You may get a bit of debate on this, but never for my veggies. Waste from cats and dogs is generally on the "no" list for compost going into food production because of specific pathogens. USDA does encourage composting those wastes as an environmentally desirable method for waste management, and using that compost in general lawn/landscaping application, but not for food production.

Thanks. I have read a few posts with mixed results.

I loathe thinking about raking the back yard prior to cutting the grass to get rid of the dog contribution.

How about two compost piles - one "clean" for the veggie garden, the other that includes the backyard stuff for general landscape?

Yeah, I thought of that. I may have to run over to Lowe's and buy some wire to make a quick bin.

Thanks for your help.

The even easier approach would be to just mulch cut the back and let nature do the rest.

That is what I have been doing for the past few years. I was trying to make the most of free materials since I started composting.

A potential source of free "brown" materials -- my little city collects tree and brush trimmings and grinds them into mulch. They make it available for free to city residents -- 2.5 cu. yds. per quarter allowance. They have piles ranging from current (very fresh) up to ~ 2 years old (well broken down). I use 18 gal covered totes - fill 3 per quarter with ~ 6 month-old stuff. Gives me all the brown stock I need. That with my kitchen compostables gives me a very stable, standard mix that works extremely well in my system.

If you need brown, and can't get something similar from your municipality, check with local tree services. I have been told that many have it for the taking.

Yea, i got sick of my dogs going all in my garden, fenced it off.. So here's the catch.. I planted winter rye and the part that the dogs can get to is literally double the size of the rye they didnt touch.. Thought that was very interesting.. Oh and I feed them raw meat and bones! People think animals urine,etc would burn plants, they were steroids for mine!

Although, I agree with the pathogens,etc... But if they are eating cooked kebble like a normal dog, how many pathogens would they have? I wouldnt compost the crap, but I would compost the grass clipping... Proper conpost gets heated to 160+, killing pathogens, weed seeds,etc.. I would NOT hesistate to use those grass clipping! Or fence yard!

Use the clippings for compost in everything for your garden EXCEPT what you're gonna use it for consumption.

Or just mulch the grass clippings back into the lawn since it returns the nutrients to the lawn.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mulch or bag grass clippings

Raw_nature, dog urine is about 4000ppm N. Iirc, Ohio gets a decent amount of rain that could dilute the urine sufficiently.

"But if they are eating cooked kebble like a normal dog, how many pathogens would they have?"

Pretty much the same enteric pathogens your dogs have.

Pretty much the same ones WE have! e coli lives in the colon...

As long as the dogs are free of intestinal parasites, there's no danger in composting the feces.

e.coli is literally damn near everywhere. There is probably e. coli on your toothbrush right now.

My dogs love raw meat and bones. My winter rye apparently loves the dog urine/feces.. My compost pile loves the grass clippings.. My soil loves the compost.. My beets loves the soil that loves the compost. My juicer loves the beets.. My body loves the fresh,raw beet juice! I love life!

There are many strains of Escherichia coli. Most are harmless and a number are part of the human gut. But there are those pesky others that are pathogenic, often e. coli O157:H7

Pathogens are eliminated with proper composting. Similar to cooking pork.

The data is old (1975), but studies of dog parasites inserted into compost windrows found ova of tapeworm and trichurius both survived at 159 ðF temps after 20 days; at 35 days and 150 F, those plus hookworm ova survived. What was NOT assessed was their viability.

As you stated data was old.. Besides we are not adding isolated pathogens,etc into the compost.. We are adding grass clippings that might not even contain those pathogens.. I fenced my garden so I don't have to worry about anything.. How about the bird dropping landing on your vegetables? We going to throw out the whole bed because of some poop, I'll rather have a tape worm! Now a days cleanliness and sanitizers could do moreharm then good.. It's like we freaks here! I don't really wash my root crops,just throw em in the juicer! People I'm here to type this message today! People get out there and chew on some soil for sake! Don't live in a bubble! Throw out them hand sanitizers!