# What pooper scooper do you use?



## emt1581 (Sep 5, 2008)

I saw that there were about 20 different scoopers/bags/etc. at PetSmart the other day. I'm just curious which yall use?

Do most use plastic bags on walks? Do any of you put a vest on the dog with pockets so they can carry bags, food, water, poop, etc. on walks?

Do you use something different on walks than you do in the yard?

Thanks!

-Emt1581


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## kshort (Jun 4, 2004)

I use this one for the yard:

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2754403

When we're walking outside the house, I just carry the plastic covers they put on the newpapers. Love those, because I can pick it up and then tie a know at the end.

I don't make my dogs carry their water, bags or filled bags. I'm the one who gets the pleasure of doing that!


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## ninhar (Mar 22, 2003)

I just use generic one gallon twist tie food storage bags from the supermarket. Same type of bag is used for walks, backyard and also cleaning the cat's litter box. Its cheap and easy to use.


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## UConnGSD (May 19, 2008)

I use the bags-on-board kind (simply for convenience). I bought a pooper-scooper (the claw kind for scooping from grass). It made such a mess of things that I haven't used it a second time. And on top of that, I have to wash the debris off the scooper. It's just prolonging exposure to the lovely stuff







I can do a much cleaner job with a plastic bag. Incidentally, the (thoroughly cleaned up) scooper has become Wolfie's favorite outdoors toy. It's funny watching him drag it around. If he only knew what it's used for...


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## shilohsmom (Jul 14, 2003)

I use exactly what Kris uses-don't know how I lived without it!!! I bring bags for walks but I've yet to have to use any one them (my dogs prefer to go in their own yards


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

In the yard I use the kind with the little rake and the spade thing. Works fine for me. If the poop is runny, I skip the rake, aim the spade part just under the poo and kick at it good so it just takes off the top layer of ground with it. Poop goes in a poop pile waaaaaaaaaay in the back 40. I scoop everytime the dogs go unless it's pouring rain on me or something. Gotta toddler in the duplex and don't want him stepping in kaka.

On walks I take biodegradable bags I got a the petstore. They are long and thing, the perfect size, and have little tabs for tying shut.


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## VectorSketcher (Jul 20, 2008)

I use the bags that Lies just posted up there on our walks, and in the summer time I have these like poop bag gloves so I can get all the poo up from the grass in one easy swipe, then the gloves get tossed. In the winter, the poo is so much easier to pick up, like grabbing rocks after the cold hits it, so I just run out there with a walking bag, and it comes up right away. Just another reason for me to love winter!!







I tried to use a spade once, seemed to work ok until I came across some runny stuff, then it just got messy.


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

In our yard, we have a plastic bucket sunk into the ground that all the picked up poop goes into. I use a plastic gardening trowel to scoop it up and dump it into the bucket. Every so often, we put fresh digestive enzymes in the bucket and fill it up with water.

When we're on walks or go elsewhere, we use biodegradable pickup bags. We buy them in boxes of 200 at Care-a-Lot pets, and they're "Doggipot" brand. 

For long hikes, we have a backpack for Abby to carry her poop bags, water, etc. but for regular walks, we don't do that. I usually just stick some baggies into my pocket and, if it's really hot, carry my Camelbak for water for both of us. I don't carry any bowls since Abby knows to drink from a water bottle or the Camelbak.


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## Dano (Sep 20, 2004)

Why not use the plastic bags you get when you buy groceries? I have never understood why anyone would pay for a bag that is going to be used for that purpose.


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

I'm not sure if your question was directed at me, Dano, but we don't use the plastic bags from the grocery store for two reasons: one, they are not biodegradable, and two, we don't usually get plastic. We either bring a bag (like a fabric bag) or get paper.

Besides those reasons, the pickup bags are also a more manageable size, so it's easier to stuff a handful of them in your pocket than a handful of big grocery bags.


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## AndreaG (Mar 3, 2006)

...and because grocery story bags have a tendency to have little holes in them...














And yep, it only happens every so often, but when it does, it's always right at your palm! Yuck.

We use the kind from petsmart or wherever that is silver colored. Those are really well made strong, long bags. I really don't like to walk around with those see-through ones after they have been used.









We recycle our store bags at the store we get them from. Even though I read it somewhere that actually the recycling costs a whole lot of money, but hey. At least I HOPE they really recycle them after collecting it.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

Yeah yuck on the store plastic bags - I'm a cloth bagger now anyway (ain't I special)

I like Roughies (Ruffies?), the cheapo bags from walmart. They come on a small spool that's easy to keep by the leashes. My city has barrels every few blocks so disposal is a non issue. For me at least, lots of my neighbors just leave it - sometimes in front of the elementary school. That takes a special kind of rude.

For the yard, I have a spade and an old trash with a lid lined with a heavy duty kitchen bag.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: DanoWhy not use the plastic bags you get when you buy groceries? I have never understood why anyone would pay for a bag that is going to be used for that purpose.


We don't use plastic grocery bags anymore (everyone has the fabric ones you get for 99 cents). If we do end up with some DH takes them to his school b/c they are collecting them to get a piece of playground equipment (they need like 10,000). The biodegradable bags are just that - biodegradable. They come without holes and are the perfect size. I'd rather pay $7 a year than have to hoard plastic bags that often have holes in them anyway. I usually don't have pockets if it's hot and I'm wearing cotton shorts, so I fold my little biodegradable bags along the elastic waist. Grocery bags are too big and too plastic!


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## emt1581 (Sep 5, 2008)

A little off topic but...

Anyone have one of those green composting disposal cans? I think it's basically a can without a bottom. You dig a small hole, then jam the can in it. Then when you drop the poop in the can (has a lid) it absorbs back into the earth. 

I'm just thinking it's better than having a stinky garage/breezeway/house waiting until garbage day after cleaning the yard.

As far as the pooper scoopers, I appeciate the reply. 

I think I'm going to get something with a longer handle for in the yard and a spool of those bags for walks. I did see a scooper that had a rake front and no back. Then you wrap a bag around the back of it and the poop goes right into the bag.

Again, thanks for the info!

-Emt1581


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## Dano (Sep 20, 2004)

Wow! I am so glad to hear of so many environmentally friendly GSD owners. I live in S.F. which is probably one of the most environmentally thoughtful cities in the world and don't see this many people using fabric bags at the grocery store. 

Reusing plastic grocery store bags to pick up poop is called "recycling" which is a good thing to do. I'm willing to do my part for the environment but buying special bags to put dog poop in them is not only where I draw the line but it defeats the purpose of being environmentally friendly.

I always check to make sure they do not have holes in them. There is nothing worse than that!


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

> Quote:Anyone have one of those green composting disposal cans? I think it's basically a can without a bottom. You dig a small hole, then jam the can in it. Then when you drop the poop in the can (has a lid) it absorbs back into the earth.


You're talking about the Doggie Dooly. That is essentially what we have, except that we made our own using a large plastic paint bucket with the bottom cut off and holes drilled around the edge. We dug a hole, sunk it in there, and then put the enzymes that "eat" the poop in every so often. 

It's cheaper to make your own and works just as well.











> Quote:I'm willing to do my part for the environment but buying special bags to put dog poop in them is not only where I draw the line but it defeats the purpose of being environmentally friendly.


How does it defeat the purpose of being environmentally friendly if the doggy bags are biodegradable, meaning they won't be sitting in a landfill for the rest of their days, whereas the plastic grocery store bags are not, and will only be "recycled" for picking up dog poop once?

I'm not able to follow that logic.


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

To me the point would be you weren't recycling but purchasing something manufactured for the purpose. There's an environmental cost in the manufacturing process that people sometimes forget about. (That's my beef with the "buy a more energy efficient appliance instead of fixing the old one" song.) It's a trade-off (like always). 
Most grocers still have plastic produce bags for your produce. They work, too, for scooping poop.

If we really wanted to be environmentally friendly, we would scoop into something reusable but that has certain unattractive aspects to it when you're on a walk.


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## VectorSketcher (Jul 20, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: DanoWhy not use the plastic bags you get when you buy groceries? I have never understood why anyone would pay for a bag that is going to be used for that purpose.


I have used them before, and I do still use them from time to time when my other resources run out, but I like to save them for my cats litter box when I get them, I don't really get an abundance of them though.


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## Dano (Sep 20, 2004)

> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Plastic bags are going to the landfill whether filled with dog poop or not. Even if you don't use them to bring groceries home. The resources and costs it takes to manufacture "dog poop bags" is far more of an impact on the environment than sending a plastic bag with dog poop to the landfill. Using what you already have to get rid of dog poop is much more environmentally friendly than purchasing yet another product. Using biodegradable bags does make us feel as if we are doing something for the good of the environment but I think it's mostly a good marketing technique. Why not buy environmentally friendly, biodegradable bags to bag your groceries? Better yet, why don't they make them available at every supermarket? I think it's because they know dog lovers will buy anything that is specifically made for their pets and actually enjoy spending money at pet stores and grocery shoppers would scowl if they saw "biodegradable grocery bags" that you throw out after using, for sale on the aisles of their supermarket.


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

> Quote:Why not buy environmentally friendly, biodegradable bags to bag your groceries?


You mean, like the reusable bags or paper bags I already use?


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## Dano (Sep 20, 2004)

> Originally Posted By: Historian
> 
> 
> > Quote:Why not buy environmentally friendly, biodegradable bags to bag your groceries?
> ...


No. My point is that they don't sell biodegradable grocery bags but they do sell biodegradable poop bags and that's because no one would buy the grocery bags but would buy the poop bags. That is what does not make sense to me.


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

I get what you're saying, but the comparison doesn't work for me.

There's no reason to make biodegradable grocery bags because grocery bags can be reused. That's why every store is now selling reusable cloth, net, or plastic shopping bags to carry your groceries home in and to keep in your car to reuse every time you go grocery shopping. (Incidentally, that's a concept that has been used for years and years in Europe, where they *charge* you for bags if you don't bring your own.)

Doggy poop bags can't be reused - well, they can, but it's not exactly sanitary to wash out dog poop and reuse the bag. Hence the need for something that is biodegradable and *will* degrade, rather than sit in a landfill.


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## marksmom3 (Dec 17, 2007)

I use a pooper scooper like this. It works good, and you can use one hand for scooping and the other to hold a leash or trash bag.











http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2754402


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

To the original post - for around home I use what was marketed as a dust pan with a long handle for the receptical. I used a short handled homemade lawn edging tool with this for a long time. Then I found the small wood=handled rake on sale at Petco. It is a better product for the purpose.

To the sideline on recycling platics - I forget where my source was (MSN or NPR or High Country News) but recycling plastic is sort of surprising -- a lot of it gets shipped to China (or it was someplace 'near' China) where they burn it for fuel (Does that sound environmentally friendly?) the rest gets made into stuff like landscape timbers. I'm not buying recycling plastic as something to save the earth -- using less plastic - yes.


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## Riley's Mom (Jun 7, 2007)

There's actually a company in my area that I hired to do this for me. They come once a week and remove all the doo-doo and in my opinion, very reasonably priced. 

I work a regular job and run a business, my time is very limited. I'd rather spend time walking my dogs or being with them than cleaning up after them.


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## DnP (Jul 10, 2008)

I have to admit I do a combination of things...

At first, I always used plastic grocery bags (folded for easy storage, yes, I am OCD) Then I found a store that recycled them and I graduated to the biodegradable poo bags like Liesje, which I still use when we hike or go on walks.

At home, I just installed my own homemade "Dooly" like Historian. Usually I use a spade to pick up the poo. 

Of course, come winter, when the dooly is frozen and covered with two feet of snow and the poo freezes within a half hour of being expelled







, I'll use the biodegradable bags. 

I can't wait for a company to clean my yard b/c Phoenix is a poo eater....I've gotta clean it up shortly after he poos b/c if I don't he'll take care of it himself.....of course, that's a whole different kind of "recycling" that I'd rather avoid....


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: Riley's Mom
> I work a regular job and run a business, my time is very limited. I'd rather spend time walking my dogs or being with them than cleaning up after them.


LOL when mine poop, I hold the spade right under them so I don't even have to go clean it up.

I've thought about hiring a service in the spring. Last winter I got a little behind. It took me a week of cleaning, probably an hour a day. However my yard is almost a full acre and we used to let Kenya wander and walk Coke all over to poop. Now they each have one spot of about 10 square feet where the prefer to poop. Gotta pick it up right away with all the kids in our yard! Plus the dogs play out there several times a day and I use the back half for training and don't want to watch out for poop. I've found it's like the litter box - if you do it once a day (or 2-3 times with the dogs), it takes only a few seconds. If I get behind, then I'm wasting time cleaning up.

I have noticed recently that ever since I switched my dogs food (and their poops got smaller and hard), they break down within 3-4 days on their own.


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## Dano (Sep 20, 2004)

> Originally Posted By: Riley's MomThere's actually a company in my area that I hired to do this for me. They come once a week and remove all the doo-doo and in my opinion, very reasonably priced.
> 
> I work a regular job and run a business, my time is very limited. I'd rather spend time walking my dogs or being with them than cleaning up after them.


Only in America. LOL! No wonder there are hordes of people fighting to get into the U.S. Not only will you have enough money to pay someone to pick up your dog poo but there will be someone willing to do it for a couple of bucks. LOL.

I could never stand having a weeks worth in my yard.


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## Dano (Sep 20, 2004)

> Originally Posted By: HistorianI get what you're saying, but the comparison doesn't work for me.
> 
> There's no reason to make biodegradable grocery bags because grocery bags can be reused. That's why every store is now selling reusable cloth, net, or plastic shopping bags to carry your groceries home in and to keep in your car to reuse every time you go grocery shopping. (Incidentally, that's a concept that has been used for years and years in Europe, where they *charge* you for bags if you don't bring your own.)
> 
> Doggy poop bags can't be reused - well, they can, but it's not exactly sanitary to wash out dog poop and reuse the bag. Hence the need for something that is biodegradable and *will* degrade, rather than sit in a landfill.


What happens to all the plastic grocery bags that are not used? The biodegradable poop bags will biodegrade.......while sitting right next to a regular plastic grocery bag that could have been used to pick up poop but is empty. Unless the store recycles them, they end up at a landfill anyway. Doesn't it make sense to put them to use before they go to the landfill? I don't know. I'm just putting two and two together. I don't have a masters in environmentally friendly living.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Dano, you can recycle them now, at least around here. They should not be in with regular trash. We have free recycle pickup every other week. A family can use as many bins as they want as long as it's sorted correctly (plastic grocery bags should all be wadded up in one bag). Some people collect them. DH's school has to collect 10,000 and they get a new piece of playground equipment from whoever takes the bags.


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## Dano (Sep 20, 2004)

You are correct. In S.F. you can recycle just about everything you want and grocery stores do their part but in cities like Spokane, the recycling that comes from pvt. homes is only for bottles and cans with very few exceptions (a pet peeve of mine). If you can recycle or have a school get involved to recycle, that is the ideal.


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## AndreaG (Mar 3, 2006)

You start to remind me of the South Park episode about the hybrid cars.


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## memphisgirl1 (May 7, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: Riley's MomThere's actually a company in my area that I hired to do this for me. They come once a week and remove all the doo-doo and in my opinion, very reasonably priced.
> 
> I work a regular job and run a business, my time is very limited. I'd rather spend time walking my dogs or being with them than cleaning up after them.


There's a company here that does that also. It's called "On Doody."


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## dogless (Jan 7, 2005)

I use the plastic grocery bags, and sometimes the clear plastic bags that I put produce in from the veggie market. (though I only use those at night, since they are clear and it's gross to walk around with poo in a clear bag!!!).

I'm a grocery-shop-aholic, so I rarely run out of these bags. 

I tried buying bio-degradable bags once, but I did not like the shape, it was to hard to tie the bag in a knot after using it.


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## Bridget (Apr 5, 2004)

Yes, the grocery bags work best for me. LOL Once, I bought clear kitchen garbage bags, thinking they were cheaper and what difference does it really make? Then when I used them and realized there were dirty diapers in them and such, I paid a little more and bought the white ones from then on!


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## Sean Rescue Mom (Jan 24, 2004)

> Originally Posted By: DanoWhy not use the plastic bags you get when you buy groceries?


That's exactly what I do when on walks. 
In the yard I have a special can to deposit the poop in, it looks like a miniature garbage can.
As for the grocery store, I do have a special cloth-like 'Whole Foods' bag I use when shopping.


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## firefightrsflame (Jul 27, 2008)

Chris- completely fascinated by your home made doggy dooley!

Do you have a cover on yours? I really like the idea (trying to figure out where I'd put it in my yard) but wondering about the lid if dogs or kids would try to mess with it.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Well, this is an interesting convo--how did I miss it?









I do not get plastic bags at the grocery store (always use cloth) but I agree with Dano that as long as plastic bags are being thrown away you might as well reuse them first. 

My mom and her next door neighbor save their NYTimes bags for me. They cannot recycle them where they live (nor can we recycle plastic bags here). Chama poops two or three times a day and Rafi poops once or twice a day. I almost always do two poops per bag. 

I should make one of those dooly things now that the poop volume around here is lower than it used to be. I have a homemade composter in the back. I had better hurry up though because winter is on the way. 

Here are great step by step instructions on how to make a dog poop composter: http://homepage.mac.com/cityfarmer/PhotoAlbum22.html


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

in the city of santa monica and also @ several neighborhood parks (and of course dog parks) there are poop bag dispensers. rather then waiting until my dog poops then walking back to a dispenser, i generally grab 2 or 3 when i pass one. if they dont go to use, i keep them in a side pocket of my car door for future use.

if i'm in an area that doesnt have a dispenser - i have a little dispenser on the end of one of the dogs leash. it was given to me, as were the bags that go in it. until i run out i will use them, i doubt its something that i'd even want to spend $7 bucks a year on, just seems unnecessary in my situation.

at the grocery store i request paper - however the stores where i generally shop only use paper now anyhow. i do have fabric bags as well, but i use them for trips to the farmers market.

the paper grocery bags are used at home for my cat litter which i scoop every morning, then proceed to the backyard where i also add the dogs poop to it after using the little silver shovel contraption thing to pick it up.

for other stores that provide plastic bags only (rite aid, home depot, etc)... if its something that i cant carry home or to the car myself - i go ahead and accept the bag and will later use it for dog poop. like dano said... once the bag is in my possession - its going to get thrown out anyway and spend its days in a landfill wether its got poop in it or not.


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## TANDB (Dec 12, 2005)

I use the diaper disposal bags (on walks and at home) from the dollar store. 100 bags for a buck, perfect size, pink and lightly scented







w/handles that make them easy to tie.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: BowWowMeowWell, this is an interesting convo--how did I miss it?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Do you compost the poop or put it in it's own thing? I ask b/c on another board there was a thread about what we do with poop and people freaked when I said I toss it in our compost pile. Our pile is not reused, it's actually the landlord's pile waaaaaaaay at the back of the property and he puts all the sticks and grass there so that's where I toss poop. Apparently poop is not good for compost, especially dog poop b/c they can carry worms and parasites that are zootonic and will live in the ground forever sometimes even with a deep frost. Everyone said to have a poop composter like the Dooly and have a separate pile for yard waste and organic waste from the house.


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## DHau (Feb 24, 2007)

I use a small camp shovel as a pooper scooper and have been using it for over 20 years. Poop is picked up as soon as it hits the ground and then deposited it into a garbage bag lined empty kitty litter bucket. I am pretty adament about this because I do not like having a yard that I cannot walk barefoot in, absolutely detest cleaning poo off shoes, and I don't have to do it before mowing a large yard. If people would pick their dog's poop up immediately, then they wouldn't have to worry about their dog eating it.


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

> Quoteo you have a cover on yours? I really like the idea (trying to figure out where I'd put it in my yard) but wondering about the lid if dogs or kids would try to mess with it.


Yes, I have a lid on it. It's a paint bucket and comes with a flat paint bucket lid. I think the dogs would have a hard time getting it open (mine doesn't mess with it, though). I have a hard time getting it open sometimes. *lol*


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

No! I am going to make a separate composter for the poop like in the link I posted. You did a giant hole and bury the thing completely into the ground. Dog poop is definitely not good for human compost!


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