In-ground Dog Waste Disposal System DIY

Being a dog parent, you’ll expect deposits of your dog’s poop across the yard more often especially after meals and naps as well. Sometimes your neighbors and passers-by might complain about this issue but it should not bother you. As a responsible dog parent, you should take the responsibility of collecting the dog waste and cleaning the spots in our compounds and yards. After collecting your puppy’s poop, you’ll have to deposit it in a composite system to get rid of it in a more environmentally friendly way. I’d recommend you to create an in-ground dog waste disposal system DIY to make sure your yard is always sparkling clean. 

As a dog parent, you deeply understand that raising and taking care of a dog is a classic duty that requires a lot of attention and commitment; especially if you’re raising a puppy. Buying dog food, a leash, a crate, a collar; chew toys and even medical attention for your dog is mandatory to ensure its growth and development is steady and significant as well. Disposing dog waste is amongst the dog owner’s key obligations and it should be approached sensitively to maintain your environmental sanitation.

What to Remember

After building an in-ground waste disposal system DIY, the resultant dog waste compost stays inside the bucket to decompose over time. The compost material is not meant to be useful in the garden. Therefore, it’s left in the bucket to decompose fully then the bucket is removed upon completion. The hole should then be filled and covered with dirt before another hole is dug for a new spot. 

Requirements for Building a Home-made Dog-septic System

Here are the items you’re going to need for this simple weekend project:

• Obtain one large plastic drum that has a lid on it. You can buy or acquire this type of drum from storage companies or your local hardware shop. 
• Toss a few medium-sized pebbles, gravel, or rocks into the drum to help with the drum’s drainage. 
• Acquire an electric auger (drill) for drilling holes on the sides of the drum.
• A shovel/spade.
• A cutting saw to get rid of the drum base.
• A septic starter e.g. Ensopet Starter to speed up the decomposition of the dog-poop and do away with the odor. Septic starters kill any pathogens in the composite. You can purchase a septic starter from your local pet-house or agro-vet shop.

In-ground Dog Waste Disposal System DIY - Step by Step

1. Digging a hole on the ground

Using the top lid of the drum you purchased, mark the space where you are going to dig for the drum to fit in. Using the appropriate and preferred tools, dig a hole wide and deep enough to make sure the drum is going to fit easily.  

This is the most challenging part when building an in-ground dog waste disposal system DIY since it will require relatively more energy and it will be time-consuming as well. Therefore, take your time when digging and beware of the required dimensions to make the process a success. Dig the hole to a depth that will only allow the top part of the drum to stick out so that you can open the lid and close it easily. 

1. Drilling holes on the drum

This is considered one of the most thrilling activities during the whole process, and it should usually come after digging the hole to help you rest and relax. Drill holes on the sides of the drum from halfway going downwards. Don’t drill any holes starting halfway towards the top of the drum to prevent the odor from escaping from the drum to the surrounding environment. 

The electric drill will even help you during base removal. Drill holes across the bottom of the drum (around the base), to make it easier to cut off before inserting it underneath the ground. 

1. Putting the drum underground

After extracting the drum base, put it in the dug hole and add pebbles, gravel, or medium-sized rocks to the bottom of the drum. These particles will enhance perfect drainage from the drum making the decomposition faster and effective. Upon fitting the drum in the hole, fill the space around the drum if there’s any; to make it stable. Fill this space using the dirt acquired earlier when digging the hole or go for rock particles and rocks. 

1. Add compost to the pit

Your septic underground system is ready now! Add the compost stored in your compost bin to the drum to get it started. Add more compost as time goes by and worms to speed up the process. For maintenance purposes, speckle a handful of the septic starter over the compost every time you are making a deposit to maintain and fasten the process.  Make sure you put the lid back after using your in-ground dog waste disposal system DIY. 

Winter Tips

During the winter season, the decomposition process might seem to drop due to the drop in temperatures. When temperatures drop to a relatively lower level i.e. during the winter season; dog owners are recommended to do regular check-ins to regulate the speed of the process when they’re needed to. 

If you notice that the process is slower than before, you should add a certain amount of the septic starter when depositing the poo into your underground system. The decomposition process might be slowed down during winter; since the bacteria or microorganisms responsible for the breakdown process are usually inactive during this period.

Now that you’ve mastered how you can construct your in-ground dog waste disposal system DIY from scratch: consider some free time during the weekend to get this thrilling task done. When the drum is almost filled, extract it from the hole and cover the remaining space with dirt before moving to a new spot. Cover the used holes nicely since you won’t have to use the spot again. Read and refer to this article to acquire the household skills you’ll require to build a homemade septic system for your dog. Have fun!