Doggy Dirt Digester

[bluelacedredhead]

Once we made the decision to return to urban life, the subject of what to do with dog dirt from not one, but two canines (albeit medium to small ones), which tends to accumulate quickly.

I researched it and found that there is such a thing as a doggy do digester or composter. The commercially manufactured ones start at about $70 Cdn and go up from there.

There is one manufacturer in the Ottawa, Ontario area (Michel, Telsing, Sammy..tell all your friends who have canines) and I believe that Rona Bldg Centres and some of the local municipal waste operations sell their product.

But I also did some reading on making one on the cheap which is what I had planned to do with a $7 plastic kitchen garbage can with a lid. That was, until one of my girlfriends said that she has one (never used) that was given to her. Talk about recycling...it's about time someone actually used it. But she has a small kennel and the amount she would need to compost far exceeds the capacity of the tank.

Sooo, I purchased Biodegradable doggy bags that are guaranteed to break down within 18 months of adding to the composter. And for the time being, until I get the proper container from my g/f, I am just placing the used bags in an old composter out back.

Now let me explain that Composted DogDirt is NOT recommended for use in edible garden beds, but when properly broken down, the resulting compost is apparently fine to use around ornamentals.

Here's an article outlining the process, which includes the use of Septic activator. I found some on sale for half price! Organic, if you'll pardon the pun, as well, so can't beat that.

www.cityfarmer.org/petwaste.html

Hmmm, now I see an ad for Flushable bags. Wonder if the ones I buy can be flushed? The ones aren't even half the price of the ones on the google ad banner above this post, but they may not be that 'instantly' disposable??

[bunkie]

that's pretty cool blue! we have two big dogs who like to 'go' in our paths surrounded by snowbanks. bummer to walk around, but they would be easy pickin's! ;D

i wonder what the difference is between doggy doo and human? i've read that human waste they say can be composted for the edible garden.

[lavandulagirl]

Blue - back when we first got our older dog, we lived on just about 1/8 of an acre. We made a dog doo sort of septic tank... we dug a hole, and used a no-bottomed plastic irrigation valve box to line it. There are digesting enzymes that you can add that are safe, too, which help in the break down process. We didn't use it as compost, per se, but at least the poop got broken down and added back to the soil, without me having to step in it!

[grunt]

Bunkie: The reason they say don't use doogy doo in your garden is the same one for not using human doo, disease pathogens. Dogs and cats, because they live in such close proximity to us, can carry a lot of diseases that we are susceptible to. Actually of the two, cats carry more. And I believe the orient is the only place that sanctions (even if only unofficially) using human derived compost.
Cheers

[canadamike]

Well, they are so crowded, if they don't use it they'll have to walk in it or pile it under the table....

[bluelacedredhead]

And those people on the west coast are always the ones that lead the way with new ideas such as this one. If you noticed, West Coast Girls (Lav, Bunkie, Val) ...the link I posted is from Vancouver, B.C. in the 90's. The author mentions that it was illegal back then to dispose of excrement of any kind in household trash. Way before the times.

[sammyqc]

I thought the reason not to use cat/dog excrement, particularly on edible gardens, was because they are carnivores, therefor they tend to carry the pathogens/microbes....little thingies that we are also susceptible too. No? Not because they live close to us.
And farmers in Canada and the US use sludge on their fields, which is basically treated human sewage, and have been doing so for many years, if I remember correctly (always questionnable).

I've been fertilizing my cedar hedge every spring when I clean up the dog/cat shit in my backyard! Although I am terribly guilty of throwing out doggy poo bags and kitty litter box remains in my household garbage. I just can't bring myself to deal with it more than once. If I've cleaned it up from your yard, then I'm being pretty thoughtful (unlike many of my neighbors). But if these are flushable, then I should probably look into those bags. The compost I just don't see happening any time soon!

[raymondo]

I set up a worm bin for my mother who had two dogs. It worked well. After about 18 months she stopped using it because she got tired of picking up the crap and wrapping it in newspaper. Now she still picks it up but puts in a plastic bag, non-degradable I might add, and throws it in the garbage bin!

[bluelacedredhead]

I don't understand that at all??
Ray, I just saw an animal poo worm farm online. What a great idea! Sorry to hear that your Mother feels it necessary to send poo to the landfill.
www.greenyour.com/lifestyle/pets/cat/products/tumbleweed-pet-poo-converter?subject=479