# Neighbors let their dogs sh$t on my lawn



## ATXGrass (May 1, 2021)

I live in a very nice neighborhood, and almost every day I find a pile of dog crap on my lawn. Even when the owner tries to take the crap, they leave a nasty mess of shite on my lawn. Is this legal? Any LEO on this forum?

Do you let your neighbors do this to your lawn? How do you deal with this? I've thought about watching my security videos and taking the steam piles back to the owner's porch.

I don't want to put a fence and signs along the sidewalk, but I'm guessing that may be the only thing that will work. I'm tired of cleaning up after lazy people, especially after spending so much time working on the lawn. Thanks for letting me vent!


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## Brou (Jun 18, 2020)

Signs are ugly but may work.

If/when this happens to me I plan to go out early in the morning and warn them that I frequently use industrial radiological chemicals (or some scary variance of that phrase) in the yard that will eventually give their dog and possibly anyone that plays or lives with the dog cancer.

You could also use that Nextdoor app and nicely ask your neighbors to limit their dogs activities to common areas, but there's no guarantee that the culprit uses the app.


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## Jeremy3292 (Apr 30, 2020)

Putting up a sign that says dangerous chemicals keep off is def a good one!


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## Awar (Feb 25, 2019)

I don't have that problem as the sidewalk is on the other side of the street so dog owners walk their dogs on the other side or some even in the street.

But we have a facebook group for our neighborhood and most home owners are on it. Neighbors sometimes take pictures of dog poop and post them with a polite message asking dog owners to clean up after their pets. It's a common issue and in my opinion it's best addressed if you catch someone in the act (or on camera) and ask them politely :thumbup:

I like Kamauxx's idea of warning them that you use chemicals that can cause issues :mrgreen:


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## DSchlauch (Jun 25, 2018)

https://gfycat.com/perfumedsinfulcopperbutterfly


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

I have cameras up but luckily the ones in my neighborhood are very good about picking up after their dogs.


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## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

I'm out in the lawn quite a bit, so I'm pretty sure I've put eyes on every community home owner that walks a dog. I think that's helped me in not waking up to turds on my lawn. I've seen dogs do their business on my lawn, but everyone has been responsible and picked it up. Only time I cringe is when it's loose poop, 'cause that tends to leave some behind. That's when I bust out the water hose.

But I won't hesitate to call someone out on our community Facebook page if I find out who left dog poop on a yard.


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## PhxHeat (Oct 18, 2019)

Pretty sure it happens in every neighborhood. In my experience most dog owners carry bags to pick up their dogs piles. BUT sometimes a dog will take a 2nd and the owner didn't have 2 bags.

Being a dog owner myself I have a "poop shovel" & small rake to clean up piles around the back yard. Well, turns out it also works in the front yard when somebody's dog gifts me a pile. I'm not thrilled when it happens, but we all know "stuff" happens.

My own experience . . . switching from rotary mowing my grass to reel cutting it has reduced dog use. Not just poop treasure, but peeing/burn spots too. NO JOKE. I see many owners purposely walk their dogs across the street to use those neighbors yards. We even had some neighborhood folks stop to ask for a bag because their dog dropped a surprise 2nd pile in the yard and "they didn't want to leave it on the nice grass" :shock: . I truly do not mind if a dog needs to use the grass, I'm happy most owners clean it up . . . the reduced use altogether and virtually no urine burn spots is pretty nice though.


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## DoubleBarrel (May 19, 2019)

Next time you spray, even if just a tank full of water, wear a full hazmat suit and respirator and make sure everyone sees you.


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## ag_fishing (Feb 3, 2021)

I've just scooped it up and thrown it back into their yard.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

I have had to speak man-to-man with a neighbor that I caught standing in my yard about 15 feet off the sidewalk letting his dog do his business in my front yard. I held my hands out like "What are you doing?" and then told him he needed to respect people's private property rights more. He replied "Aw, c'mon." I told him what I thought of that response, but this is a family friendly forum, so let's just say I used some colorful adult language. He started walking up the middle of the street when he sees me outside.

Anybody who leaves their doggie land mines in my yard, I just get the shovel and place them right in the middle of the sidewalk where the pile was made. They then have to walk around it, and so does everyone else. After doing this four times, no one lets their dog go in my yard now. They got the message.

The guy who let his dog go in my yard was attacked by a police K9 German Shepherd dog after repeatedly letting his dog relieve himself in the K9's yard. Dogs mark territory; other dogs figure out what dog is marking theirs, and then they fight if they ever meet. Dog stuff....

K9 bit the dog and then the man when he stepped in. Served him right, in my book. K9 had attacked another dog and got a letter from the City after that owner complained about leash law violation. Second time the K9 owner got fined $1,000. The K9 went to live somewhere else, and the owner moved right after that.

Lazy dog owners try and sneak away. Put their laziness on display.

I don't "shame" people on social media. Be a man and handle it.

No one wants to see that stuff right out on the sidewalk. And no one wants to step in it. Put it out there for the world to see.

Somehow, it ends up getting picked up, and the problem ends....


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## rjw0283 (May 11, 2020)

I can't say I have that problem. Out of the 60-80 houses in the neighborhood 95% of them have horrible lawns. It'd stick out a lot more in my yard so they must do a good job cleaning it up. There is a lady that walks a german shepherd that always pees on my mailbox so the grass never grows well there. It kind of helps as I don't have to trim around it often.


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## FATC1TY (Jul 12, 2017)

People let their dogs piss on my plants at the mailbox, and occasionally the utilities in my yard but most seem to keep their dogs out or off.

I have cameras and I have one lady with a really ugly little black dog she loves to stop and let him run everywhere in everyone's yard.

I plan to confront her when I see some dog crap in the yard left from her dog. I will go the route of letting them know my yard isn't like this without the help of stuff that likely isn't great for their animal. They don't know when I treated so stay off.


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## Brou (Jun 18, 2020)

I just looked outside and saw this guy, who imo is the worst dog walker in the neighborhood. He takes his dog out on a long leash, stops at someone's house, and let's the dog do whatever it wants while he plays on his phone. I've seen him stand in the street while his dog runs amuck throughout folk's lawns. He has zero concern for other people's property. I guess the guy that lives across from me has seen it too because he recently put a ugly "no dog poop" sign on his lawn. If you're going to let your dog burn spots in someone's lawn you could at least pretend to give a damn by keeping them near the street.


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## TheThirstyTurtle (May 3, 2019)

I've been having problems with a neighbor somewhere, don't know which one, whose dog has been peeing repeatedly on my front lawn near the sidewalk. Today it escalated where their dog crapped on my lawn and they just left it there.

Can anyone recommend a good webcam with really timely motion detection and good resolution so I can see who it is that's been leaving these nice little presents on my lawn?

It's really frustrating when you take care of your lawn to have a neighbor not have any respect at all and allow their dog to do their business on private property like that without the decency to clean it up!


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## wicknilly (May 13, 2021)

This post reminds me of my dad when I was a youngster. He put out a No Dog Poop sign and eventually started returning dog poo to the owner's mailboxes. Good times lol.


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## gkaneko (Dec 11, 2018)

I like the poisonous chemical sign idea.


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## Kicker (Apr 5, 2018)

PhxHeat said:


> Pretty sure it happens in every neighborhood. In my experience most dog owners carry bags to pick up their dogs piles. BUT sometimes a dog will take a 2nd and the owner didn't have 2 bags.
> 
> Being a dog owner myself I have a "poop shovel" & small rake to clean up piles around the back yard. Well, turns out it also works in the front yard when somebody's dog gifts me a pile. I'm not thrilled when it happens, but we all know "stuff" happens.
> 
> My own experience . . . switching from rotary mowing my grass to reel cutting it has reduced dog use. Not just poop treasure, but peeing/burn spots too. NO JOKE. I see many owners purposely walk their dogs across the street to use those neighbors yards. We even had some neighborhood folks stop to ask for a bag because their dog dropped a surprise 2nd pile in the yard and "they didn't want to leave it on the nice grass" :shock: . I truly do not mind if a dog needs to use the grass, I'm happy most owners clean it up . . . the reduced use altogether and virtually no urine burn spots is pretty nice though.


I feel like this is the most obvious and correct response to the thread. There's a lot of "that guy" behavior and ideas being thrown around when the "problem" is natural and sometimes unavoidable thing. Dogs gotta go, when dogs gotta go! You want everyone to put diapers on their dogs when they walk past your lawn? In the words of Biden, "C'mon man!"

Lots of Gladys Kravitz Syndrome going around.


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## Darth_V8r (Jul 18, 2019)

gkaneko said:


> I like the poisonous chemical sign idea.


It's seriously effective. We had property that was a constant trespassing issue for hunting season, and we were constantly getting "peppered" with bird shot, because some people don't realize that the shot pellets keeps going once you miss the target. "No Hunting" signs, calling the game warden, all ineffective.

Hung a "BIOHAZARD" sign up with a decent-looking fake description of a potential toxic chemical exposure. Problem solved.


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## ShadowGuy (Nov 20, 2020)

I think there is a huge difference for a neighbor who is out walking their dog, which happens to poop, and a neighbor who takes out their dog on a walk TO poop.

We have a neighbor that does this twice a day, The dog gets about 3-4 houses down the block and does his business. They turn around and go home. Lucky for me, we are about 8 houses down, and they don't often get this far. Cleaning it up or not, its not excusable.

I think you have to catch them and confront them. Make them feel a little uncomfortable, so they take it somewhere else. Maybe a neighbor who cares less about dog pooping in their yard.


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## rjw0283 (May 11, 2020)

I was a victim yesterday, dog crap by the mailbox! 
I pulled up the video footage and it was 2 teenage girls with 2 dogs.... They were walking towards my house, the dog took a crap by my mailbox and then they turned around and walked the other way so they didn't walk in front of my house. 
If I see them again I'll hand them a roll of dog bags. I bought some at Sam's Club so I have about 100,000 of them. :lol:


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## Trippel24 (Jul 9, 2018)

DSchlauch said:


> https://gfycat.com/perfumedsinfulcopperbutterfly


This would probably catch there attention! :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## FranksATX (May 7, 2018)

wicknilly said:


> This post reminds me of my dad when I was a youngster. He put out a No Dog Poop sign and eventually started returning dog poo to the owner's mailboxes. Good times lol.


This is the way.


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## FranksATX (May 7, 2018)

ATXGrass said:


> I live in a very nice neighborhood, and almost every day I find a pile of dog crap on my lawn. Even when the owner tries to take the crap, they leave a nasty mess of s--- on my lawn. Is this legal? Any LEO on this forum?


If you know who the offender is (name, DOB, where he lives, etc.) and the poop in your yard is substantially inconvenient to you can call the PD if you want to press criminal charges (written statement, follow through with a potential court date etc.).

I would call animal control on the owner and the dog when the dog is off leash or in a vehicle. or if it barks call it in and then when they make contact with the owner they will find out the dog is not registered or vaccinated. Most cities in this area have animal registration and vaccination rules that most owners do not follow (especially the ones who are too lazy to pick up poop). This will usually get them several $50-$200 tickets instead of the one low level criminal mischief cite that may or may not be plead down to next to nothing.

Or pick up the poop and put it in his mailbox :lol:


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## ATXGrass (May 1, 2021)

FranksATX said:


> ATXGrass said:
> 
> 
> > I live in a very nice neighborhood, and almost every day I find a pile of dog crap on my lawn. Even when the owner tries to take the crap, they leave a nasty mess of s--- on my lawn. Is this legal? Any LEO on this forum?
> ...


I wouldn't call the police for this type of thing, but I was curious to know how typical ordinances are written and enforced.

I've got two dogs, but they poop in my yard and my kids get an allowance for cleaning it up. I don't want to raise entitled kids, and the 'poop job' keeps them grounded :thumbup:

Per one of the other comments, I'm seeing less poop now that the yard is looking better


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## ATXGrass (May 1, 2021)

Also, I don't have the time or desire to track down the poop owners (which reminds me of the 'Who Pooped the Bed?' episode of IASIP) , but I really like the chemical sign idea some have mentioned!


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## Darth_V8r (Jul 18, 2019)

"NOTICE:

This property is participating in an herbicide experiment. Toxicity to animals has not been fully evaluated"


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## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

FlowRider said:


> I have had to speak man-to-man with a neighbor that I caught standing in my yard about 15 feet off the sidewalk letting his dog do his business in my front yard. I held my hands out like "What are you doing?" and then told him he needed to respect people's private property rights more. He replied "Aw, c'mon." I told him what I thought of that response, but this is a family friendly forum, so let's just say I used some colorful adult language. He started walking up the middle of the street when he sees me outside.
> 
> Anybody who leaves their doggie land mines in my yard, I just get the shovel and place them right in the middle of the sidewalk where the pile was made. They then have to walk around it, and so does everyone else. After doing this four times, no one lets their dog go in my yard now. They got the message.
> 
> ...


I feel like we may be twins 

And amen on being a man and handling it. Although, in my neighborhood, one of the "pissers" is an older lady who has a few screws loose, and so I told her a story about how someone ELSE has been letting their dog pee in my grass, and the type of grass I have takes a very long time to recover.


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## Delmarva Keith (May 12, 2018)

Depends on what kind of relationship you want with your neighbors and I've tried different approaches over the years for various issues. With some folks, being nice at all is being weak and they will bully and push buttons and limits. Screaming obscenities at them is usually unwelcome but most folks will avoid and leave you well alone after that. I take a middle ground of mumbling to myself whenever out in the yard and whenever asked for anything, best answer is a simple "no." They think I'm crazy (probably am) and tend to steer clear which works well for me. Butchering the hunting season harvest out front also might make some kind of a point, I don't know.

Be polite, be professional, but have a plan . . .


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## DuncanMcDonuts (May 5, 2019)

A homeowner left their dog poop on my lawn. I pulled up the camera, snapped a picture, posted signs on the streets shaming her. Turns out she lives in the neighborhood next to us. I'd return home from work to see the signs ripped down. She apparently wasn't thrilled to see her face. I printed more each time and reposted them for a week. She no longer walks down my street.


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## gobama84 (Aug 30, 2020)

Kicker said:


> PhxHeat said:
> 
> 
> > Pretty sure it happens in every neighborhood. In my experience most dog owners carry bags to pick up their dogs piles. BUT sometimes a dog will take a 2nd and the owner didn't have 2 bags.
> ...


Well I hope they crap in your yard. Yes a dog has to go, but they also have a yard. Go there!!


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## PhxHeat (Oct 18, 2019)

:roll:
:lol:

good lord the dramatics are a bit much by some. It's a random dog turd, just pick it up and move on.

...and as I posted, dogs have pooped in my yard, 99.9% of the owners are prepared. If I do happen be left a random turd, I grab my "poop" shovel and my small "poop" rake and simply pick it up. tah dahhh good as new.


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## RustyRockets (Apr 9, 2021)

So- I haven't read all the replies but from the very few I've seen, it's a bit disappointing to see the childish things people are willing to do.

In central Texas, unfortunately we(LE) respond to allot of disturbances where the problem originated over animals pooping on others lawns. Trust me, I get it; I spend hours, days, weeks to get my lawn looking presentable and give a good image to the community in which I reside. It's upsetting to wake up to see yellowing caused by animal poop, but being a child and doing something dumb in return is not the way to go about it.

If you are willing to shame someone, trespass on to someone's property to drop off what "belonged to them in the first place." You're wrong. This is elementary-grade childish behavior. That's not how we address things. Respectfully speaking with someone is best; if they tell you to kick rocks and give you a response that's not of your liking, then be the bigger person and walk away.

If it's random loose animals runnings around- animal control is your best friend. In those scenarios, I inform people about motion detecting sprinklers. They actually work.

As far as laws- depending on your city/county- there could be an animal leash law in effect and ultimately what will happen is if the owners are not there to collect their animal, it more than likely will get taken by animal control.

Criminal trespassing- if you decide to return said poop to the "owner" and they call 911 wanting a criminal trespass warning, guess what; you do it again and you'll go to jail for an offense that shouldn't even be happening in the first place.

Not unless the animal bit/attacked someone, LE will more than likely speak with the parties involved and tell people to be respectful and uphold the peace.

Simply remove the poop and carry on with your day. There are far worse things that can happen and are happening to people on a daily. Our grass will grow back ladies and gents.


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## Beerman219 (Apr 20, 2020)

Get a motion sensor sprinkler! Hid it and let them get soaked!

https://www.orbitonline.com/product/yard-enforcer-motion-activated-sprinkler/

I'm going to try one for keeping the deer out of my Hostas


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## latitude36 (Mar 27, 2019)

my wife caught a neighbor letting the dog piss in the act and after banging on the window the offender waived. Then the wife of the pisser then attacked my wife on POA facebook site saying that we "work no harder or spend more than anyone else" on the yard and should not complain. It all comes down to respect--if it happens apologize--take responsibility. During this heated period of discussion on the POA site it became obvious some neighbors despise the our yard--found that interesting. I love dogs and wished I had one however; I love my turf more.


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## ionicatoms (Mar 8, 2020)

latitude36 said:


> During this heated period of discussion on the POA site it became obvious some neighbors despise the our yard--found that interesting.


Was there any indication as to why some neighbors despised your yard?


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

ionicatoms said:


> latitude36 said:
> 
> 
> > During this heated period of discussion on the POA site it became obvious some neighbors despise the our yard--found that interesting.
> ...


Jealousy and envy are the first two things that come to mind.


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## wicknilly (May 13, 2021)

DuncanMcDonuts said:


> A homeowner left their dog poop on my lawn. I pulled up the camera, snapped a picture, posted signs on the streets shaming her. Turns out she lives in the neighborhood next to us. I'd return home from work to see the signs ripped down. She apparently wasn't thrilled to see her face. I printed more each time and reposted them for a week. She no longer walks down my street.


This is my favorite :bandit:


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## M1SF1T (Jun 1, 2021)

People have dogs, people walk dogs, sometimes dogs poop - that's just the way it goes. It's not a matter of "letting them" - the alternative would be dragging them once the act starts and just spreading it along...

If owners don't pick it up that's inexcusable. Period. But if you live around people, and they're responsible, cleaning up, then that's just the way it goes.

Cats on the other hand being let out to poop and bury in my fenced in yard and garden beds... that's another thing... not to mention killing songbirds...


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## Nrkstudio (Dec 11, 2020)

I heard someone say that if you sprinkle cayenne pepper at the perimeter of your lawn, no dogs will try to get past that border.


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## ionicatoms (Mar 8, 2020)

Nrkstudio said:


> I heard someone say that if you sprinkle cayenne pepper at the perimeter of your lawn, no dogs will try to get past that border.


There was a post linking to a new article where somebody was charged with a crime of some sort because a dog's paws were burned by too much cayenne pepper. Doesn't sound like a good idea.


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## latitude36 (Mar 27, 2019)

Nrkstudio said:


> I heard someone say that if you sprinkle cayenne pepper at the perimeter of your lawn, no dogs will try to get past that border.


I keep pepper around the mailbox--no dice.


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## latitude36 (Mar 27, 2019)

ionicatoms said:


> latitude36 said:
> 
> 
> > During this heated period of discussion on the POA site it became obvious some neighbors despise the our yard--found that interesting.
> ...


"quote--too stressful to walk by our yard"--not sure what that implies. Very few people in my neighborhood does any yard work--all contracted and I think they just dont understand the plight of amazing turf.


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## ionicatoms (Mar 8, 2020)

latitude36 said:


> ionicatoms said:
> 
> 
> > latitude36 said:
> ...


LOL - that's a whole 'nother level of domination.


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## Phxphenom (Aug 19, 2020)

This is the funniest thread I have read to date. Thanks for the laughs!


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## robbybobby (May 15, 2017)

I've put my wife on blast on social media when she takes a short cut to the mailbox. All it took was one post and she learned her lesson (of course this is all in good fun). She does enjoy pushing buttons though lol.


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## Retromower (Jan 28, 2021)

Lawn chemical signs can certainly work, as can signs that say something like, "my lawn doesnt need to be fertilized, clean up your dog's poop!" 
I used to have a neibor who would always let his dog poop in my yard and not clean it up. I tried talking to him and he kind of just blew me off, so I started taking a shovel and just flinging the poop into his yard. It wasnt long before he started cleaning up the poop.


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## mylawn-NC (Jun 27, 2021)

Our neighbor did the same thing. We knocked on their door told them to clean their dog stuff. The guy was not nice he said ok as if we were bothering him. Next day the dog did its business again. We have a security camera and we downloaded the photos sent to HOA. He received $50 file. No more dog stuff.


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## Chrisj796 (Aug 2, 2019)

I have three different neighbors who think their animals are the rulers of the roost. One had a dog that's piss would leave patches that took months to grow back(died of old age) an now they have a cat that thinks it's a dog that take massive diarrhea craps on my lawn. The other two neighbors took the hint I wasn't joking an don't let their dogs on my lawn anymore. The one that set me off was walking his purse dog down the sidewalk as I am on my hands an knees in my grass pulling out that damn Poa, he stops when his dog comes within a few feet of me an starts pooping. I told him to go get a shovel and pick it up, he just stared at me, I told him I don't spend my spare time doing yard work so his dog can sh!t on it, he shrugged his shoulders an walked off then came back a few minutes later with a shovel but I had already picked it up an was hosing grass off. That was the last time he acknowledge me lol.


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## Chrisj796 (Aug 2, 2019)

rjw0283 said:


> I can't say I have that problem. Out of the 60-80 houses in the neighborhood 95% of them have horrible lawns. It'd stick out a lot more in my yard so they must do a good job cleaning it up. There is a lady that walks a german shepherd that always pees on my mailbox so the grass never grows well there. It kind of helps as I don't have to trim around it often.


Same here had one that would stop an compliment and ask advice as their dog is across yard pooping.


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## Never Winter Farms (Jun 10, 2021)

I don't like the motion based cameras because it can take several seconds before the camera begins to record.

I highly recommend Axis Communication cameras. They are expensive, built like a tank, and you will get years of reliable service from them.



TheThirstyTurtle said:


> I've been having problems with a neighbor somewhere, don't know which one, whose dog has been peeing repeatedly on my front lawn near the sidewalk. Today it escalated where their dog crapped on my lawn and they just left it there.
> 
> Can anyone recommend a good webcam with really timely motion detection and good resolution so I can see who it is that's been leaving these nice little presents on my lawn?
> 
> It's really frustrating when you take care of your lawn to have a neighbor not have any respect at all and allow their dog to do their business on private property like that without the decency to clean it up!


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

Never Winter Farms said:


> I don't like the motion based cameras because it can take several seconds before the camera begins to record.
> 
> I highly recommend Axis Communication cameras. They are expensive, built like a tank, and you will get years of reliable service from them.


ReoLink makes another really great system that continuously records so you don't miss that dog squatting in your front yard.


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