Buy or Build a Compost Bin
A basic, aerobic, homemade compost bin can be built from scratch using only very basic materials. One of the easiest methods of creating a homemade dog-poop composting bin is by layering equally sized pieces of scrap-wood in interlayed stacks to create an open-topped, cube-shaped box. This method leaves plenty of space for air to get in and out, but it also contains the waste properly. To keep critters out, some might also choose to place a loose lid on the bin.
Alternatively, other home-crafted methods can be used for dog-centered composting, or an already-prepared bin can be purchased from your local farm or garden supply store. Ready-made bins are usually easier to aerate. They also tend to seal in odor more effectively and efficiently. Whatever method you choose, follow standard guidelines for effective composting.
Select Composting Materials
Improper materials for compost can spell total failure of a poop-composting project. Like any other compost material, dog feces needs a proper carbon source to effectively break down into healthy nutrients without compromising its structural integrity, and the addition of non-biodegradable materials to the mix will cause a huge mess.
Poop-scooping bags are available at most pet supply stores, although the majority of them are not biodegradable. One excellent, biodegradable brand that can be used in compost is the Biobags brand, which is made from all-natural materials that will break down readily in any compost project. Beware of misleading labels: often, poop-bags that say "natural" or "recyclable" are not biodegradable.
Additionally, dog feces requires a carbon base to compost effectively. I have found that with most forms of feces, plain sawdust, which can be purchased very cheaply, is an ideal material. This gives structure to the waste, and also adds effective odor control for the compost project. Several brands of compostable cat litter can also be used in lieu of sawdust, although they are likely to be much more expensive.
Begin the Composting Process
Start by layering about an inch of your sawdust or litter on the bottom of the compost bin. Each time you add raw, uncovered waste to the bin, sprinkle another half-inch or inch-thick layer on top of the feces. This neutralizes the odor and begins the process of healthy decomposition. If the waste is in a biodegradable bag, it needs an even thinner layer of the sawdust.
Aerate, Vent, and Balance
Dog waste that is composting should have very little odor, and if the odor is noticeable from more than three feet away, it is a sign that there is an improper nutrient balance. This is especially likely in the beginning of the process. It can most readily be solved with the addition of small amounts of soil to the mix, by adding more sawdust, or with the addition of earthworms.
When composted dog feces begins to near the top of the bin, add a thicker layer of sawdust and begin the process of aerating the bin. This can be done with a pitchfork in an old-fashioned bin, or according to the manufacturer's instructions if you purchased your own. It is best if the in bin remains aerated year-round at least once per week. Earthworms are also beneficial in enabling this process.
Use your Compost
After ten to eighteen months have passed since any raw feces was added to a dog-waste composting bin, it is safe to say that no parasites or their eggs are alive in the compost. The contents of your bin should smell like fresh, loamy soil, without any ammonia-like or fecal odor. At this point, the compost is as safe as any garden soil to use on crops of any kind.
If you are not yet comfortable using your new compost, there is nothing wrong with waiting for a few more weeks, months, or even years, and some dog-owners will choose to never use their compost at all. Even without its use in gardening soil, the process of composting dog feces is still a beneficial and worthwhile project.
Why Compost Dog Pos?
Like all forms of animal waste, dog poo conntains large amounts of nutrients, including nitrates. While these nutrients are excellent fertilizer for plants when they are properly rendered and utilized, they wreak havoc on natural ecosystems when they, inevitably, find their way into streams, lakes, and rivers.
Dog feces is responsible for cultural eutrophication, a pollution epidemic caused by excessive nitrate levels, known to cause the total collapse of entire river ecosystems. In fact, most of the major fish die-offs in American rivers have been caused by this phenomenon, and pet waste is believed to be responsible for at least 30% of the pollutant nutrients. Uncomposted dog waste also contains parasites like e. coli, roundworm, and tapeworm, it also presents a human health hazard, especially to children.
Additionally, properly composted dog poop can be a great addition to an ornamental garden, fruit trees, lawns, and even edible crops. It adds a healthy nitrate balance to the soil and restores mechanical integrity, without the use of synthetic materials or petroleum-sourced fertilizers.
Is it Safe to Compost Dog Feces?
Absolutely! Skin contact with uncomposted dog waste should, of course, be avoided, since there are many parasites commonly found in dog feces that has not been composted or treated. However, dog waste that has properly composted for several months will have had all its parasitic content destroyed by natural decomposition. It is as safe to handle as any garden soil if the composting guidelines were correctly followed, and it is also odorless.
Isn't Composted Dog Feces Gross?
That depends on your perspective. While the idea of growing food in poop makes most people squeamish, it is the bold reality that Mother Nature presents us. Even "organic" foods are grown using waste like "chicken litter", a mixture of bone, feather, and chicken feces, and these are used raw and untreated. Perhaps even more disgusting is the foul, chemical fertilizers used on non-organic crops.
All healthy topsoil is the result of something's decomposition: be it autumn leaves, dead grass, or animal waste. All the soil you see, touch, and feel is the result of Mother Nature's own recycling program, which turns animal corpses and tree stumps into health, lush, loamy, sweet-smelling earth. The process of composting dog poop works in accordance with, rather than against, the laws already set by Nature.
Moreover, our planet does not offer us an "away" option. Even when you toss your dog's feces in the trash or down the drain, it still ultimately ends up in our ground water, rivers, and even oceans. While using its composted form to fertilize your flowers may seem gross on some level, the idea of it being in your drinking water is much more cringe-inducing.
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