Dog waste can have a detrimental effect on the environment if not properly taken care of. Don't let it sit in your yard for longer than you have to, since it is a medium for disease and can harm your grass and soil. Instead, reuse a shopping or newspaper bag to pick it up and deposit it in the trash. If you have enough household kitchen waste to mix with it, add it to your compost pile. Be sure to properly compost it with sufficient levels of oxygen and heat so it is not harmful to humans or animals when it is spread.