WWYD re: neighbors dog *Updated*

Seriously? This is such passive-aggressive crap. 
Why not just go to them and say what you said here.  Dog poop is gross, you don't like it, you should have said something sooner. Ask them to take care of the situation, give them a deadline before you report to animal control.  

I'd have a hose pipe ready to aim at the dog.

Why punish the dog it's not his fault.  I suggest spraying the owner

if you've never said anything to them before now, then yes there absolutely is a point in saying something now. They won't stop if you don't say anything. All the passive-aggressive comments that peas are making will only start a neighbor war, sometimes with these kinds of people telling them to their face will shame them enough to clean-up after their dog.

My cousin did this with the neighbor's dog.  Amazing how quickly the dog stopped pooping on her lawn

I Totally disagree.  My parents are in their 70s and 80s, and they pick up their dog's poop.  While out walking my dog, I often see elderly people walking theirs, and they pick up their dogs' poop.

These people are not making a mistake.  They're being inconsiderate jerks.

It's not intentional---the fact that it lands in your yard, I mean. It's not like they are walking the dog and deciding to let it go on your property twice a day, kwim? That tells me that they are more lazy or oblivious than out and out purposely horrible. And, as you said, it's occasional, so it's a luck of the draw type of thing whether the dogs stays in its own yard or wanders.

So I'd start with actually speaking to them. Make a point to be available that time of morning, no matter how inconvenient it may be. It's an inconvenience for one day that may curb an inconvenience of many days.

I like the idea of using the excuse that one of the kids stepped in it as to why you are just saying something now. I'd say "Hi" and "Good Morning", and mention that you've noticed that every so often their dog misses the mark with his/her morning/evening rituals and while it's only occasional, it turned out to be an issue recently when one of the kids stepped in some, and then ask them if they can please try to keep Fido in their yard. Smile. be pleasant. Don't make it into a big stinking deal. (No pun intended.)

Then sit back and see how it goes. Don't think it was for naught if at first there is still an instance or two. Even if they really try it make take a while to break the habit. But if after a month, it's still happening with the same frequency, you can opt to try talking to them again, or you may have to move on to calling the town. Tell them what you have already done and ask them for advice or what they can do for you.

I like the idea of the decorative fence as well. Even if it's not your cup of tea, if you can pick up something on the cheap side, it would probably only need to be up temporarily. Just long enough for Fido to change his habits. Plus, if you have already spoken to the neighbors and it hasn't helped, the fence will serve as a very visual reminder to them.


Overall, I think many people, including myself, fall into one of two camps----the "respond to any inconvenience with hostility camp", or the "OMG!  I can't talk to another human being about anything other than fluffity fluff like the weather." camp  (This is my camp.)      Too few of us seem to have a handle on calmly, yet purposefully, conversing with people.  It's something many of us can work on.  I know I sure can.   In my opinion this is a good chance to give old fashioned decent communication a try.     If I'd try it, you can.  

Yellow spots? I honestly have never noticed any change in my lawn when doggies do use it and we don't remove it. We just let it biodegrade or wash away in the rain.

the yellow spots are from urine, not poop.

melanell said it perfectly: "I like the idea of using the excuse that one of the kids stepped in it as to why you are just saying something now. I'd say "Hi" and "Good Morning", and mention that you've noticed that every so often their dog misses the mark with his/her morning/evening rituals and while it's only occasional, it turned out to be an issue recently when one of the kids stepped in some, and then ask them if they can please try to keep Fido in their yard. Smile. be pleasant. Don't make it into a big stinking deal."

My DH had to do this with a neighbor and they NEVER pooped on our lawn again.

Yes, I totally agree that not bothering to direct their dog to a certain area is intentional, but I meant that they were not purposely trying to torment or upset the OP.    Sorry for the lack of clarity.    To me, this does not sound like it is intentional against the OP. It's just a side effect of the neighbor's poor habits regarding their dog. Not any better in terms of poop, but better in terms of the possible outcome of a neighborly discussion.

And I think that is a very important thing to think about before opting to go speak to someone about an issue, which was my advice.   If I thought that the neighbors were purposely hoping Fido would do his business in OP's yard because they had some sort of vendetta against her, then I would never suggest she go over to them about it.  I would suggest instead that she skip right over them and call the city for advice on the situation.  I wouldn't want to feed into any hostility the neighbors already had going on.  

If you want to have a good relationship with your neighbors I would talk to them first.

I would just say.. hey I really don't like it when your dog shits in my yard. Can you please make sure you pick it up if he does?

I wasn't really a dog person until we got one, and one of the reasons I didn't want one for years was the picking up the dog shit thing. So it is totally reasonable to ask the owner to pick up their own shit.

If they don't.. then I would be depositing it back in there yard. In fact I wouldn't leave it on their porch... I would put in in a bag and hand it to them. They will get the point.. but probably not be "friendly" any longer.

I think the good relationship boat sailed a long time ago. These neighbors know the dog has been shitting somewhere other than their yard, FOR YEARS. I'd be delivering it to their front porch also. No words necessary.

This is exactly what one of our neighbors did to another neighbor --poopee victim saw the pooper poop in her yard and promptly scooped it up with a shovel and walked it around the corner to poopers house, knocked on friends door and said hey pooper left something behind in my yard!!!!