Wednesday, April 7, 2010

The next best thing-pooper picker uppers

Obedience classes are gearing up and it’s time for that question that I always get asked—what would you suggest? Or even better is someone coming up to me with the latest and greatest gadget and not having a clue as to the real or even correct use of it. So figured I’ll get a head start and do a plug for a few dog essentials that are the must haves in my house.

Let’s start with the basics and well, the most important—poop picker uppers.

Yes the raw deal folks. We all have to go out and clean up after the dogs. Granted some times of the year are better then others, such as dry days vs after a rain. Don’t you just love winter storms, they clean the slate until it all melts then you have a “waste” land of wonder.
Check my jacket pockets, grooming smock, jeans, shorts, you name it, I must have a bagging of some sort in them all. Usually that is. There are always those times when you use the last one and upon walking the dog from the grooming area, to the vehicle to get a new supply, the dog says-Wait-I have to go – NOW!

We have super duty pooper scoopers at home. Carries a lot but remember, your shoulder and arm will get tired if it gets too heavy. We’ve also run across a new scraper replacement as we all know that those get lost or destroyed first. You all know that hacking at frozen poo ruins those chinsy little things too quickly. Anyway, Lowe’s has in the garden area an industrial scraper, well it’s actually an edger tool but it works and looks the same.

If you're a serious pooper picker upper, then you know those rakes are a joke, the claw/jaws things just make a mess., so just stick with the good old standby. I have the one that's yellow with a green handle but I have my eye on one of those neat colored aluminum ones-maybe in purple or blue?

Okay, so how about those baggies. The plastic shopping bags are great, sort of. Can’t wad more then one in your pocket, they do leak and don’t tie all the way shut. I like the cheap sandwich bags, not the Ziploc ones. Super cheap. That is until you have to walk Ruff Ruff and need four of them. So then you go to the rolls of poop bags. Great stuff and have some cute holders for them. That is until, as Kim experienced, the dogs get into the bag with several 100 bag rolls and trash the RV with them. But then you just separate them and use the cute little baggie bags that someone made for the CorgiAid auction.

I guess that Bekka had a product that Kim and Kathy really liked all Mutt Mitts. Heavy duty, and very good capacity(isn’t that a sign of a dog owner-we talk about poop in the “capacity” term). But expensive.

There are biodegradable ones-watch out that they don’t get wet. The moment you go to pick up something, they will have achieved their ½ life and your hand ends up, well, time to disinfect and sanitize.

One little hint for those traveling with dogs. This is kind of like a Martha Stewartish thing. Keep a plastic coffee can in the car. When stopping and cleaning up after your dog on the road, just deposit the filled baggie in the coffee can, pop on the lid and keep on going. The neat thing is the can keeps the smell from invading the car, the coffee itself-as there is usually some remenant in the bottom of it, also helps to down play the smell. Easy breezy solution.

Later gators...
C

No comments: