Just curious.
I’ve never felt there was any need. Dog Poop dries out within a few days. The lawn mower bag gets a lot of it, along with the grass clippings.
It’s in the leaves when we rake during the Fall.
So far I’ve been able to train our dogs not to use the sidewalk. My current Boston terrier slips once in awhile and I quickly clean that up. Last time it was after a snow. She didn’t know where the grass was. 
Is there any need to pick up poop from your own fenced yard?
Yes. We enjoy our yard and would like to avoid stepping in dog poop as we’re gardening, walking, playing lawn games, lounging in a chair etc. plus I certainly don’t want to smell it as the day heats up.
I can’t recall ever smelling dog poop in the yard.
Except when mowing and the blade hits a fresh pile. That can be unpleasant.
I agree it’s important to watch where you step. We don’t go out in the yard very often. There’s a large deck that we use to barbecue and entertain…
Good heavens. I never imagined someone would NOT clean up their yard - unless they had acreage.
It’s been a while since I had a dog, but, when I did, I cleaned it eventually–but it wasn’t a priority.
Generally waited for it to dry out and then got it before the lawnmower did.
EDIT: I forgot to note that, aside from doing maintenance (such as lawn care and weeding), the only one who went into that yard was the dog.
I imagine it depends on a few things:
-The size of the dog
-The number of dogs
-The size of the yard
If you have a large dog or dogs, or a small yard, then, yes, Virginia, you should clean your yard. The only time I haven’t is when I had literally acres of woodland in the country and they did their business off in the distance. Otherwise, it does smell, it attracts insects, I or the kids step in it and track it in the house. I can think of no good reason to just leave it.
Perhaps if you have a tiny dog and a big yard, and your lawn mower really does vacuum it all up, rather than mulch it back onto the lawn, then you really could leave it. It still seems likely to cause a fly problem.
With my Chihuahua his poop was tiny and if we were not using the yard I wasn’t fussy about getting it everyday. With my German shorthairs I had to clean up everyday.
I do if I have people coming over like for a fire. If I put the bounce house or water slide out for my friend’s kids I will pick up in a wide area and tell everyone the rest of the yard is off limits.
I have a quarter acre back yard that is fenced in and only traversed by my dogs so I really don’t worry about it.
My parents also have a quarter acre but less free space, and my nieces play back there so we always pick up after dogs. They live next to a freeway fence so pickup is just a matter of walking a few feet and chucking it over the fence.
In my yard I have a “doggy septic tank” in the back called a Doggy Dooley. It is in the ground and has holes in it to let the poo wash away. I put enzymes in it to break it down.
I didn’t think about big dogs.
I can see where you can’t ignore their poop.
Mine is a small 10 lb dog. She usually uses the back portion of the yard. That may be why I don’t notice any odor.
I have two small (15#) dogs and don’t bother. Back when I first moved in and very regularly (at least once a week) hosted bonfires, I did. But at this point in my life, it’s rare to have someone in my backyard, and when I do, I just tell them to watch where they step.
Upon first hearing about it, most people think it’s gross (and I’ll admit, it does sound that way), but they’re small dogs and have small poop. I haven’t picked up in, probably over 5 years and if you were to go in my backyard right now, it would look like I haven’t cleaned up in a few days. If you don’t watch your step, you might get something on your shoe, but probably not. I can mow the entire backyard and just sort kinda keep my eyes on the ground (about as much as I do to make sure I don’t run the mower over a giant stick or something) and I’m fine).
Also, to add, other than something steaming fresh, it doesn’t smell, and no, I’m not ‘used’ to it, it still smells awful if it’s fresh or they do in the house for whatever reason. But as was said above, it’s small, and it dries out and disintegrates in a few days, for dogs this size, it’s really not a big deal. If I had big(ger) dogs, it would be different, but I don’t…also, my gag reflex goes into high gear when I start picking it up, so that certainly helped make the decision.
About the only time it’s really noticeable (by site, not by smell) is in spring, when it all thaws out of the snow at once. But a few freeze/thaw cycles and some rain usually clears it up pretty quickly.
Also, as for ‘warning’ people, I do have a concrete patio and if I haven’t cleaned up (ie people show up on short notice, or people show up in general, you always miss something), I usually tell them to stay on patio and if they venture into the ‘minefield’ it’s at their own risk.
Yes, I pick it up every day. I live in a townhome and have a relatively small yard. The shit will stink, and I’ll get a letter from the homeowners association. In addition, my county requires dog waste to be picked up within 72 hours. Leaving out the legal obligations, it’s just considerate to pick up your dog’s poop. Unless you live out in the boonies several hundred yards away from your nearest neighbor, that is.
Edit- My dog weighs about 45 pounds. While the waste isn’t sizeable, she does poop about twice a day. It’s better to take care of it before it accumulates.
Yes, I pick up whatever my dog poops, wherever he poops it.
Once upon a time I had a smaller dog and a much, much bigger yard, and in that case, I picked it up when I found it, hopefully not by stepping in it, but I didn’t stress about it.
But things are different now.
My daughter has two chihuahuas, and is thrilled not to have to mess with picking up poop from the back fenced yard. I think if they were Great Danes or even just something larger than chihuahuas she might, especially to walk around without messing up her shoes, but she is willing to take the chance of poo on her shoes with chihuahuas.
My neighbors on one side don’t clean theirs up nearly enough and the smell that wafts over into my yard is gross and frequent. They rarely spend time back there (and doggie prefers the strip of lawn next to mine for pooping, nowhere near their patio) so either they don’t smell it or they don’t care. When I’ve tactfully mentioned it I’ve been met w/ confusion - ‘Really? I don’t smell anything!’ They water daily from April to October and it gets rank if the day’s a hot one afterward.
Your neighbours must love you.
Yes; as others have said, I used the yard for various things and didn’t want to step in any of it.
Yes, although I’ll admit it’s tougher when there’s snow on the ground and the poop sinks as the snow melts.
Another reason to pick it up: Parasites. My dogs had a brief fling with giardia thanks to other people who didn’t bother picking up their dog’s poop. That made my dogs’ poops infectious, which meant unless I wanted then to keep reinfecting themselves, I had no choice but to clean up our yard.
Our ex-housemates had two shepherds, so there were four dogs altogether here at that time. We had to hire a poop-cleaning company to completely strip the backyard that year because the ex housemates NEVER cleaned up they dogs’ mess and yeah, our neighbors started complaining about the smell.
Our fenced yard is about 2 acres, most of it wooded. I have no idea where our dog poops because I’ve never seen it. So no.
Three big dogs, so of course.
But there’s very little of it, as they seldom go in the yard, preferring to venture a little way into the woods. But I routinely scoop any piles in the yard.
As sad as I was about my dog dying a few years ago, it felt wonderful mowing the lawn without having to scoop (or be on high alert for) the brown Easter eggs.
mmm