Because scooping poop is one of the least glamorous jobs a pet parent must do, it is important to reduce the actual scooping time so you have more time for the, you know, glamorous stuff. But when faced with such a variety of scoopers, a pet parent can get down in the dumps when deciding which one is right for them.
Wendy Diamond, leading Pet Lifestyle expert, TV Personality, Animal Rescue Advocate and Editorial director of Animal Fair Magazine gives the scoop on pooper scoopers no matter how little or large the dog poop you're scooping.
1. Look at the type. The most common ones are rake and pan, scissor style, or grabber.
A rake and pan (such as the Flexrake), is made for short grass, and doesn't perform well on ice or snow. The waste can also slide off the pan while you're trying to put it in the trash. The scissor style (such as the Four Paws) is great because it usually has a bagging feature, which keeps the scoop clean so you don't have to. The grabber (made by both Flexrake and Four Paws) works well because it keeps the waste secure on the way to the trash, but be careful as to what else you grab!
2. Make sure the scooper is well made. Your target is to find one that is lightweight, yet sturdy! Try and avoid scoopers that have small teeth because the poop might fall out. Try it out in the store to see how the grip is on the handle. Some are flimsy and easily breakable. No one wants their pooper scooper to fall apart mid scoop!
3. A great feature to have is a clip-on bag dispenser like the Scooper Genie (ScooperGenie.com). It's even hands-free at $14.95, which is much more convenient than paying New York City's fine of $250 for abandon doggie do! Also, try adding attach-ons like hand sanitizer... You'll find you might need it even if things are hands-free.
4. Remember it is a pooper scooper. There's no need to buy an extra expensive one. It doesn't have any tricks up its sleeve to make it that much easier for you. Focus on the features of it that are important to you, not the price.
5. When scooping poop from a litter box, the same rules apply with a sifting scoop (except the fine, of course). Make sure your scooper is made tough (metal works best) and can sift out all the clumps leaving the litter in tact.
For more information check out www.animalfair.com