Dog waste can be divided into two distinct problem categories. Dog waste in the yard or garden of private homes and dog waste in public areas. How people deal with dog waste on their property is influenced by whether they are lifting the waste from a hard surface like concrete or from a soft surface like grass and whether the waste is in a solid form or a soft form. There is now available a pooper scooper that is suitable for all surfaces.
Having had between two and four boxers at any time over the past 40 years my experience is that I have tried most of the products that have been developed for the garden/yard market and I have concluded that the best product for the job is a small metal coal shovel about 5 inches in width, fitted with a broom handle. When the broom handle is fitted into the shovel handle it should then be angled/bent slightly so that the shovel runs parallel to the ground. The dog waste is lifted in a scooping action and deposited into a bucket that is lined with a rubbish bag. This waste bag is deposited into a general waste bin. The shovel and handle combination is 100% suitable for solid waste on concrete or grass, 100% suitable for soft waste on hard surfaces and 90% suitable for grass. In my opinion, no product is 100% suitable for soft waste on grass as it is dependent on climate conditions, length of grass and the consistency of the waste.
The advantages of this method are that it is low-cost, hygienic, and suitable for elderly owners or dog owners with bad backs. It can be stored outside, can be washed down as needed and is easy to use. CuPooper Scooper is dog pooper scooper and waste disposal.
Dog waste in Public areas.
There is increased attention given to this social problem. Dog waste is one of the top three complaints by residents to their local politicians. It is expected that dogs will become a growing urban phenomenon with increased humanization of dogs, and dogs fit an emotional space and companionship need for empty nesters as they live longer and more active lives.
When we switch the question from asking “How can I persuade them to do the right things?” to “Why aren’t they doing the right thing already, what’s stopping them?”.
Then a couple of things become apparent. When the government is faced with the choice of carrot or stick to influence behaviour it usually reaches for the stick. The stick to be effective requires a large dose of enforcement which is usually not forthcoming. Just think of all the laws you have seen passed in your lifetime that are not effective because of lack/cost of enforcement and prioritising of resources.
Dog waste in public areas will only be solved when dog owners are given the tools to deal with the problem and when there is a moral crusade to encourage all dog owners to “do the right thing”. So back to my question “Why aren’t they doing the right thing already? What’s stopping them?”
When walking their dogs in public areas the only option open to most dog owners is to place a waste bag over their hand, pick up the warm waste, whether it is in a solid or non-solid state, reverse the bag over their hand and seal it by tiding both sides together. Then they are expected to carry the bag until they find a bin in which to deposit it. This sometimes can mean them carrying the waste bag for the length of their walk and then bringing it home with them because of the lack of bins in which to deposit the waste.
So, the question is: Are people equipped today to effectively and hygienically scoop the waste, both solid and soft, of a surface either hard-concrete or soft grass /sand – when they are out walking their dog? The answer is No.
The second question: Is it reasonable to ask people to carry bagged waste in their hands for up to an hour when they are walking their dog before they can bin it? The answer is No.
CuPooch has designed a scoop to address the first question – it is a plastic scooper over which a waste bag can be placed. This ensures that the scooper is clean at all times and the waste bag can be reversed back over the scooper and sealed when the waste has been lifted. The scooper has a handle that can be attached that allows you to bend and scoop. If you have problems bending, you can attach a telescopic handle to the scooper or you can attach the scooper to our purpose-built ball thrower. To ensure that you can scoop effectively on hard surfaces or soft surfaces a cardboard “scuff guard” can be clipped to the underside of the scooper to prevent tearing of the waste bag during the scooping motion. When the waste has been scooped the cardboard “scuff guard” is retained in the waste bag along with the waste.
To address the problem of having to carry the waste bag in your hand for the duration of your walk we have designed a wearable Ascal Bag that is worn as a sling backpack and a small pouch bag that can be attached to the Tote bag. It contains two compartments, one to hold the scooper and handle, the scuff guard and waste bags. The outside flexible compartment has a wide sealable mouth into which the filled waste bags can be deposited and held for the duration of your hands-free walk. You can then bin it when you find a suitable bin or take it home.