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Thursday, June 16, 2011

Flush Puppies: The Way Doodie
Was Meant to Be Handled

by Carrie Boyko, CEB
© Carrie Boyko
Tanner is Being a Good Sport
in this Flush Puppies Review

I've mentioned this company before on several occasions. Flush Puppies makes a water soluble doodie bag that is destined to save the landfills. I like their terminology; doodie bag sounds better than poop bag, don't you think?. I was excited to meet the Florida folks that created this neat product at Global Pet Expo and finally to get to try their bags.


Although my expectations were low, I wasn't much happier about the so-called biodegradable poop bags that I've found elsewhere. Have you checked out your brand to find out how long it takes to biodegrade? It will shock you. That's why the idea of a water soluble bag--one that biodegrades in water--was so fascinating to me.


I was curious. When I asked Josh about time frames I got just the answers I was looking for. "It all depends." It depends on the temperature of the water vs. dry compost, for instance. Big difference ranging from instantaneous in hot water to more than 90 days in dry compost tests in a lab. Since Flushpuppies are made specifically for use in septic or sewer systems, their materials (PVA and organic matter) lend themselves well to breakdown at a fast pace in this bacteria rich environment. Perfect!


According to the  EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), “Pet waste can be a major source of bacteria and excess nutrients in local waters. . . Flushing pet waste is the best disposal method. Leaving pet waste on the ground increases public health risks by allowing harmful bacteria and nutrients to wash into the storm drain and eventually into local waterbodies.”


© Carrie Boyko
That's It.
 No More Smelly Trash Cans!
Flush Puppies bags are designed to dissolve in the water of our sewer systems. You might be interested in reading their FAQ page hereWithout tying a knot, you simply drop the bag into a toilet and flush.


Here's the high points that we've discovered when we use Flush Puppies:


© courtesy Flushpuppies
© Carrie Boyko
Stop Here; Flush it Instead
  • No more smelly trash cans full of poop bags until trash day. This is definitely the best asset. Yay!
  • No more 'biodegradable bags' clogging up landfills for dozens or even hundreds of years.
  • No more struggling to tie a knot in doodie bags. It's best to flush the Flush Puppies bag without tying a knot.
  • The product is a surprisingly substantive feeling material that resembles a heavier plastic bag than most poop bags. That was clearly a big surprise to me.
  • Less trash to haul to the street on trash day.
You're probably wondering, "Do they really dissolve?" Well, my scientific curiosity had me testing one of these bags in a bucket of water--better than using a toilet! I wanted to remove it and see what the results were. As I suspected, the bag does not disappear upon contact with the water. That would be bad if your pup had one of those embarrassing moments that might call for Petpto-Bismol, if were us.

© Carrie Boyko
Down it Goes
Actually, I had the opportunity (ack!) to experience this very scenario. After Tanner ate a cookie from the kitchen counter ledge, his 'output' was less than solid. I tested the bag to see how it worked, wondering if I would end up with a messy hand. Although I did notice a softer feel to the bag, no breakdown was noted and the bag was deposited safely in the bathroom facility--aka, the john.

© courtesy Flushpuppies
Now let's change directions. Are you asking yourself if Flush Puppies will fit into your cute little poop bag dispenser? The answer is yes. They even sell an adorable, bone-shaped one of their own that you can order from their site at this link. Flush Puppies provides bags in rolls and in wallet form (all folded up) for your preference. I can see how some folks may like the wallet style better for back pockets, if a round dispenser is not attached to your leash. Lucky for us, it's a take your pick situation.


So, if you can't wait on the giveaway, you can order direct from Flush Puppies, check for other retailers here, or you're welcome to order here through Amazon:




If you're in Florida, you're in luck. Pet Supermarket is picking up the Flush Puppies line. It is expected to be available at many stores in our state by late June. Check the store locater here to find a location near you. Be sure to call first to determine availability. Thanks for considering the environment when Fido's duty calls.


Now, shall we offer a giveaway to let you test the product out? I've got 12 prizes consisting of 2 wallet packs each, ready to go to the winners of our drawing.  Here's how to enter, and please pay close attention to the minor changes in my methods, if you're a regular here:
  • First and foremost, leave us a comment here on the blog. We'd love to hear your thoughts or questions. Just click the COMMENTS link at the bottom of the post.
  • Print an image from this All Things Dog Blog post and add a message: "We love Flush Puppies". Take a photo of your pup with this and send it to AllThingsDogBlog@gmail.com. This will get you 3 entries into the drawing, and may be posted either on our Facebook page or on the blog. Email entries will be accepted ONLY if you are sending a photo of your pup. Please leave a comment telling us you have sent an email entry. (Sometimes these stinkers find their way into our spam)
  • Send us a Tweet to @AllThingsDog, and be sure to tell us you're entering the Flush Puppies giveaway. Then leave a comment here, letting us know you've Tweeted us. We sure don't want any lost entries.
© Carrie Boyko
All Done! Thanks Tanner
Don't forget to leave us a way to notify you if you win (Twitter handle, email, website or blog URL) and please stop by our Facebook page to "like" us, so you won't miss out on any of our news. We run weekly giveaways of pup products to solve many dog owners' woes. Hope to see you again soon. Entries close at 5 PM on Thursday, June 23. Winners will be announced on Friday here on the blog. Happy tails!


A small number of samples were provided to All Things Dog Blog by Flush Puppies for review. No cash or other compensation was taken in exchange for my review. The opinions stated herein are my own.


16 comments:



K-Koira said...

These sound really great. The only problem I might see in them is using them to pick up a pile when out for a walk or at the park, I would like a knot tied in the bag to contain smells for the rest of the walk. And, do you then take it home to your own toilet to flush, or are they okay to put into the trash as well?



Finn said...

Sounds like a neat idea - keeping our paws crossed for good luck!



Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver said...

Of course you can flush them too! They're going to biodegrade much faster that any other poop bag out there.

As for your point about a knot, I've tied a knot during my walk and then untied it to flush once I get home. Works quite easily.



Elizabeth said...

Tanner is such a good sport! What a great idea.



Lisa Weidknecht said...

Hello! Buddy wanted me to tell you that your blog has been featured! http://weidknecht.blogspot.com/2011/06/my-dog-won-giveaway.html



Carly @GreenDogLove said...

Sounds like a really interesting idea. Like other readers, I question if dog walkers would want to carry around the bag for the rest of the walk.



Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver said...

Curious. What do you do with a bag during a walk? I tie mine to the leash until I get home to a trash can. This works fine with the Flush Puppies bag as well. When I remove it from the leash, I drop it in the potty. Bye-bye Flush Puppies!



Richa said...

Chewie is definitely going to enter the giveaway!
Lets see how these puppies work out!
-Richa and Chewie @ Find me a Happy Pet
Chewie on Facebook



Hanna at Dog Products said...

I’ve started using flushable doodie bags and I love knowing that I’m not contributing to the ruination of our environment. I’ve been trying to convince other dog owners to follow suit but most of them feel that the expense is not worth their while and continue using any old plastic bags.

As a matter of fact, my dog has always been fascinated by the noise flushing toilets make and so I’m now attempting to teach him how to flush his own stuff. I’ll let you know if and when we succeed.



Katie said...

These would be cool to try out!



Melissa T. said...

Great review. When I saw Tanner's paw on the toilet in the email version of your blog, I thought you might've taught him how to actually flush. (wouldn't that be so nice??)

I've never heard of poop bag dispensers. What a great idea, that & Flush Puppies. You find the coolest items. :)



Sara said...

This is a super great idea one drawback for me though is that I prefer the dispensers that dispense from the bottom (they take special rolls that you pull the bag from the middle of the roll. I hope they come out with these forms of rolls otherwise I would go with the wallet type!



Sara said...

I tweeted!
https://twitter.com/#!/sniffenegger/status/81745724911525889

sara (at) theniffs (dot) com



Michelle Spayde said...

Sarah only does her business at home (really), but my Mom has a 2 bagger (GIANT German Shepherd), so I'll enter for her as she is just learning to surf and email. I don't want to short circuit her brain with blogs and Facebook just yet! :-)



Anonymous said...

Sounds interesting. Did you have any issues with it clogging the toilet?
gingeroo616 at aol dot com



Carrie, with Tanner and Oliver said...

No clogging issues whatsoever. I did find that if you tie a knot it traps air which slows the flushing process down. Their instructions say not to tie a knot in the bag for flushing.

After carrying by bag home with a loose knot in it, I then untie it to flush. Thanks for the question, Gingeroo!

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