These Are Paws Down the Best Dog Poop Bags for Hassle-Free Cleanup

Research conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) on streams and creeks in the Kansas City area found that about 25 percent of the bacteria in samples taken from regional water bodies originated from pet waste (PDF). And then of course there’s the risk of stepping in it.

The best thing you can do as a dog owner is to pick it up and dispose of it in your trash bin. Sending bagged dog waste to the landfill may seem counterintuitive, but it is preferable when considering the trade-off between convenience and the necessity of safeguarding soil and water from contamination.

If you have dogs, you will have to clean up and dispose of their feces—it’s part of having a pet. Let’s face it: Leaving a mess in your neighbor’s yard or on the street is just plain rude.

I’ve had many dogs in my lifetime, and there’s one thing that frustrates me the most: a flimsy poop bag that won’t easily tear, or worse, splits or leaks as I carry it home while on a walk.

I’ve used many brands of dog poop bags and have tried to balance them practically with their environmental impact. I evaluated five notable brands of bags for two weeks, for their accessibility, usability, and durability. Here’s how they performed.