Scooping dog poop in winter: snow, ice and frozen piles

Snow is great at hiding dog poop and useless at getting rid of it. Every pile your dog leaves in December is still there in March, frozen, flattened and buried under everything that came after. Here's why winter scooping still matters in Macomb County, and how to make it less miserable.

Do you need to pick up dog poop in the winter?

Yes. Snow covers dog poop; it doesn't take it anywhere. When the snow melts, everything that piled up comes back at once, on your lawn and in the runoff.

The CDC is clear that your own yard counts: pick up dog poop there too, with extra care anywhere kids play. That advice doesn't come with a seasonal exception, and the math is simple: whatever your dog leaves in December is still there at the thaw, along with every pile after it.

Skip a few weeks and you're looking at a full spring cleanup instead of a quick pass. Our spring cleanup guide shows what that takes. If you can, keep your usual schedule through the cold. Here's how often to pick up dog poop, based on your dogs and your yard.

How much snow does Macomb County get?

About 45 inches in a normal season, going by the National Weather Service's benchmark for Detroit, with most of it in January and February. That's plenty of time for piles to get buried more than once.

The NWS Detroit/Pontiac office's 1991–2020 normals break it down by month:

Detroit's normal high in January is 32.3°F, right at the freezing mark, so plenty of winter days hover near a thaw. Those are your catch-up days.

Does freezing kill the germs in dog poop?

Not reliably. Cold slows roundworm eggs down, but it doesn't clean a yard, and winter is when roundworm infections in dogs peak.

• Cold delays, it doesn't erase. Iowa State University's Center for Food Security and Public Health says cold holds back roundworm egg development, and it takes soil temperatures below 5°F to kill the larvae inside. Plenty of eggs die off within six months, but some last a year or more in soil.
• The eggs are tough. The CDC says roundworm eggs have a protective layer that lets them survive for months, or even years, under the right conditions.
• Winter is roundworm season. The Companion Animal Parasite Council says roundworm infections in dogs are most prevalent from November through January, and it recommends year-round parasite protection. Ask your veterinarian what's right for your dog.

For scale, Detroit's normal January low is 19.2°F, and that's measured in the air, not the ground.

What happens to dog poop when the snow melts?

It goes where the meltwater goes. In Macomb County, that means storm drains, then creeks, rivers and Lake St. Clair.

Macomb County Public Works puts it plainly: rain and melting snow pick up sediment, nutrients and bacteria from the land and carry them through the storm drain system into local waters. The EPA describes stormwater the same way: rain and snowmelt that flow over land and pavement instead of soaking in. Clinton Township adds that melting snow travels through storm sewers to local waters with no treatment along the way, and County Public Works says all 475 county drains eventually carry storm water to Lake St. Clair.

Two ways to keep your dog's winter out of the melt:

• Scoop before the thaw, not after it.
• Keep poopy snow out of the street. Don't shovel or blow it toward the curb or onto a storm drain grate. County Public Works asks residents to keep pet waste away from drainage ditches and storm drains.

Our post on dog poop, storm drains and Lake St. Clair follows the whole route.

Is it safe for kids to play in snow where the dog goes?

It's safer once you've scooped their play area. Snowmen, forts and snow angels tend to happen in the same backyard as potty breaks.

Kids are the ones most at risk. The Companion Animal Parasite Council notes that human infections with dog and cat roundworms are most common in children, and that they come from swallowing eggs picked up from the environment. The CDC's roundworm guidance adds habits worth keeping all winter:

• Wash hands with soap and water after playing with pets, especially after outdoor activities, and before eating.
• Teach kids that eating dirt or soil is dangerous. We'd add snow from the dog's side of the yard to that list.
• Have your veterinarian treat your dogs for worms, especially young dogs and dogs that spend time outdoors.

There's more in our guide to dog poop and kids' yard safety.

How do you pick up dog poop in the snow?

Make the piles easy to find, and use a tool that can pry. Frozen piles come up cleanly if you get them before the next snowfall buries them.

1. Shovel a potty patch. Clear a spot close to the door. Your dog gets an easier trip, and you get one place to check.
2. Scoop after every snowfall. Pick up what's on top before the next layer lands. The CDC's roundworm advice is to pick up pet waste daily, and daily is easier when the patch is by the door.
3. Use a flat shovel or a metal rake-and-pan. A flat edge slides under a frozen pile and pops it loose. Flimsy plastic scoopers struggle in January.
4. Mark the spot. A garden stake or a flag helps you find the potty area after the wind rearranges the snow.
5. Use thaw days. When it climbs past freezing, walk the yard for anything that surfaced.
6. Skip the ice rink. If the yard is glazed over, wait for better footing. A fall costs more than a late scoop.
7. Go easy with the salt. The ASPCA recommends pet-friendly ice melt, and washing and drying your dog's feet after walks so salt and chemicals don't get licked off bare paws.
8. Bag it and wash up. Frozen or not, it goes in a sealed bag in the outdoor trash can, and the CDC says to wash your hands after contact with dog poop, even if you used a bag.

Do you scoop dog poop in the snow?

Yes. We scoop year-round in all 22 Macomb County communities we serve, and winter has its own routine:

• We scoop in rain and cold.
• We reschedule for lightning or ice.
• When snow covers the yard, we pick up everything sitting above it.
• When the thaw uncovers the rest, we catch up.

Every visit still ends with a latched gate and a gate-check photo, and the Happy Yard Guarantee still applies: missed a spot, tell us within 24 hours and we come back free. Took the winter off? One-time cleanups start at $133, and the spring cleanup guide shows what to expect. Get your price in about 30 seconds, or check where we scoop in Macomb County.