Composting Tips for Dog Owners

For dog owners, composting can be a bit more complicated than average. Many of the informal "rules" about composting seem to prohibit most of the types of waste associated with pet ownership. But, as I learned over the course of a year of life in an ecovillage--a sustainable, intentional community--many green dog owners do use the waste associated with pets to help build rich, loamy soil. Here are some of the most valuable compost tips for dog lovers.

Dealing with Dog Food

Leftover dog food doesn't fit the typical standard for what belongs in a compost heap. In general, composters are advised to eschew products containing fat, oil, or meat--all of which are found in standard dog foods. Meaty products like dog food tend to attract unwanted visitors like flies and scavengers. However, small amounts of dog food, especially brands with a high grain content, can be an appropriate addition to an otherwise stable compost pile.

I was surprised when my friend composted several cups of stale dog food in a communal bin, but it composted visibly over the course of just a few days, and didn't attract any pests. Like other high-protein compost, it likely enriched the soil with its strong nitrate content. However, I would avoid composting wet dog foods, since those tend to have a much stronger odor and act as an easy breeding ground for flies.

Yes, You Can Compost Dog Poop!

The community I lived in used a specialized system to compost human waste. As yucky as it sounds, the system was an effective, safe, sustainable method for disposing of human waste. It was based on the "Humanure" system pioneered by Joseph Jenkins, which was proven to eliminate all parasites and pathogens from human waste. Given its success in safely composting human poo, our community decided to apply the same principles to dealing with pet waste--with great success.

I spent many years composting my cats' poop using the method, and I strongly recommend the use of the same technique for dealing with dog waste. While dog poop does not belong in an ordinary compost pile, there are effective systems that can be used to safely dispose of almost any kind of waste. You'll need a special compost bin, a carbon base like sawdust, and ten to eighteen months before you intend to use the compost. 

Composting Pet Fur

Fur can be your pet's most valuable contribution to your compost pile. Those clumps of dog fur that you pulled off the brush may seem like trash, but they're actually extremely useful. Pet fur isn't high in nutrients, but it is a rich method for helping give compost-soil structural integrity. Composted dog fur helps to give strength and structure to the soil you use in your garden, and, for this reason, it's a good idea to include it just as you would include apple cores or banana peels.

While many of the types of waste associated with dog ownership aren't products that one would typically use in compost, dog waste of every kind can be effectively composted. By taking simple steps to responsibly dispose of your dog's waste, you can improve the integrity of your garden while safely addressing your pet's waste.