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The Snow Dogs
Garnet Valley Middle School
P.O. Box 1234
Glenn Mills, PA
Dear Paul,
We understand that you are in need of some help for the
removal of waste from your dogs. These
are the answers that we came up with to your questions. We tried to our best ability to answer them
completely.
Can it be composted?
Yes,
We found many ways of composting the dog poop.
One way in particular stood out because it was based on a research study
in Alaska. This study was about dog
waste, how the mushers deal with the problem, and how it can be composted.
How
large a space is needed?
The
amount of space is not too large. It is
rather small in fact. You need a place
to put the compost bins and this place must be sunny and well drained.
What's
the cost involved?
Cost
is not that much. You only need the
supplies for the composting. They are
compost bins with covers, sawdust, shovels and/or forks, lime, and a compost
thermometer. This process of disintegrating may take longer in Alaska because
of the cold temperatures. In the long
run you could actually make money because the compost that you make can be sold
to a local nursery.
What
can we do about the smell?
There
are a few but not many things you can do about the smell. The best way is the one you are doing right
now: putting lime on the dog
waste. The lime does not do anything
harmful to the compost; it only makes it smell not as pungent.
Description
Prepare
a sunny, well-drained area near the dog kennels for a compost area. Add sawdust to the dog waste. Mix thoroughly after each addition of
sawdust. Gradually add water until the
mixture is as moist as a wrung out sponge.
Continue adding ingredients until the compost is 2-3 feet deep. Place the cover over the compost mixture and
let temperature rise. Once the bin is
full, do not continue adding fresh materials.
Insert the compost thermometer daily and record temperature. When it starts to decline it is time to turn
the compost. Turn the whole pile from
the outside in, in order to make a more complete compost mixture. Continue this procedure until the mixture is
a crumbly, black, dirt-like mixture.
Cooking time varies usually from 4-8 weeks. If desired, the compost can be cured prior to land
application.
Good luck on your composting!
Best regards,
SP, AD, LS, JB, and JB