Puppy Waste Composter

You've got a dog. Dogs poop - that's all there is to it. Once they leave you a present you need to do something about it. Leaving it in your yard is uncool. Try having a party in your yard with dog poop all over.

Here's a little DIY project to deal with pet waste. No sense throwing it away when you can make it into something more useful = compost. A little disclaimer - I wouldn't use this compost on soils that are producing something you eat. So unless you are eating your flowers and shrubs, there is no reason that you can't put this compost on there.

Step 1 Exhibit 1 - The Container

It doesn't get much easier than thins folks. I went and bought a 4 dollar valve housing. This is the same thing you would buy if you wanted to put a valve for your in ground sprinkler system.

It is attached to an extra garbage can that was laying around the house. A little dremmel work and I had the bottom cut out. The cover is attached to the garbage can by four zip ties.

While I was drilling holes for the zip tiles I went ahead and put extra drainage holes in the sides. I really don' think those do anything and will be leaving them off next time.

Not shown, is that I wrapped the whole thing in landscaping fabric to keep the soil from coming in.

Comments

[alexk6606]

I would leave the holes because they help stimulate airflow which will speed the decomposition process. But you need to have the rocks to allow air to flow around the composter.

[ranex]

Good for small dogs but our big dog filled hers up right away

[poutery]

(removed by author or community request)

[portlandwingnut]

what makes you think that the local sewer facilities want to deal with a sudden influx of the community's dog crap and quite possibly millions of your PVA pet waste bags?? why continue to encourage people to place unnecessary burden on the rest of society when they can easily deal with this in their own backyard AND benefit from it?! no time like the present, people!

[tjcrandley]

Another suggestion on how to make the composting cycle continue on: add a packet of septic tank starter (available at any big-box home improvement store). The bacteria in the packet will help move the composting along, even in winter months when strait organic composting slows down. You could also buy the Dogie Do right decomposing powder, but from what I've read it's basically a repackaged septic start kit.

[gover57]

You should never use animal or human waste on and garden bed that will be used for food (veggie gardens, ...). This composted waste is okay for flower and decorative gardens only. Also, if your compost is working properly, it should not stop, it should continue all year long, as long as you feed it some dry brown yard waste as well (grass clippings/leaves) - this helps with the breakdown. And if you make it approximately large enough for 3 weeks worth of waste, you should not have to empty it for a year, as it will constantly break down. Oh, and yes, the holes in the side are good. more holes the better.

[bonnerphotographic]

Good point on not using it on anything that you are going to eat (See Step 4). Because of the size of this composter, it will stop working in the winter, or at least around here it will. It simply is too small and it gets too cold up here to keep it going year round.

[X_D_3_M_1]

i got a boston terrier puppy too with a blue coller

[bonnerphotographic]

Aren't they the best? Do you have any photos online?

[FrenchCrawler]

Maybe you should make another one, so when this one is filled, you can switch over to the other one and allow the waste to decompose. Then when the other one is filled, empty the full, yet decomposed one out and use it again.

[bonnerphotographic]

Exactly - that is at the end of Step 4. Because they are so cheap and easy to make I was thinking about sinking several in my yard, for one, it would be easier that way since my dog hasn't believed me yet that eliminating near this one is a good idea, and 2) then I can have several working at the same time.