How often should you pick up dog poop in your yard?

The ideal answer is "every time." The practical answer is "at least weekly." Here's where both come from, how long waste can safely wait, and a schedule for your pack and your yard.

How often does the CDC say to pick up dog poop?

Every time. The CDC's toxocariasis guidance says to pick up your pet's waste every time, then bury it or bag it for the trash, and its page on how the infection spreads says pet waste should be picked up daily. Its advice for dog owners adds that poop should be picked up even in your own yard, especially where children may play.

That's the bar. Real life, with work, weather and a dog who favors the far corner, often lands short of it. So the useful question is how long waste can sit before the risk climbs.

Why does picking up at least weekly matter?

Because roundworm, which spreads through dog poop left in the soil, runs on a clock of weeks. The CDC says roundworm eggs passed in dog poop need 2 to 4 weeks in the environment to develop enough to cause infection. After that, they're tough: the same page says the eggs can survive for months, or even years, under the right conditions.

The Companion Animal Parasite Council, a group of veterinary parasite experts, gives the same 2 to 4 weeks for most roundworm eggs. It adds that prompt removal of feces helps keep those eggs from lingering in the yard.

So the goal is to get waste off the lawn before its eggs are ready. Here's the longest a pile can sit on each schedule:

Weekly clears waste before most roundworm eggs are ready. Every other week reaches the early edge of that window. Monthly gives the eggs all the time they need.

Flies add a faster clock. UC IPM, the University of California's pest management program, says house flies can go from egg to adult in as little as 7 days in summer, and it recommends removing dog feces at least once a week.

Weekly or biweekly: which pooper scooper schedule fits your dogs?

At least weekly for any yard your dog uses every day, and twice a week once you have three or more dogs or kids who play on the lawn. Biweekly (every other week) can work for one small dog with light yard use. Here's the schedule we recommend, matched to our plans, with prices for a yard up to ¼ acre.

Bigger yards add a little per visit, and every number is in our dog poop pickup cost guide. Not sure which row fits? The 30-second quote prices each schedule for your yard.

Does how you use the yard change the schedule?

Yes. The more people and paws on the grass, the more often it should be cleared.

• Kids play there. The CDC says children younger than 5 are more likely to get sick from germs animals carry, partly because they touch contaminated surfaces and put their hands in their mouths. It also notes that severe roundworm cases are more likely in young children who play in or eat contaminated dirt.
• Bare feet. Dog hookworm larvae can burrow into bare skin that touches soil contaminated by feces. The CDC's advice is to wear shoes and avoid skin contact with contaminated soil or sand.
• Gardens. The Companion Animal Parasite Council recommends shoes and gloves for gardening, for the same reason.
• Parties and cookouts. Book a one-time cleanup a day or two before guests arrive.

The CDC also counts adults 65 and older and people with weakened immune systems as higher risk. If that describes someone in your home, lean toward the more frequent schedule, and ask your doctor what else makes sense.

Should you keep scooping in winter?

Yes. Your dog doesn't stop going when it snows, and snow hides waste without removing it. The National Weather Service's normal for Detroit is 45 inches of snow a season, so a Michigan backyard can hide a lot until the thaw.

Melting snow is runoff. Macomb County Public Works maintains 475 county drains, and all of them eventually carry storm water to Lake St. Clair. The EPA says stormwater carries pet waste left on the ground into streams, lakes and rivers, and it names the belief that dog waste will "take care of itself" as one reason people leave it.

On winter visits, we pick up everything above the snow and catch up when it melts; here's what happens on a visit, in any weather. If you scoop yourself, do the same, then plan a full cleanup at the thaw.

How do you keep up if you scoop the yard yourself?

Make it a routine instead of a rescue mission. A quick daily pass plus a thorough weekly sweep is the do-it-yourself version of what we do.

1. Do a daily walk-by. Grab what you see when you let the dog out. That's the CDC's every-time advice in practice.
2. Sweep the whole yard weekly. Walk it in lanes, and check corners, mulch beds and the fence line, where piles are easy to miss.
3. Bag it and trash it. The CDC's advice is to bury it or bag it for the trash, and UC IPM suggests sealing pet waste in plastic bags so flies can't get to it in the can.
4. Keep it away from drains. Never rinse waste toward the street, a ditch or a storm drain. Macomb County Public Works asks residents to keep pet waste away from drainage ditches and storm drains.
5. Wash your hands. The CDC says to wash your hands after handling pet waste.
6. Keep up with the vet. The CDC recommends having a veterinarian test and treat dogs for worms, especially puppies and dogs that spend time outdoors.

Watch for signs your schedule is too loose: the yard smells on warm days, flies hang over the potty area, or every cleanup takes longer than the last. Any of those means it's time to scoop more often, or to hand it off.

Do Macomb County cities have rules about poop in your own yard?

Some do. Most local ordinances focus on picking up right away when your dog goes off your property, but a few also cover your own yard.

• Sterling Heights: City code §8-11 says waste at home can't be left to turn smelly or offensive, and it must be removed within 24 hours after the city receives a complaint.
• St. Clair Shores: Code Sec. 6-15 says waste in your own yard has to be disposed of promptly so it doesn't spread or create an offensive condition.

Rules change, so check your city's current code before relying on any summary, including ours. Our Sterling Heights and St. Clair Shores pages have more local detail.