Owning a dog entails a lot of responsibilities. But dealing with poop has to be the most odious duty (or should we say doody).
According to the ASPCA, the average dog poops 1-3 times per day. That’s a whole lot of dog piles that have to be disposed of one way or another.
Despite thousands of years of selective breeding, no one has yet invented a poopless dog (though there are plenty of dogs who *ahem* clean up after themselves). Fortunately, people have invented a number of products that make this shit job a little more tolerable. If you’re still picking up poop the old-fashioned way, you might want to give some of these a look.
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Dedicated Doggy Drain
The only thing nastier than picking up dog poop in the yard is not picking up dog poop in the yard. Installing a drain in your yard that leads directly to the sewer makes the job easier, and eliminates the need for plastic bags. There are also doggy septic systems you can buy, but they can be tricky to install and maintain. Go with the more straightforward option.
Flushable Dog Poop Bags
A doggy drain in your yard is great for turds that fall close to home, but what to do on walks? Water soluble poop bags allow you to dispose of your dog’s waste in the toilet. Not only does this keep the flies away from your trash bin, but it’s better for the environment too.
Freeze Spray
Dogs love to be out in the yard with you while you’re picking up their poop. They also seem to take perverse pleasure in leaving you fresh surprises while you’re not looking. This aerosol spray cools the poop down to -62 degrees, taking the steam off it and making it a little less disgusting to pick up (that is, if you spot it before accidentally stepping in it while mowing the lawn). Unfortunately, the customer reviews suggest this doesn’t work very well on watery poop or diarrhea – if it did, it would be a must-have.
Back-Saving Pooper Scooper
There are lots of different pooper scoopers on the market, from simple (but effective) rakes to contraptions that come with 30-page manuals. Which of these is best is a matter of debate and preference, but the Doody Digger pictured here is way up there on the list. It’s essentially just a tube with a digging edge on one end and a plastic collection bag on the other (you have to buy replacement bags periodically). It sure makes poop collection a lot easier, though.
Dog Potty Box
Here’s a thought. Rather than hunting for your dog’s poo, why not bring the poo to you? Potty boxes might not be the ideal choice in most situations, but they’re great for older dogs who can’t make it down deck stairs comfortably, or for pups who live in high rise apartments. A lot of these boxes have artificial turf, but not all dogs like the fake stuff and few humans like cleaning it off for reuse. Disposable boxes with real grass are the way to go for most people.