus with no pathogens in your bin. There is a lot of information online about how you can become great at vermicomposting - and you should take advantage of them.


How to make the most out of the compost pile?


When your compost looks like regular soil, it’s time to use it. There is no exact timeframe on when that will happen - each compost pile works under different environmental conditions.

For example, if you live somewhere in the northern USA, your compost pile will not heat up at all in the winter - and no composting process will take place at that time. On the other hand, down at the tropics, a compost pile will take three months to get ready. If you are patient, you can make a compost pile anywhere!

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