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| The completed Lokiposter in our Hawaii back yard. |
Wait, stay with me here. I know this is an icky subject, but if you're a dog owner (those of you that aren't are hereby excused from class) then you have to deal with the dog poop anyway. Throwing it in the landfill doesn't make sense to me...I mean it's full of nutrients, right?
My parents used to have this device called the Doggie Dooley that functioned as a septic system for pet waste. That sounded like a good idea to me, so I looked into it. The price tag was a bit higher than I really wanted to invest, especially considering I was renting at the time (uh, I hope my previous landlord isn't a subscriber). This is not to put down the Dooley - my parents really liked it and if you are not the DIY type, go for it.
But I had a feeling I could make something just as good on my own, maybe even with recycled materials. Acting on a hunch that I wasn't the first person to have this thought, I dug a little deeper on the internet and hit jackpot - step-by-step instructions on how to make your own doggie waste composting system.
Here's the gist:
Materials and tools you will need: a kitchen size trash can with lid, larger if you are ambitious and/or like to dig; a power drill fitted with the largest possible bit; a saw, utility knife or any other means to cut through your plastic can (if you use metal you're on your own); gravel; shovel; a convenient yet out-of-the way location preferably next to a tree or bushes that can benefit from the nutrients and keep them out of the groundwater. Due to the admittedly small risk of infectious disease being transmitted through the compost, do not place it near any edible plants.
1. Dig your hole. Make it at least as wide as your can and at least 18-24 inches deep, but the deeper the better. If your can is longer than that, you can cut off the bottom to fit.
2. Throw some gravel in the bottom of your hole to aid in drainage.
3. Take your garbage can and drill several holes in the side (to prevent flooding). Learn from my mistakes and don't forget to do this until you have already added dog poo.
4. Cut a hole in the bottom of your can.
5. Put your can in the hole. One problem that I did have in Utah was that eventually the weight of the surrounding earth smushed in and warped the can, and the lid wouldn't snap down tight anymore. I tried to correct this with the current system by digging the hole a bit bigger than the can, and fill around evenly with gravel so that pressure was equal on all sides. Also, I cut the hole in the bottom slightly smaller than the can for added reinforcement.
6. Put on lid. Make it pretty. Add poo. Done.
In Utah I obtained a used trash can, dug a hole, and had my composter done in one afternoon. I use RidX septic starter that I obtained at the hardware store (Home Depot sells it too) in a big box. I don't measure the amount I use - I just sprinkle enough to cover and then soak it down with water. The results were very good - the thing didn't stink (my kitchen waste composter was more likely to stink if neglected) and the neighbors never noticed. It didn't break down very well in the winter, and I did have to muck it out a couple times (ick) in three years - I just buried the extra waste in our dirt dog run, where the composter was located, in the springtime. Since the poo breaks down pretty quickly just sitting in the dog run here, I'm not expecting the same problem. Loki is a big dog on a high fiber diet, so our system may have ad more stress on it than yours will. Surprisingly enough, the only bugs that seem interested in the thing are beetles.
When we moved out, I had planned to remove the trashcan and fill in the hole - except that it had been in the ground so long and was full enough that I couldn't get it out without a big disgusting mess. So I just buried it...don't tell!
Eventually I got around to setting up another unit here. After several months of picking up the waste, putting it in the trash and then holding my nose every time I opened the lid until trash day, I was ready. Digging a deep hole proved more difficult here. Not sure if I have mentioned this yet, but our house is apparently located on an old rock farm. Six inches of topsoil and then it's pretty much rocks. I have spent many hot afternoons digging, grunting, and swearing under my breath as I add to my growing pile and fantasize about setting up a roadside stand on the North Shore and hawking "rare aged volcanic rocks" to the tourists.
Anyway, many many hours later I was able to dig a hole deep enough to come up to my knees and wide enough to fit the extra Brute trash can that seemed to make it to Hawaii with us. I couldn't get the thing quite buried up to the rim, so I used the smaller aforementioned rocks to create a more "natural" look. Well, you be the judge.
As a testament to the unsmellyness of this thing, it's a mere 7-8 feet from the back lanai where we eat outside, and no one has ever complained. It took a while for the neighbors on the other side of the wall to even realize that we own a dog, so it's safe to say they haven't smelled anything. If odor does become a problem, you can throw in a layer of mulch. I keep the lid on a little loose so that I can go around with the scooper and just lift it with one toe while I drop the goods in. About once a week I do the septic starter and water thing (ok, ok, less, I'm lazy).
And that's it! The initial investment in labor and materials quickly pays itself off. Happy composting! If you dare...
