Spade & Pan Poop ScooperFor most dog owners wanting to tackle their poo-filled lawn, their first purchase might have been a set of an aluminum spade and pan. The spade and pan combo has been a backyard staple for many decades. As the shovel is associated with soil, the rake is associated with leaves, the traditional spade and pan is associated with…well… poop.

That isn’t to say there aren’t issues – the pan fills up way too fast and the spade is hard to use on long grass and looser substances. Dog-loving entrepreneurs are always trying to come up with a new poop scooper that is easier, quicker, and most importantly – less of an icky chore. Have any of them accomplished this feat?

Let’s take a look at the Top Ten Most Common Poop Scoopers for the Yard.


1. Nature’s Miracle Jaw Scoop

Jaw ScooperThe Nature’s Miracle Jaw Scoop is a lightweight, 32” long device that allows one to pick up after their pups without having to bend down. It features a spring action handle that when pulled, separates the double sided tooth jaw to form an opening. Simply slide under the poopie and snap the jaw shut, snatching up the waste and then dumping into the nearby bucket or trash can.

Advantages
  • Lightweight – 2 lbs
  • No need to bend over
  • Comes in multiple sizes to accommodate different sized dogs
  • Single-handed
Disadvantages
  • May rip up grass
  • Requires cleaning
  • Hard to hold more than one pile
  • Hard to separate from gravel/mulch
  • Requires some strength for grip
  • Difficult with wet/mushy stool
  • May perforate bag

Can you use on a dog walk? Although lightweight, it is too large to carry around on a walk. There are smaller, more portable versions of the jaw scoop on the market such as the Rerii Pooper Scooper and the PPOGOO Pet Dog and Cat Pooper Scooper.


2. Gogo Stik

Gogo StikIt’’s a stick! Well a little bit more than that… the Gogo Stik is a well designed rod that is extendable up to 35”. It has a customizable gripper to fit a variety of plastic bags, and has shovel-like edges at the bottom to assist with the pick-up. There is no handle to pull, no trigger to squeeze, and no storage for the waste; It is essentially just an extension of your arm that holds a bag so you can pick up the poo off the ground without bending over or having your hand go anywhere near the ickiness. Just keep scooping your yard until you the bag is full, then dispose into your larger trash bin.

Advantages
  • Nothing to clean
  • Uses multiple types of bags
  • No need to bend over
  • Great on concrete
  • Can pick up multiple piles at once
  • Lightweight (< 1 lb)
  • Adjustable length
Disadvantages
  • Nothing to press waste up against (may end up playing poop croquet)
  • Hard to separate from gravel/mulch
  • Difficult with wet stool & tall grass
  • Shovel end could cut through bag

Can you use on a dog walk? I would say so. It’s lightweight and only requires one hand to carry. It can retract down to 25” to make it a little more suitable for longer walks. And if you’re lucky enough, you can catch your dog in the act and place the Gogo Stik right under him as he goes!


3. Doody Digger

Doody DiggerNo it’s not a vacuum, in fact it has no moving parts whatsoever. With the Doody Digger, you’re letting gravity do most of the work. While holding the handle, scoop up the poopies with the curved end of the tube, then raise the tube at an upward angle to drop the waste directly into the bag that is attached on the other end. With its 45” length, there is no need to bend over and you can continue to scoop until the bag is full.

Advantages
  • Uses multiple types of bags
  • No need to bend over
  • Lightweight – 1.5 lbs
  • Can pick up multiple piles at once
  • Outside of bag stays clean and is easy to tie
Disadvantages
  • Nothing to press waste up against (may end up playing poop croquet)
  • Inside tube is hard to clean
  • Arm can get tired from lifting tube up and down for a long period of time
  • Hard to separate from gravel/mulch
  • Difficult with wet/large stools

Can you use on a dog walk? Although you can technically carry the Doody Digger with one hand while on a walk, it is quite bulky and you may get some strange looks from your neighbors.


4. Scorpion Scooper (a.k.a Renewed Pik-a-Poo)

Scorpion ScooperThe Scorpion Scooper (sold as the “Renewed Pik-a-Poo” on Amazon) is a 12 oz, 31” reimagination of the jaw scooper, but with a twist… well rather a tilt. The jaws come together at an angle forming a tubed chute with a shoveled edge. Attach a large plastic bag to the back of the chute with a screw-on plastic ring, then pull the trigger at the top to control the opening and closing of the jaw. By using a combination of both the jaw and shovel feature, you can quickly scoop up the waste then (with a slight tilt) send the poo rolling backwards into the bag. Keep picking up in this fashion until you can’t fit any more and dispose.

Advantages
  • Uses multiple types of bags
  • Option to use with/without bag attached
  • Lightweight – 12oz
  • No need to bend over
  • Great on grass & concrete
Disadvantages
  • May only be able to fill bag halfway
  • Waste may get caught in jaw’s teeth
  • Hard to separate from gravel/mulch
  • Difficult with wet/large stools
  • Requires cleaning

Can you use on a dog walk? I’d say yes. It does lack any sort of clip or strap for carrying, but with this tool you’ll probably only end up using one bag even if you are walking multiple dogs.


5. Petmate Clean Response

PetmateThe Petmate Clean Response is actually a smaller, lighter version of what our Pet Poo Skiddoo team uses on a daily basis – with a bucket about half in size and a plastic rake with reduced teeth, each attached to a 32” wooden handle. Compared to the standard pan, the bucket can hold a lot more waste, and the swivel feature ensures the collected droppings won’t fall out as you move across the yard. Be sure to place a bag over first, which you can then toss once it gets too full. The rake is a very versatile tool that whether used in rain or snow, on soft or hard stool, or through leaves, gravel & mulch, it can effectively sift out the poop (and without getting stuck on the prongs).

Advantages
  • Droppings won’t fall out
  • Pick up and store large number of piles
  • Bin stays clean with a bag
  • Handles mushy/wet stool
  • No need to bend over
  • Use multiple types of bags
  • Easy to separate from mulch/gravel
Disadvantages
  • Bucket may get heavy fast
  • Rake requires cleaning
  • The plastic is more fragile than a metal material
  • Difficult on concrete surfaces

Can you use on a dog walk? No. It requires both hands leaving none to hold your dog’s leash. It would certainly be overkill for the relatively small amount you would expect to collect on an average walk.


6. Scoopbuddy Pooper Scooper

ScoopbuddyThe Scoopbuddy is a scooper on a long pole attached to a open tubed structure with a flat bottom. The tube has prongs sticking out on one side and a clamp on the other where you can fasten a large plastic bag. The Scoopbuddy also comes with a matching rake to help comb through long grass and when turned on its side can act more like a spade for working on harder surfaces. Once you gather the poopies into the tube, flick your wrist and send the waste to the back of the bag. When you are ready for disposal, just hold the bag over a waste can, pop open the clamp and the bag will fall right into the bin. The Scoopbuddy is a high-quality product made of metal, although making it more heavy, it is less likely to break when handling the more heavy doody.

Advantages
  • Can pick up multiple piles at once
  • Very sturdy, high quality material
  • Great on grass/concrete
  • No need to bend over
  • Use multiple types of bags
  • Easy to separate from mulch/gravel
Disadvantages
  • May only be able to fill bag halfway
  • Heavier item – 7lbs
  • Need to clean both rake & tube
  • Pick-up size limited to tube diameter

Can you use on a dog walk? No, the Scoopbuddy is far too heavy to carry for long periods and requires both hands when using the rake.


7. Four Paws Sanitary Scissor Rake

Four Paws Scissor RakeThe Four Paws brand offers a great line of pooper scoopers, but this one possess a distinct unique feature. The two 32” wooden poles that hold an aluminum rake and a shovel are actually bolted to each other at the middle. Besides preventing you from losing one half of the scooper, the bolt enables you to push together and pull apart the poles in a scissor-like motion in order to control the gap between the rake and the shovel, allowing you to pick up a wide range of different sized poos. While the prongs on the rake can comb through grass, the rigid siding can scrape off any leftovers on the patio..

Advantages
  • Lightweight – around 1 lb
  • No need to bend down
  • Great on grass/concrete
Disadvantages
  • Hard to separate from gravel/mulch
  • Poop may get stuck in prongs
  • Scoop up one pile at a time
  • Requires cleaning

Can you use on a dog walk? Although lightweight, it requires both hands leaving none to hold your dog’s leash (plus technically a third one to hold a trash bin). Works well for the yard, but in no way is this meant to bring along on a dog walk.


8. AuggieDog

Auggie DogThe AuggieDog is actually classified as a power tool, containing a reversible motor driven by a 7.2 V lithium-ion battery concealed in the lengthy (and adjustable) cylindrical shaft. Carry around your yard by the easy grip handle; When you spot a doo, just cover the pile with the bottom barrel opening and press the trigger to make it disappear! After clearing the dog waste from your yard, hold the shaft over your trash bin and select the button to empty all of the contents. Best of all, it comes with a cleaning base that can self-cleans the inside – so you never need too! (Bonus: Attached LED light for nighttime scooping)

Advantages
  • Self Cleaning
  • No need to bend over
  • Adjustable length
  • LED lights (for nighttime scoop)
  • Great on grass and concrete
Disadvantages
  • More expensive item
  • Requires batteries (non-recharging)
  • Pick-up size limited to tube diameter

Can you use on a dog walk? The Auggiedog is advertised to be “taken anywhere” and encouraged to bring along on dog walks. It is only listed as 2.8 lb but still seems a bit bulky to lug around. It may be necessary in some cases for those that have very limited arm mobility.


9. Dooup

DooupThe Dooup is a neat gadget that will pick up the poo for you, yet requires no batteries or electricity. Position the Dooup directly over one of your dog’s droppings and push down the handle to make it vanish! What may seem like magic is actually the workings of a hidden lever inside that pushes the feces up into a chamber and back into a specialized bag that will seal itself once removed.. Found some poos that are wet and runny? No problem, keep pushing the lever down over the area until everything is gone. The chamber is large enough to storage several days of your dog’s waste before needing to empty. Bonus – the Dooup sprays out a sanitiser over the affected area to help clear the area of any potential fecal bacteria that was left behind.

Advantages
  • Sanitizes area with each pick-up
  • Handles wet/mushy poo
  • Stores multiple days worth of feces
  • Great on concrete and grass
  • Nothing to clean
Disadvantages
  • More expensive item
  • Need to refill sanitizer & bags
  • Hard to use on curved surfaces
  • Heavier item (over 7 lbs)
  • Pick-up size limited to chamber opening
  • Cannot separate from gravel/mulch

Can you use on a dog walk? It will probably tire you out if taken a on walk due to its weight and might be best to keep at home in your yard.


10. Four Paws Grass Wire Rake Dog Scooper

Four Paws Wire Rake Dog ScooperThe Four Paws Grass Wire Rake Dog Scooper is a minimalistic design that basically does what it says in the title; It is a wire rake that can comb together the dog poopies in your grass as well as other loose surface areas. The prongs on the rake are bent upward so that you can smoothly get under the pile to scoop and then carry the poopie in the naturally-formed dip over to your trash can. The rubber handle lends extra comfort to your grip.

Advantages
  • Light-weight (around 14oz)
  • Easily separate from mulch/gravel
  • No need to bend over
  • Can slip under fecal pile
  • Disadvantages
    • Hard to pick up tiny poops
    • Hard to pick up on hard surfaces
    • Difficult with wet/runny stools
    • Requires cleaning
    • May rip up grass
    • Holds only one pile at time

    Can you use on a dog walk? This item is definitely only meant for the yard. It cannot wear a bag nor adequately transfer the waste to a small dog bag. You will need to have a bin nearby to dispose of the waste.

    Top 10 Most Common Poop Scoopers for the Yard
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