The 8 Best Dog Poop Bags of 2023, Tested and Reviewed
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When you walk your dog, you'll need sturdy, reliable dog poop bags. Many cities have local ordinances requiring dog owners to pick up after their dog, but it’s the polite and sanitary thing to do regardless.
We purchased 25 popular and bestselling dog poop bags, then tested them in the real world using volunteer testers and their dogs. We wanted to find the poop bags that were easiest to use, most durable, and the least gross. We looked for features that are actually useful too, from traditional plastic bags to paper sheets, testing poop bags with handles for easy tie-up, and extra large versions for big dogs and their big poops. Each bag we tested was evaluated on size, sturdiness, and smell, as well as how easy they were to tear off the roll, open, scoop, and close.
We also looked into dog poop bag claims about how well their bags biodegrade or compost. For more, check out the What To Look For section, found below our product picks.
Best Overall: Earth Rated Poop Bags
What We Like
Easy to tear from the roll
Leak proof construction
Earth Rated is a certified B Corporation and all products are cruelty-free
What We Don't Like
Can be difficult to open up a new bag
Aggressive lavender scent
Earth Rated Poop Bags are leakproof and durable enough to safely transport waste, with a 9 by 13 inch size that's suitable for any size doggie dump, long enough to easily tie off, and will fit most dog poop bag dispensers. They're also made of 65 percent post-consumer recycled plastic—one of several eco-friendly qualities that make Earth Rated's bags our overall favorite.
During weeks of testing with a dachshund mix, Earth Rated poop bags performed reliably, with a thin, yet durable texture, thanks to its 15-micron thickness. The green bags are also opaque enough that you won't spend your walk staring at poop. The dog bags are available in a variety of refill sizes, with packs of 60, 120, 270, 315, and 900 bags available. There's also a lavender scented version, but it's a little strong, so we recommend it only for the true lavender fan.
Plastic dog poop bags may not be very environmentally-friendly, but Earth Rated estimates the recycled content in their bags accounts for 5 million pounds of plastic annually. Earth Rated is also a Certified B Corporation, which means its been independently audited for environmental and workplace standards. Earth Rated also makes donations to a wide variety of animal rescues and sustainability initiatives.
The main weakness we noticed during testing is that Earth Rated Poop Bags can be tricky to open, especially if you're wearing gloves. To more easily open dog poop bags, try pinching the top and rubbing your fingers apart to separate the two sides of the opening.
Earth Rated also makes certified compostable poop bags, though this won't be useful unless you have a municipal compositing facility nearby that can take them (these facilities are not very common). For more on compostable poop bags check out our "Best Compostable" pick and the What To Look For section.
Price at time of publish: $14 (270 bags)
Size: 9 x 13 inches | Material: 65 percent post-consumer recycled plastic | Color: Green
Best Compostable: Unni 100% Compostable Extra Thick Pet Waste Bags
What We Like
Soft texture
Multiple national and international compostable certifications
Made from non-petroleum plastic
What We Don't Like
Can start to degrade in less than a year if stored for too long, so bulk buying is not recommended
A little hard to open sometimes
We tested several bags made from bioplastics—which are derived from sustainable plant oils (in this case corn), instead of fossil fuels—and our favorite were the Unni 100% Compostable Extra Thick Pet Waste Bags.
Unni dog poop bags feel softer than polyethylene poop bags, though we found them just as durable. Each bag is a useful 9 by 13 inches—a relatively standardized design compatible with most dog poop bag holders—and 0.8 millimeters thick, which is thick enough that it feels likes there's meaningful separation between you and your dog's poop.
They're also straightforward to use, with consistent and easy-to-tear perforations between bags. They were a little harder to open than some dog poop bags we tested, and we had to take off gloves to open a bag during several walks with our volunteer English Setter mix and Mini Goldendoodle.
Unlike many other compostable bags with similar claims to sustainability, you're not paying an immense premium for Unni bags, though they are more expensive than some of the big name bulk packages.
Of course, the headline feature of the Unni Pet Waste Bags is that they are compostable. They are about as verifiably compostable as you can get, adhering to the U.S. compostable standard ASTM D6400 and various European standards, including Austria's rigorous OK Compost Home, indicating that an Unni bag will biodegrade in home compost.
While it's possible to home compost dog waste, the risks of spreading bacteria is high enough that it should only be done by experienced composters—a high heat compost, for example, can be particularly useful for sanitizing dog waste. Because of the risk of spreading bacteria, dog waste compost should not be used on food gardens.
Most people aren't able to compost their own dog waste and won't have a municipal facility nearby for drop-off. To biodegrade, bioplastic bags typically need oxygen and heat, and so are unlikely to degrade in a landfill. However, you will still be avoiding fossil fuel derived plastics by using Unni bags.
The only downside we found to the non-ethylene dog bags is that they can degrade and start sticking together if left stored too long (in as a little as a year), so it's best not to bulk buy.
Price at time of publish: $19 (270 bags)
Size: 9 x 13 inches | Material: Corn and plant starch-based plastic | Colors: Green
The Spruce Pets / Meredith Luksetich
Best Bulk Buy: Amazon Basics Dog Poop Bags
What We Like
Available unscented and in multiple scents
Tear easily
Sturdy, even for large loads
What We Don't Like
Seams are sometimes imperfect
Comes with a poop bag dispenser, but you probably already have one
Amazon Basics Dog Poop Bags are made from polyethylene—standard, petroleum-derived plastic—so there's no environmentally-friendly mitigation with these bags. Instead, these are straightfowardly useful, standard poop bags, with the 9 by 13 inch size common to so many dispensers.
The main advantage is their low price and bulk availability, with packages of 300, 600, and 900 bags available. The 900-bagger comes with 60 15-bag rolls. Each roll is coreless, slightly cutting down on waste.
Amazon Basic poop bags are available in four scents too—Brazilian mango, cucumber, lavender, and talcum powder. The smells are subtle enough, but since there's no fully covering poop smells, we preferred the unscented.
Price at time of publish: $23 (900 bags)
Size: 9 x 13 inches | Material: Polyethylene plastic | Color: green
:The Best Ways to Dispose of Dog Poop
Best with Handles: Pogi's Earth Friendly Poop Bags
What We Like
Easy to open, tie closed, and carry
Available as unscented or scented (power fresh)
Dispenser box with a cardboard core
What We Don't Like
Bags do not come in a roll and are not compatible for use with a standard leash attachment bag carrier
Pogi's Earth Friendly Poop Bag brings closure to your dog's number two with two handles to tidy up and get on with your walk.
These bags do not come in a roll for use with a leash attachment carrier, but the cardboard dispenser box makes it easy to select one bag at a time and also contains a cardboard core that can be recycled. For transport during a walk, we found it convenient to loosely tie a bag around the handle of the leash before and after picking up poop. The plastic bags are sturdy and offer sufficient space for picking up after larger dogs.
The bags are available with or without a powder fresh scent. We found the scent to be strong but not overpowering and it did help to mask the smell of poop. The bags we tested are made with recyclable plastic, but Pogi's Earth Friendly also offers compostable poop bags with handles that are ASTM International certified.
Price at time of publish: $16 (300 bags)
Size: 7 x 14.5 inches | Material: Recyclable plastic | Color: Green
The Spruce Pets / Isabella Pineo
Best Scented: Arm & Hammer Fresh Scent Waste Bags
What We Like
Controls odor with baking soda and a fresh scent
Thick and sturdy bags remain intact when picking up dog poop
Can be tied up after picking up poop
What We Don't Like
We found the bags slightly difficult to separate from the roll and open
The Arm & Hammer Fresh Scent Waste Bags have a fragrance paired with activated baking soda to neutralize odors. We found the fresh scent to be an appealing aroma that isn't too powerful, and these plastic bags were our top performer when it came to hiding the smell of dog poop.
The plastic bags are strong and durable, but slightly see-through so there is no mistaking what is inside. The bags provide a dependable layer of protection when picking up poop and stay intact even when used on rough and pointy surfaces, like concrete and grass. Each roll has a cardboard core which will ultimately end up in the trash, and we found the bags to be more difficult than others to separate from the roll.
Price at time of publish: $17 (180 bags)
Size: 9 x 14 inches | Material: Plastic | Colors: Blue, green
The Spruce Pets / Hannah Freedman
Best for Big Dogs: GoGo Stik Heavy Dootie Bags
What We Like
Handles on each bag make it easy to open bags and tie up
Large has capacity to hold over a gallon and extra large can hold over two gallons
Suitable for picking up after a large dog or multiple dogs
What We Don't Like
Not available as a roll for use with standard leash attachment carrier
If you have a big dog or are picking up after more than one dog at a time, the GoGo Stik Heavy Dootie Bags offer the most capacity and are made with thick plastic to support the weight.
With one extra-large bag designed to hold over two pounds per clean-up session, we had room for all the poop our participating Shiba Ina and a Husky mix placed in our way. Each bag features a five-inch gusset for space and two handles making them easy to open and close by tying them together. The bags are folded in a recyclable cardboard box that dispenses one at a time, similar to a box of tissues, so these poop bags are not compatible with a leash attachment carrier.
Price at time of publish: $18 (extra large, pack of 100)
Sizes: 18 x 11 x 5 inches (extra large) | Material: Plastic made from cornstarch and high density polyurethane | Colors: Gray
Best Premium: Wild One Dog Poop Bags
What We Like
Unscented bags contain odors once tied
Strong exterior is difficult to puncture and rip
Plastic is made with corn starch to disintegrate over time
What We Don't Like
Poop bag carrier not provided
The blush-colored Poop Bags from Wild One are thick and strong but soft to the touch. The plastic parcels for poop are made with cornstarch and designed to deteriorate along with the organic matter placed inside. The bags are easy to tie once the poop is inside and the accompanying poop-pourri is also contained.
The bags are easy to separate from the roll and simple to open with fingers. The plastic material holds up when used to scoop poop on outdoor surfaces and remains intact, even up against long nails. Each roll fits inside any standard poop bag dispenser, but if you purchase the Wild One Poop Carrier, an unscented roll will be inside and ready for use.
Price at time of purchase: $15 (120 bags)
Size: 9 x 13 inches | Material: Cornstarch blend plastic | Color: Blush
The Spruce Pets / Anna Popp
Best Paper: Pooch Paper Biodegradable Dog Waste Sheet
What We Like
Very durable, difficult to puncture
Plastic-free, PFAS-free, and made from non-chlorine bleach recycled paper fiber
Corn-based coating on sheets keeps grease away from hands
Compostable and biodegradable
What We Don't Like
Watery waste can be difficult to contain
Larger dogs may require more than one sheet per session
Pooch Paper Biodegradable Dog Waste Sheets are disposable squares made out of recycled paper fiber. An alternative to bags, these sheets are 100 percent plastic-free and PFAS-free, which stands for per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, and are commonly referred to as "forever chemicals" because the manmade substances do not break down over time.
Each individual sheet protects a hand while picking up poop, similar to using a paper towel. Once your dog's deposit has been retrieved, the four corners can be twisted together to form a pouch. Unlike the paper used for a doggie bag, these tan-colored sheets are coated with a corn-based substance to keep the grease from your dog’s latest masterpiece away from your hands. Depending on the tightness of your twist and the size of your dog's load, the security of the DIY pouch wavers so we recommend disposing of it as quickly as possible to avoid a mess.
The unscented sheets come in two sizes, 12 x 12 inches or 14 x 14 inches. We recommend the smaller size for puppies and very small dogs, and to clean up after larger dogs, more than one sheet may be needed. The sheets do not fit in a traditional leash attachment carrier, but you can put a sheet or two in your pocket before you head out, or try the Pooch Pouch designed by the creators of Pooch Paper.
Price at time of publish: $13 (50 sheets)
Size: 12 x 12 inches (regular); 14 x 14 ‘inches (large) | Material: Recycled, unbleached paper | Color: Tan
The Spruce Pets / Martha Long
Our favorite dog poop bags are from Earth Rated, because they work well, come in usefully-sized packaging, and are made from recycled materials. They're also more affordable than many other premium and eco-friendly bag brands. If you’re looking for a compostable bag, check out Unni 100% Compostable Extra Thick Pet Waste Bags, which can be composted at home and are made from corn-derived bioplastics instead of petroleum.
How We Tested
We researched and purchased 25 products designed for picking up dog poop with human hands and sent each one to a real home for real-world testing.
For a week, each team of testers (one human and at least one hound), used a designated product to pick up dog poop from various outdoor surfaces, including concrete/pavement and grass. Each human on duty for doody pickup documented their experience and offered insight into the performance of the product. Using our first-hand information paired with the standards set by ASTM International for biodegradable and compostable products in the United States, we ranked and categorized our top picks.
The Spruce Pets / Meredith Luksetich
What To Look For in Dog Poop Bags
Size
Most bags made for picking up dog poop are rectangular shaped with dimensions around 9 by 13 inches, and this generally provides sufficient space for picking up after most dogs. If you have a very large dog or are cleaning up after more than one dog, our Best for Big Dogs pick, the GoGo Stik Heavy Dootie Bags, are thick plastic bags with the capacity for picking up over two gallons and have ties at the top to secure the contents inside.
Style
There are three styles to choose from, rectangular bags, rectangular bags with handles, and sheets.
Plastic bags for picking up dog waste are the conventional option, and most leash attachment carriers are made to contain a roll of bags. To use one bag, it should be separated from the roll, opened up, and one hand is placed inside, like a glove. The hand inside the bag is protected and used to pick up the poop. Then using the other hand the bag can be flipped to conceal the dog poop. Most bags have enough space leftover to tie a knot. There are also bags available with handles, like our pick for Best with Handles, Pogi's Earth Friendly Poop Bag, but these are also used like a glove but do not come in a roll and are not compatible with most leash attachment carriers.
Sheets are a paper-based alternative to plastic bags. Sheets are often more friendly to the environment but not always, especially when you factor in plastic bags made with bioplastic which can be biodegradable or compostable. Our choice for Best Sheets, Pooch Paper Biodegradable Dog Waste Sheets are made out of bleach-free recycled paper and designed to breakdown along with the organic matter you pick up. These sheets keep hands protected while picking up and the corners can be rolled up together to contain dog poop.
Leash Attachment Carrier
Rolls of dog poop bags are typically about 2.5 inches high and 1.5 inches or less in diameter, and most leash attachment carriers are designed to accommodate these rolls. If you have a leash attachment carrier that you like, you should check the dimensions of the roll to make sure they are compatible. If you are trying sheets or bags with handles, these do not come in a roll so they can't be used with the carriers designed for rolls. You can check out a leash attachment pouch or use a pocket—just be sure to double check you have enough sheets or bags with handles before you head out for your walk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are dog poop bags biodegradable?
No, not all dog poop bags are biodegradable.
Many are made of plastic which can take hundreds of years to decompose in a landfill. Even bags that claim to be biodegradable often won't break down except under very rare and specific conditions. A 2019 scientific study found that several bags labeled as “biodegradable” survived in the open air, buried in soil, and submerged in seawater for at least three years or longer.
There are several relevant certifications, such as the ASTM D6954 standard, which indicates an "oxo-biodegradable" bag.
These bags are made from standard plastic, but include an additive designed to make the bag break down when exposed to oxygen and sunlight. This means they are unlikely to decompose in a landfill, but will break down into smaller and smaller parts if left out as litter, for example if one gets caught in branches it can be expected to break down over time, unlike a plastic grocery bag. However, this may not necessarily be a good thing. While the full environmental effects of degrading additives are still unknown, early research suggests that oxo-biodegradable bags can create environmental microplastics.
While the verdict is still out on oxo-biodegradable bags, we recommend the eco-conscious dog poop bag buyer instead look to bags made from recycled plastic and bioplastics that are made from non-petroleum sources.
You will also see bags that claim to be compostable. And while they may adhere to standards such as ASTM D6400 certification, most compostable bags are going to end up in landfills. Compostable bags can only be composted under very specific conditions, such as at special facilities that are uncommon in the United States. Our favorite compostable bags can also be composted at home, but composting dog waste is something that should only be done by experienced composters.
How do you dispose of dog poop bags?
If you use compostable bags, you can dispose of them at municipal facilities (if they accept dog waste) or compost them in a separate bin if they're suitable for home compost. There are also poop disposal symptoms that work as mini septic tanks. You bury them in the ground and then periodically add water and powdered enzymes to speed up the composting process.
The simplest way is to toss the bags of poop in the trash. Plastic bags will sit in landfills for a long time. Although hardly an environmentally friendly option, this can be better than letting the poop sit on the ground and contaminate water and soil.
Can you flush dog poop bags?
No, plastic dog poop bags are not designed to be flushed. And before you flush dog poop (out of the bag), you should check your community’s guidelines. Some facilities don’t have the means to process pet waste. If you are able to flush waste, make sure you remove it from the bag. There are also water-soluble poop bags available, but like flushable wipes for people, these products marketed as 'flushable' can cause problems with plumbing, especially if you live in an apartment building, so some experts recommend they never be used.
How do you knot dog poop bags?
Slide the dog poop bag on your hand like a glove and use it to pick up dog poop. Pull the edges of the bag off your hand and over the poop. With the remaining plastic at the top of the bag, pull it off your hand so the poop is at the bottom of the bag. For ease of tying, you might want to twist the bag close to the top of the poop and then knot the remaining end of the bag into a loop to keep the contents from spilling.
Why Trust The Spruce?
This roundup was updated by Anna Mejorada, a writer for The Spruce Pets, who shares her home with a pomeranian named Gidget. Mejorada currently uses the unscented Earth Rated Dog Poop Bags to pick up after Gidget. Before researching and writing about pet products for a living, Mejorada embarked on a self-mandated, ongoing quest to find the optimal items for her dog. She is now delightfully devoted to helping humans discover and select the most favorable products for their pets.
A previous version of this article was researched and written by Mary Jo DiLonardo, who often reviews dog products for The Spruce Pets. The proud mom of a rescue dog, she has fostered more than 50 dogs and puppies, which means she’s picked up a lot of poop. DiLonardo is always looking for the most durable and effective pet products. For more than 25 years, she has covered a wide range of topics focused on nature, pets, science, and anything that helps make the world a better place.
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