Doogie Dooley Waste Disposal System  -  Frequently Asked Questions HOW DOES THE DIGESTER WORK? A digester works as a miniature septic area for dog waste. Septic systems are designed to condition waste by converting the solid waste to liquid. This liquid can then pass through the soil and be harmlessly absorbed into the subsoil. This conversion to liquid would naturally occur over a long period of time if enough moisture was provided. The addition of Digester Powder utilizing enzyme action will drastically speed the rate of this conversion to liquid. Helpful bacteria which breakdown organic matter are already present in every digester and septic system. However, the addition of enzymes acts to speed the digestion process and bypass several unpleasant side effects (such as heavy malodor) in the process. HOW DO I SELECT A SITE FOR THE DIGESTER? You can choose your yard, lawn or flower garden, just use common sense by keeping away from tree roots, vegetable gardens, fruit trees and the path of your lawn mower (we receive orders for new lids because people run over their Doggie Dooleys with the lawn mower). To help avoid this problem grow a flower garden, or place mulch, stones or bricks around the lid. This will help make it more visible and a less likely target. Check local laws as to how far digesters should be placed from wells. Digesters should be the same distance from wells as septic tanks.  It is best to place your unit a few feet away from any structures, such as your house or out building, and try to avoid entrances. Be careful of utility lines in your yard - Natural Gas, Electric, Telephone, Cable. Many communities require that you "Call before you dig"! Place it within reach of a water source, such as a garden hose. You will need to add water frequently! Just like your home's toilet, don't       forget to flush!  Try to locate the unit in an area of your yard with minimum clay content. The unit requires normal ground drainage to operate effectively.  To check for normal drainage, perform a "perk" test by adding 5 gallons of water to the 48" x 8" hole. If it drains well within 24 to 48 hours, it should operate properly. HOW DO I  KNOW WHICH WASTE DISPOSAL SYSTEM IS BETTER FOR ME --  THE LEACH SYSTEM STYLE OR THE SEPTIC TANK STYLE? Both styles of Doggie Dooleys work on the same principle.  The main difference lies in the capacity and frequency of maintenance.   The standard sized pyramid-shaped Leach System style (catalog HT-3500) can handle 1 or 2 dogs.  The large sized pyramid-shaped Leach System style (catalog HT-3800) can handle 1 to 4 dogs.  The plastic Septic System style (catalog HT-2000) can handle 1 large or 2 small pets).  The metal Septic System style (catalog HT-3000) can handle 2 large or 4 small pets).  So you can see there is some overlap in capacity at the low end.  However, the large Leach System can handle more dogs at the high end. As far as maintenance is concerned, the pyramid-shaped Leach System styles (both catalog HT-3500 and HT-3800) require a 5-gallon bucket of water 2 or 3 times a week.  The Septic System styles (both catalog HT-2000 and HT-3000) require a small amount of water daily every time you add waste.  This is a general rule of thumb.  Increase frequency if your soil is particularly sandy and the waste dries between waterings.   The digester requires the waste to be in a semi-liquid state to work most effectively. All four styles require a tablespoon of digester per week per dog.  So this is the same no matter which way you go. Installation is about the same for all four units as well.  So again, this is a wash. If your site is particularly wet (such as a heavy clay in a continually moist location), then you might be better off with one of the plastic units (either one of the Leach System styles or the plastic version of the Septic System style).  These will not rust, whereas eventually the metal Septic Tank style will. Finally, there is a small difference in the exposed profile of the lid.  The Leach System units have a square lid, whereas the Septic System styles have a round lid.  All four units have plastic lids that open when you step on a small lever.  The lids on all four units can be damaged if you run over them with a lawn mower. WHAT IF I GO ON VACATION AND DO NOT USE THE DOGGIE DOOLEY FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME? It is important to add the stools on a daily basis. If you do not use the unit for a period of two weeks or longer it will be necessary to repeat the start up procedure. CAN I USE MY DOGGIE DOOLEY IN THE WINTER TIME OR DURING COLD WEATHER? Your Doggie Dooley is made from very durable material. It will not break or crack in cold weather or with normal use. However, the Digester Powder becomes inactive at 40 degrees Fahrenheit and below. When the ground temperature drops below 40 degrees F, do not add waste to the unit. Wait until the temperature rises, and follow the start up instructions again. If you have dug deep enough, depending on weather conditions, you may keep using the unit as long as it is digesting. We recommend you add warm water exclusively in the Winter. ARE FLIES OR OTHER PESTS ATTRACTED TO THE DOGGIE DOOLEY? Insects may lay eggs on dog stools before they are put into the Doggie Dooley. If this happens, the eggs will turn into maggots. Because the Digester Powder will not kill anything alive it will be necessary to spray the contents with a bug bomb. Usually fly eggs will not hatch unless the contents of the unit are too dry. HOW DO I DIG THE HOLE? Use a post-hole digger to dig an 8-inch diameter hole by a minimum of 48-inch (4 foot) deep (see diagram). The deeper the hole, the more capacity for waste your digester will have.  Take care not to exceed 8-inch in diameter. Note how the assembled unit straddles the hole (see diagram ). Note, in areas with sandy soil, the hole may collapse after adding water. After completing the hole, fill the hole with water and inspect for erosion. If erosion occurs you can add small stone, gravel or insert a PVC pipe to keep the hole open.  Drill several 1/4-inch holes in the side of the pipe to help with drainage. Next, dig out an area around the top of the hole in a circular pattern. When complete, you will have dug a larger entry hole that is 15-inches in diameter and 8-inches deep (standard size Doggie Dooley) or 14-inches deep (large size). WHAT IS DIGESTER POWDER? Digester powder contains proteinase, an enzyme complex mixture and bacterial cultures.  The powder is environmentally safe and non-toxic but should be kept away from children and pets.  The enzymes in the powder are proteins and, as such, break down into harmless amino acids. The digester breaks down the solid material in pet waste into liquid form, which then drains from the Doggie Dooley.  The powder is specifically formulated for pet waste and is the only digester powder recommended for use in the Doggie Dooley waste disposal system. WHERE CAN I GET DIGESTER POWDER REFILLS? This unit is packed with a starter amount of Digester Powder. You may need to adjust the amount of Digester Powder that you use based on your application. Dog waste varies depending on the type of dog, the diet of the dog and the amount of dog waste from a single animal.  Refills can be obtained from the Snow Country Pets on-line store.