Can You Put Dog Poop in a Compost Bin? The Surprising Truth!

Can you put dog poop in a compost bin? So many owners choose to toss it in the trash or flush it down the toilet when they are cleaning up after their dog. However, dog waste can be composted with your other food waste if you correctly set up your compost bin!

Are you thinking about composting your dog poop? But, before you do, there are some essential factors to consider that may surprise you.

While dog waste may seem compostable, it’s not as friendly as you might think—not to mention that it can make your compost bin stinky and attract unwanted visitors!

Here’s what you need to know about composting dog poop and how to do it safely and effectively.

Can You Put Dog Poop in a Compost Bin?

It might surprise you that the answer to this question is yes! While dogs can be great pets, owning one can have its drawbacks—particularly if you’re trying to maintain a tidy, clean yard. Dog waste, in particular, can be very smelly and unpleasant, especially when it ends up on your lawn or in your flowerbeds. But there’s no need to worry; you can compost dog poop at home with the right tools and techniques!

Is Dog Waste Compostable?

It might seem hard to believe, but dog waste is compostable. However, that doesn’t mean you should throw it in your backyard compost pile.

Since dog waste contains phosphorous and other nutrients not naturally found in human or yard waste, large amounts can be harmful to your compost bin if not adequately treated. If you decide to add dog waste to your compost pile, make sure you thoroughly mix it with other materials first.

Be sure also to wear gloves when handling any animal feces since some types of bacteria can cause serious illness when transmitted through direct contact.

Is Dog Feces Good for Plants?

While dog feces can undoubtedly be used to fertilize plants, you must follow some steps before using it as fertilizer.

To understand why let us first look at what makes up pet waste. Pet waste comprises two different components: Fecal matter and urine. Urine contains nitrogen, one of three nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) needed for plant growth.

Most commercial fertilizers contain only nitrogen and are therefore referred to as N-P-K products. Pet waste contains all three nutrients; however, its high nitrogen concentration may cause problems if not handled properly.

How Do You Compost Dog Poop?

Lots of people are fans of composting. It’s a great way to recycle kitchen leftovers and other organic matter, turning it into rich fertilizer for your garden. But what about pet waste? Can you compost dog poop, and do we need to worry about harmful bacteria or parasites when tossing our dogs’ deposits into compost bins? And what about cat feces — is that safe for my plants, too?

We explore these questions today. Let’s start with some basic information on dog poop: Every gram of dog waste can contain 23 million fecal coliform bacteria. These microscopic organisms include salmonella, E. coli, and Campylobacter—all nasty bugs that can make humans sick.

While some may argue that sterilizing dog waste before putting it in a compost bin will kill off most of these pathogens, others say there’s no proof that heat-treating dog poop effectively eliminates all potential dangers.

For example, just because there aren’t any live pathogens doesn’t mean they won’t affect plant growth.

Plus, if you have kids or pets who play in your yard where your compost pile is located, there’s always a chance they could come into contact with dog waste left over from previous batches.

What about cat poop? Cat feces isn’t quite as problematic as dog waste but still poses risks to human health. There are more than 3 million cases of toxoplasmosis reported each year in the United States alone.

This parasitic disease is caused by Toxoplasma gondii, found in cat feces. In healthy individuals, infection typically goes unnoticed; however, those with compromised immune systems (like HIV/AIDS patients) risk developing severe symptoms such as seizures and brain damage.

So should I use composted dog poop for plants? For safety reasons, we will say don’t!

What is The Best Way to Dispose of Dog Poop?

Most people choose between two main methods for disposing of dog poop: They either flush it down their toilet or throw it in their trash can. But is there a better way to handle your pet’s business?

It turns out, there might be—and you might be surprised by what we say. While both options are lovely and excellent, some potential drawbacks could make one more suitable than another, depending on your situation.

So let’s explore these options and see which one works best for you and your dog!

Flushing your dog’s waste down your toilet may seem like an easy solution at first, but just because it gets rid of your dog’s droppings doesn’t mean it does so without harming anything else.

Flushing isn’t necessarily a safe method because dogs carry bacteria with them wherever they go.

And while humans carry plenty of bacteria themselves, most kids won’t hurt us—but not all kinds are harmless when introduced into our water systems. This is especially true for vulnerable populations such as young children and older people with compromised immune systems.

So if you flush your dog’s poop down your toilet, you could be introducing harmful bacteria into a system that wasn’t designed to handle it and ultimately endangering others who rely on that same system for clean drinking water.

Trash cans are another popular option for disposing of pet waste, but here too, there can be drawbacks. For example, some cities don’t allow residents to throw pet waste in their trash cans due to sanitary concerns. It also turns out that many landfills don’t accept animal feces either (especially wet ones), which means you might need to find another place outside your home where you can safely dispose of your dog’s business.

So what should you do instead? While neither of these methods is necessarily bad, there’s another option that may be better for your dog and your community: composting.

Can you put dog poop in a compost bin? Yes! It turns out that dog poop is very similar to horse manure—and you can safely add horse manure to compost piles. So if you have a backyard compost bin, it’s safe to add dog waste (as long as it’s not too wet) and let nature take its course.

Best Dog Poop Composter (Disposal System)

Whether you’re treating your own dog’s waste or supplementing your community compost, you’ll need to use an eco-friendly pet waste composter. Some are specially designed for animal feces, and others can be used for food scraps. Here are some of our favorite models of dog poop composters that work with dog waste

Doggie Dooley P Disposal System

No matter how you feel about dogs, we can all agree that our furry friends can cause quite a bit of waste. And if you have a dog, you know firsthand that there’s no getting around dealing with their waste—either pick it up or let it sit. But, with the Doggie Dooley waste disposal system, you are sure of the perfect plan that will help compost and tidy after your pooch.

Doggie Doo Drain Pet Waste Removal

If you’re not ready to add your pup’s waste to your compost bin just yet, there are other solutions for disposing of it—like Doo Drain Pet Waste Removal. If you live near East Bay or Philadelphia, Doo Drain can take care of your dog poop problems—from pet waste removal to treatment of dog poop. Dogs (and owners) will love our green and eco-friendly approach to pet waste management.

PawPail Dog & Cat Waste Station

My family recently took on a new puppy, and she has quickly become my daughter’s best friend. With any pet comes poop, though—lots of it. So to help keep our lawn looking perfect and our puppy comfortable, we set up a PawPail dog waste station to contain her messes. It was simple: all I needed was an old laundry basket, some sand (to provide traction), and two cinder blocks for support.

How Long Does Dog Poop Take to Decompose in A Compost?

A common question I receive is how long does dog poop take to decompose in a compost bin. It’s exciting, and many factors go into it.

A dog’s poop will take about 2 months to decompose completely. But, the process depends on some factors, like what the dog ate, the stool size, and weather conditions. In the summer or late spring, dog poop starts decomposing much earlier and takes lesser time to disintegrate fully.

Can Dog Poop Be Used as Fertilizer?

Pet waste is an excellent nitrogen source and can be used as fertilizer, but only if it’s handled correctly. Most communities have regulations that limit pet waste in landfills. However, composting is allowed.

Experts recommend that dog waste be composted with carbon-rich material like sawdust or straw to prevent odors from escaping. This process breaks down dog waste into plant nutrients and kills pathogens present within fecal matter.

When adding dog poop to your compost bin, ensure that you use carbon-rich materials on top of and around your pet waste, so it doesn’t smell.

Never use cat litter or cat feces for composting because they carry Toxoplasma gondii, which causes toxoplasmosis. Also, remember to add water to your compost pile often—it will help accelerate decomposition.

Composting Dog Poop with Worms

When you compost dog poop with worms, you create worm castings from dog poop. This is a good use of your waste and a good way to use it as fertilizer for your plants. Keep reading to learn more about composting dog poop with worms.

Worm Casting is a process of worms eating through organic matter that microorganisms have broken down. As they do so, they leave behind an excellent fertilizer for plants. However, many people who have tried using these fertilizers complain that they don’t see any benefits from them because their soil does not seem to be any better than before.

Whenever you are ready to put your dog poop into a compost bin. Have it at the back of mind that it can be composted and broken down into a less harmful material use as manure.

It also helps keep our lawn looking perfect and your dog comfortable.