Living in the Pacific Northwest means we spend a lot of time dodging rain and staying warm indoors. Unfortunately, while we are cozy inside, our dogs are still doing their business outside. Whether you are dealing with the aftermath of a long, wet winter or life simply got in the way, the result is the same: you look out the window and realize you have a yard full of dog poop.
It happens to the best of us. From Tacoma (Midland) to Shelton, homeowners often find themselves staring at a minefield of mess that seems impossible to tackle. If you are feeling overwhelmed, take a deep breath. We have helped countless pet owners across Pierce, Kitsap, Thurston, Mason, and Eastern Jefferson counties recover their lawns.
Here is your comprehensive battle plan for why that mess is a serious problem, how to tackle it yourself, and when to call in reinforcements.
It is tempting to ignore the problem and hope the rain washes it away. However, unlike wild animal scat in the woods of Gig Harbor (Artondale, Longbranch, Vaughn), a yard full of dog poop creates immediate environmental and health hazards.
A common myth is that dog waste fertilizes the grass. In reality, it does the opposite. Because dogs eat high-protein diets, their waste is highly acidic and nitrogen-heavy. This causes those unsightly yellow "burn spots" on your lawn. But the bigger issue is what happens when it rains—and we know it rains in Port Orchard, Poulsbo (Winslow), and Silverdale (Sterling Hills).
Runoff carries this waste straight into our local storm drains. The USDA and EPA classify pet waste as a nonpoint source pollutant, putting it in the same category as oil and toxic chemicals.
This is the part that usually convinces people to act. A single gram of dog waste can contain 23 million fecal coliform bacteria. Research indicates that neglected dog feces can harbor antibiotic-resistant bacteria and parasites like Toxocara (roundworms) that can live in soil for years. Whether you are in Spanaway, Roy, or Steilacoom, you don't want those pathogens tracking into your home.
If you are determined to handle this yourself, we respect the effort. However, cleaning a neglected yard requires more than a standard plastic baggie. If you want to know how to get rid of dog poop in yard effectively and safely, you need a strategy.
Don’t go into battle unprepared. If you are tackling a month’s worth of accumulation in Lakewood, University Place, or Bainbridge Island (Madrona Park), you need the right tools:
Wandering aimlessly leads to stepped-in disasters. Treat your lawn like a search-and-rescue mission. Walk in straight lines—like mowing the lawn—scanning side-to-side. This ensures you don’t miss those stealthy piles hiding in the tall grass or under fallen leaves. This is especially important for larger properties in Kingston, Port Ludlow, or Olympia (East Olympia, Boston Harbor) where coverage is vast.
Do not toss the waste in your compost bin! As the ASPCA notes, home compost piles rarely get hot enough to kill dangerous parasites. Tie those heavy-duty bags tight and put them directly in your main garbage bin.
Halfway through the job, you might realize something: This is miserable work.
Cleaning a neglected yard is physically exhausting. The smell is distinctive and lingers. If you have a large yard in Lacey (Tanglewilde), Tumwater, Yelm, or Rochester, or if you have multiple dogs, you could easily lose your entire Saturday to this task. Plus, there is always the risk of tracking bacteria back onto your clean carpets.
Why ruin your weekend knee-deep in a yard full of dog poo when you could be exploring the local marinas, hiking, or just relaxing?
If reading the "DIY" section made you gag a little, there is a better way. At Dooky Squad, we specialize in professional backyard dog poop solutions for overwhelmed pet parents.
We offer a specific One-Time Deep Clean service designed exactly for this scenario. We come in, grid-search your yard, remove every last trace of the mess, and haul the waste away so you never have to smell it again.
We serve a massive area, including Mason County (Shelton) and Eastern Jefferson County (Port Ludlow, Shine, Bridgehaven, Mats Mats, Swansonville, Beaver Valley). Here is why neighbors choose us:
Your backyard should be a sanctuary for family fun and relaxation, not a biological hazard zone. Whether you need a one-time rescue mission to fix a neglected lawn or you want to set up regular weekly patrols to keep it pristine, Dooky Squad is ready to answer the call.
We are proud to serve the communities of Pierce, Kitsap, Thurston, Mason, and Jefferson counties.
Ready to reclaim your yard?
(No contracts, just a clean yard and a happy you.)