I've been really amazed at the interest on the topic of dog poop on Green Living Tips :). When I wrote the original "dealing with dog poop" article, I though that folks would see the title, screw up their nose and move on, but it's attracted all sorts of tips, ideas and questions on the issue.
There certainly seems to be a lot of dog owners out there that want to be part of the solution. Dog poop, aside from being a little offensive to the eyes, nose and shoes; is definitely an environmental problem. I've decided to construct a doggy loo to deal with the issue at home as they are really cheap to make. A small garbage bin peppered with holes and with the base cut out, then buried in the ground, a bit of gravel and some enzyme pellets to deal with the poop - that's about it.
Our canine companions produce a lot of poop and I'd hate to guess how many millions of tons of the stuff is generated by our pets globally each year. We have small dogs ourselves, but I often wonder if several big dogs are hiding somewhere in our yard given what our little guys crank out :).
Anyhow, poo related jesting aside - a doggy loo is a great idea for your yard, but when you're out and about it's a different matter. In my article I made mention of degradable plastic bags as a solution. Today I was contacted by Abe from SkooperBox.com.au, the Australian representation of Skooperbox.com who let me know about their product. The name sort of says it all.
Skooper box is also made from 100% recycled paper and is of course biodegradable. The box is initally flat for the sake of convenience. You simply hook the box on a special leash clip before you head off on your walk and when your dog invariably does its business (always when everyone is watching you of course), pop the box open, scoop the poop, close the lid and hang back on the leash clip until you can find a responsible place to dispose of it.
Skooperbox is PETA endorsed and has received a lot of positive press. The Australian Skooperbox team have been invited by the RSPCA (the equivalent of the Humane Society in the USA) to launch the product at their Million Paws Walk in Melbourne in May this year.
Nice idea :)
