Best Pooper Scoopers
Last updated: by Kyle J. Larson Affiliate Disclosure: We hope you love the products we've recommended! As an Amazon Associate we earn a small share from qualifying purchases.Cleaning up after your pup is a dirty job, but someone has to do it! Fortunately, we’ve found some of the best pooper scoopers to make the job easy.
We’ve had many dog pooper scoopers over the years and have seen some good, some bad, and some just terrible. Some of the issues we see with scoopers are:
- It breaks easily
- It doesn’t close tight enough to grab
- It bends easily and stops working
- It tears up grass
- It’s awkward to use
- It gets rusty
After having used a bunch of scoopers, we found our two favorite poop scoopers. These scoops are totally different styles and have pros & cons that we’ll cover here so you can make the best choice.
Our Picks for The Best Pooper Scoopers
A dog scooping system that comes with two scooping devices and a tray to scoop into and transport.
This is the dog scooping system that we use most often. Typically, I use the rake and pan in the summer with a sweeping motion. The great thing about this is I can leave an old paper grocery bag in the center of the yard and walk around with these two tools, eventually returning to dump everything into the bag.
The pan is pretty giant and holds lots which is very handy. It requires a little coordination to get into the grocery bag as it’s not much smaller than the opening, but most times, I only need to do this once, so it’s not a big issue.
When there’s snow on the ground, the spade comes in handy to put a bit of extra strength into breaking chunks free from the snow and ice.
We’ve got a giant dog, so I’m confident this will work for any size dog, even multiple dogs. Sometimes, after a long winter, our yard is a total scooping disaster, but this makes quick work of it.
Pros
- Sturdy metal that doesn’t bend easily
- A strong pan that can hold a surprising amount
- Poles can be shortened or lengthened
- Long poles mean no bending over
- Rust resistant
Cons
- A large pan means you’ll need a large bag or container to dump into
- It requires a little coordination with both hands to move the pan and tool of choice
A scooper with a jaw that opens and closes with one hand by squeezing the handle.
This is our alternate choice for the best pooper scoopers. It has a spring-loaded jaw that opens when you squeeze the handle. This is super handy for a one-handed pickup and works really well. It has strong springs that pull the jaw back into place as your release your grip.
I think these springs or the plastic will break eventually, but they seem really strong, and I’d assume they’ll continue to last for quite a while. So I think this will happen at some point, but hopefully, it will give you a lot of good use.
It’s super handy to pick up with one hand and carry a bag in the other hand, so that’s the advantage here. The disadvantage is if you’ve got a big pile to pick up, you’ll have to open the jaw as wide as possible, and it might not be quite enough (keep in mind we’ve got a giant dog, though).
Pros
- Easy to do a one-handed pickup
- Strong jaw and springs
- Antimicrobial protection
- Non-stick plastic
- It comes in 2 sizes
Cons
- It can only open so wide
- Made with plastic that will probably eventually break and need replacing
8 Scooping Tips
Here are a few helpful tips to make your poop-scooping chores a little bit easier:
- Avoid scooping after it’s rained or early in the morning when there has been dew. It just makes things way messier than they have to be.
- If you’re scooping into a bag, like a grocery bag, it’s a good idea to double-bag if it’ll be heavy or wet or if there’s snow on the ground so the bottom doesn’t fall out.
- If you’re scooping into a plastic bag, you can get a bucket or other container to stretch it over and make your job easier.
- If your dog’s waste goes out with the trash, do your scooping right before trash collection day so it’s not smelling things up for as long.
- Have some extra old shoes you can wear in case you make a misstep.
- Try to scoop on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. Leaving waste out can become a health risk.
- Follow a grid pattern to ensure you cover the entire area most efficiently.
- Make sure to wash your hands when you’re done (even if you think you kept them clean).
Best Bags for Walking Your Pup
You could carry a tool while walking your dog, but that’s probably not easy, and hard to stay sanitary. In most cases, you’ll need to carry some bags and place one over your hand to grab your dog’s droppings.
The three main concerns here are:
- Making sure you remember to bring a bag
- Making sure that bag doesn’t break
- Containing the smell
Recommended Products
We’ve been using these Earth-Rated Dog Poop Bags for a long time and never had any issues with them. We get them in lavender-scented, but you can also get them unscented. It’s a great thing to buy in bulk and have on hand.
If you don’t want the rolls, there are also easy tie bags that work great too. Leave the box somewhere where you’ll remember to grab one before you head out.
Additionally, to ensure you don’t forget a bag, you can get a leash dispenser to attach a roll to your dog’s leash and never have to worry about forgetting a bag again!
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