Composting Dog Poo

[alpha bet]

I run a small kennel and we have anything from 6 to 36 dogs here at any time all the dog poo is composted and used on the property and has been over the last 15 years. I expected to have to keep starting new garden beds over the years but instead have found that the four beds that are about 1m wide and 3 m long have been able to just be rotated.

Each bed starts with a light layer of either hay straw or shavings then we pick up all the poo in a scooper and lay it on top of the bed in the open and let the sun dry in out, the next days poo is placed next to the previous etc.... by the time we get to the end of the bed the poo at the start of the bed has dried and i sprinkle a bit of either hay straw or shavings again. In hot weather the poo is dried easy in two days and then no smell. The hay keeps everything airey which helps to dry again keeping smell down.

I dont put grass clippings on as it tends to compact and then everything gets to hot, moist and smelly also the worms get overheated. If you have the composting on the surface of the garden and not in a tub then don't have to worry about killing the worms - the worms will move out of the compost area if there is stuff they don;t like and will move back once it is more to their liking - Ive never added worms but it is amazing how many worms appear. If you want to quicken the process just throw on a dusting of dolomite lime.

Ive grown lots of different things with the broken down compost - including tomatoes, native plants etc, but I probably wouldnt grow root vegies....

[GeckoTree]

I thought you weren't supposed to compost dog or cat poo 'cause of the germies. Is it safe to dig into the garden, would you be able to use it on veggies?

Theres a pretty big 'humanure' movement going on in the permaculture world too. I think animal poop would be safer germ wise than human. Just wash your veggies thoroughly.

editing, you have to let any compost age and rest to get rid of pathogens, it all takes time.

Edited May 31, 2010 by GeckoTree

[Red Fox]

Theres a pretty big 'humanure' movement going on in the permaculture world too.

Ewwwwww

If you didn't want to compost another option is one of those doggy diposal systems. It's just like a mini sewerage tank, you put the poop in there and then pour in some kind of decomposer liquid every so often which breaks it down. The ones that I have seen have holes in the bottom to that the liquid just slowly drains into the surrounding soil and you never have to empty it.

[Meea]

I have had a doggie dedicated worm farm for approx 6 years. I find that they eat the poo but I can't put anything else in there or they will eat that in preference so kitchen scraps have their own bin. They may be worms but they are not stupid!

I had heard the worm/worming theory and have not tested it I just just bag and thrown out the weeks worth after worming - first week of every month for me. Worms do a fine job in summer but 2 XL and 1 medium dog do generate a bit ooo much in winter even though they go in the dog park mostly. Sometimes I still have to toss - expecially in winter when the worms are dormant. I think composting on the ground would work better for me but I just don't have the space.

Meea

[Dxenion]

As well as a kitchen waste worm farm and two garden waste tumbleweed composters, we have a dedicated worm farm for the dog waste and a dedicated tumbleweed composter for the overflow. We've never withheld the waste after worming and haven't had a problem with a decline in worms. The only thing effecting the worms at the moment is the heat.

We are also looking at getting a dog waste septic system with a foot operated lid to see if it composts faster than our current methods. We've been advised that instead of the expensive digester powers you can buy, just add yeast in a bit of warm water (to wake the yeast up) or even better, worm tea. Apparently both work just as well to activate the good bacteria that breaks down the poo.

The composted waste goes on the ornamental garden beds as I can't bring myself to use it in the vege patch yet even though I've heard that if correctly composted either at very high temperatures or processed through a worm farm, it is fine.

[corvus]

I asked one of the companies that makes those all-rounder spot-on treatments that worm dogs as well as kill fleas about worm farms and they told me do not under any circumstances put droppings from a dog treated with that kind of thing into a worm farm because it could kill the worms.

Our worms live mostly on the used wood-based litter from my rabbit cage. They LOVE it and it's much better than throwing it in the bin. But they can't quite keep up with it every week. Apparently the more you feed them the more worms you get and the more you can give them, but I haven't been able to work out that balance. I can't say I check on my worm numbers or how fast things are decomposing. I just keep chucking stuff in there until it doesn't fit anymore, then get the casts out and give them to someone with a garden.

[ravensmyst00]

I created my own doggy septic system based on info on the internet. The premade ones just couldnt handle 3 bullmastiffs.

I can say the septic systems dont work too well in cold weather and this wet weather has caused all sorts of issues as the ground is so water logged it just wont seep into the ground as it is supposed to. You need to add a certian amount of water each week with a septic tank additive (ie extra good bacteria) to keep in cycling however all this rain has lead to a sludgy smelly mess that is only just now starting to break down after 2 months. Not really good when you have 3 larger dogs and the pit has filled up.

I hope once the rain settles I can get it started again as it is a great idea and it was only just starting to get going when all this the rain started. I'm now putting the doggy waste into a compost bin and letting the worms have their fun in there

If you want to control the smell either use Bokashi or get a septic tank additive - you can get it from Bunnings. Price depends on which one you get some are rediculously priced.

As for worming - I've never had much of an issue with it in regards to worm farms or my compost system. I also only do intestinal worming every 6 months instead of 3.

[TheFenstar]

This thread is awesome, thanks heaps everyone for all the information. I don't have my dog....yet, but this is something I can establish before it arrives. Brilliant (yet disgusting) stuff

[zizzi]

I think my dogs would play in the compost if I let had one!!

[Aidan3]

http://permaculture.org.au/2008/09/18/huma...-free-download/

Something to read over breakfast

[dancinbcs]

We add shavings to it before wrapping in newspaper and putting it in the bin. The shavings stop the pong in the bin.

If I had more dogs I would get a worm farm though.

[mortonplace]

We have an area of 3' x 2' down the back yard.

Dig a hole put the business in and throw a handful of Bokashi in there and add some water.

Bokashi is a mix if swordust and bran that has been infused with micro organisms. Breaks down in 2 weeks.

Under $10 a bag and lasts 2 months.

No smell no fuss.

Do it ever smell?

lve been told the sawdust breaks it right down.

ls the correct?

[macka]

I just throw it in with the rest of the compost (food scraps). I don't find it takes any longer to break down than the food scraps. When it's done it gets dug into the garden. We don't grow vegies so no idea if that's an issue.

[murraydebbie]

I dig a hole about a metre deep and have a large bucket with the bottom cut out placed in the hole. Buy a bucket with a lid. I use the chemicals you buy for human port a loo. Works a treat and doesn't smell. When the hole fills, I cover it with soil and plant a shrub, then go to the next hole.

Cheap as and work great.

[DobieMum]

I have one as well and throw everything in there, from dog poo, to grass clippings, to food scraps even my bills I didn't want to throw in the bin (I just tear them up small) The worms eat them all.

[Little Gifts]

I have one as well and throw everything in there, from dog poo, to grass clippings, to food scraps even my bills I didn't want to throw in the bin (I just tear them up small) The worms eat them all.

Pauchel what brand is yours?