The main dog walk essentials are a dog collar, a dog leash and dog poop bags. Responsible dog owners should always be armed with a bag to clean up after their pets. Though scooping poop isn’t exactly a glamorous pastime, the best dog poop bags make a gross chore a little more bearable.
Unfortunately for me, but lucky for you, I have a unique set of skills that makes me overqualified to test dog poop bags. Not only do I have two dogs of my own — but I also work as a dog trainer and as a kennel assistant for an Alaskan Malamute breeder. There are 14 Malamutes that weigh between 70 and 100 pounds in the kennel I work at, and they all poop multiple times per day. You can do the math, but I’ll just say that I pick up a lot of dog poop on a weekly basis.
I put eight of the best dog poop bag brands through their paces in a series of tests that evaluated durability, size, odor control and more. After my extensive testing, only one brand stood out as the best dog poop bag.
Earth Rated Dog Poop Bags, 270-Pack
Best dog poop bags
Earth Rated bags are durable, made with pet parents in mind and reasonably priced. These bags held up to every test I threw at them, and are made of 65% recycled materials. I love that the company is a B Corp, too.
Best dog poop bags: Earth Rated Dog Poop Bags
Earth Rated Dog Poop Bags are easily the best dog poop bags I tested. They smashed our durability tests without any rips or tears, are leakproof, easy to open, feel like they protect your hand and are reasonably priced, ranging from 4.1 cents to 6.6 cents per bag.
Earth Rated bags by far have the most attention to detail, and really feel like they’re designed to cater to dog owners. The perforated sticker that keeps the roll together means that you’ll never rip (and waste) the first bag on a roll. These poop bags also feature a sticker on the fourth to last bag that tells you you have three bags left, giving pet parents ample time to secure their next roll of bags.
The Earth Rated poop bags were seriously durable. Not only did they hold a five-pound weight, but they also were one of the only bags to withstand the asphalt scooping test. That means if your dog has an accident on the sidewalk or in the street and you need to pick it up, you’re unlikely to have rips in the bag and a mess on your hands. The only other brand in the pool that held up to this test were the Amazon Basics poop bags.
Though they’re not biodegradable or compostable, Earth Rated bags are made of 65% post-consumer recycled plastic, and the brand says it uses more than five million pounds of post-consumer plastic that would otherwise end up in a landfill every single year. I also love that the brand is a certified B Corporation, and donates blankets, poop bags and more to shelters and rescues in need across the country, along with donating money to other good causes.
The only downside of the unscented version of the Earth Rated bags is that they didn’t completely block smells in our odor test. When I put peanut butter in the bag, I was able to smell it lightly through the bag after a few minutes. Even then, this bag still placed second behind the Wild One bag.
If odor is a deal-breaker for you when choosing a poop bag, opt for Earth Rated’s lavender scented bags, which are the same price and combat odor more effectively. If you have a giant breed dog, you can also opt for the larger Earth Rated poop bags with handles, which give you extra room.
The Earth Rated bags sat in the middle of the pack in price. The 120-count box is $7.99 (a little over 6 cents per bag), the 270-count box is $13.99 (about 5 cents per bag) and the 600-count box is $24.99 (about 4 cents per bag). If you’re looking for a true budget pick poop bag, go for the cheaper Amazon Basics bags. However, we feel that Earth Rated bags are worth the higher price thanks to their more sustainable recycled plastic makeup and the brand’s B Corp certification.
With a mid-level price point, serious durability, attention to detail and sustainability practices we really appreciate, Earth Rated poop bags are a worthy purchase for any dog parent. See AlsoStep-by-Step Guide: Collecting a Dog Stool Sample for Veterinary Testing - Doghousefmb.comHow to Get a Fecal Sample from Your Dog: 7 Steps (with Pictures)Step-by-Step Guide: Collecting a Dog Stool Sample for Veterinary Testing - Doghousefmb.comWhat You Need to Know About Dog Fecal Tests and Collecting Samples
How we tested
Performance
- Ease of use: For each brand I tested, I opened a new roll of bags, noting which ones had stickers that tore through the first bag on the roll. I also opened up each of the bags one by one, keeping in mind which ones were easiest or hardest to open.
- Durability: In addition to picking up real dog poop with each bag, I ran a few simulated tests to test durability. I put a five-pound hand weight in each bag and held it from the top for one minute. All of the bags held up to the weight, with the exception of the Greener Walker Poop bags, which stretched a bit from the weight. I also simulated scraping poop off asphalt with each bag (which may happen if your dog has loose or wet stools). Many of the bags ripped during this test, which would leave your hand exposed to poop when used in real life.
- Leakproofness: I filled each bag with water, tied them, shook them and squeezed them to see if any leaked. All the bags I tested were solidly leakproof.
- Odor: I put peanut butter in each bag, tied it and smelled it to see if any odor leaked through. I waited 20 minutes and smelled each bag again, noting which ones smelled stronger after sitting.
Design
- Size: I measured each bag against each other to find the largest and smallest bags. Though the measurements only varied slightly, the biggest bag was about one centimeter bigger on two sides than the smallest bag. I tested each bag on Alaskan Malamute poops to discover if they’re big enough for large breed dog poops.
- General feel: I opened up each bag and compared the feel of each bag. I noted which bags felt sticky, starchy or thinner than others.
Price
- Cost per bag: I divided the total cost of each package by the number of bags to calculate the cost per bag. All the bags in my testing pool ranged from about 1.5 cents per bag to 18 cents per bag.
Sustainability
- Materials: I noted bags that were made partially or fully of eco-friendly materials, and packaging that was made of recycled materials. “Compostable” and “biodegradable” can be buzzwords in dog poop bags, and don’t always mean exactly what you think. Basically no poop bags will actually break down in landfills, regardless of if they’re made with eco-friendly materials, because of the lack of oxygen in landfills. However, poop bags that are made of compostable, recycled or biodegradable materials are still worth looking into. They put less reliance on creating virgin plastic and sometimes use fewer resources to create. You also might be able to compost the bags (along with your dog’s waste) at home if you take the proper steps.
Other dog poop bags we tested
The Original Poop Bags Countdown Rolls
Though I liked that these bags are made partially from plant material and partially from plastic, they’re more expensive than some of the fully cornstarch-based poop bags.
The Original Poop Bags came in at the middle of the pack for nearly every test. They ripped in the asphalt durability test but held the five-pound weight. They came in fourth in size and third in odor-blocking performance. I liked that they’re made of 38% plant material and 62% plastic, and the countdown design is a thoughtful feature that makes sure dog owners know how many bags are left on the roll. Like Earth Rated, they boast a perforated sticker which should make starting a new roll easier, but I found that the sticker didn’t rip as easily as Earth Rated’s, and often caused the first bag to stretch and nearly tear.
There’s nothing particularly excellent or horrible about these bags, though at $9 for 120 bags (about 7.5 cents per bag), I feel like they should have performed better.
Amazon Basics Dog Poop Bags
If you’re strictly looking for a budget pick, the Amazon Basics poop bags performed solidly in our tests. They’ll run you a little under 2 cents per bag if you buy the giant 900-count box.
The Amazon Basics poop bags come in at nearly half the price (or more) of other bags. The 900-count box comes out to 1.7 cents per bag, and only costs $15.99. Though cheap and solidly durable (they didn’t rip in any of our performance tests), these low-priced bags aren’t without flaws. For starters, they performed the worst in the smell test of all the bags I tested. I was able to smell the peanut butter immediately through the bag after tying it up. This doesn’t fare well for carrying your dog’s waste with you on long hikes or walks — you’ll definitely be able to smell it.
The other big downside of these bags is that there are no sustainability efforts by Amazon during manufacturing. They’re made completely of plastic, and as far as I could tell, virgin plastic at that. The 900-count box was supposed to come with a holder/dispenser leash attachment, but my box didn’t include this accessory.
Arm & Hammer Waste Bags
The Arm & Hammer Waste Bags were the biggest of the testing pool, and combatted odor well with their scented design. However, they felt thinner than other bags and didn’t pass one of our durability tests.
See AlsoThe Ultimate Guide to Stool Tests for Dogs: Answers to When and WhyThe Arm & Hammer poop bags were mediocre in testing. They ripped easily, felt thin and were nearly see-through (not a trait you really want in poop bags). They were a nice size and slightly bigger than our top pick, and they neutralized odor well thanks to the added “fresh” scent.
At 9 cents per bag for the 180-count and 12 cents per bag for the 90-count package, these bags were too expensive and flimsy to seriously recommend. They also don’t seem to have any eco-friendly features, like recycled or plant-based materials in the bags themselves or the packaging.
Wild One Dog Poop Bags
The Wild One bags performed the best of the cornstarch blend bags I tested. They’re thick and disguise a lot of odor, but they’re more than double the price per bag in comparison to our top pick.
I loved the cute pink color and thick material of the Wild One poop bags, and it’s great that they’re not made of plastic. The brand has made statements saying that these bags are not compostable, but that they are engineered to “break down through natural processes after one year.”
These poop bags were the most durable of the cornstarch bags in the pool, and only had a tiny pinhole at the bottom after the asphalt durability test. The sticker on the roll tore a hole at the top of the first bag on the roll, but it didn’t compromise the integrity of the bag. The general feel is starchy, but these bags are still relatively easy to open and feel protective of your hand.
This bag blocked odors the best of the unscented bags in the pool. I put peanut butter in this bag and smelled it periodically over the span of 20 minutes, and it continued to block odors even after sitting for a while.
The main reason this bag wasn’t named a winner is because of the price. You get 120 bags for $15 on Chewy or 120 bags for $18 directly from Wild One. In comparison, you’ll score 270 Earth Rated bags for $14. If you absolutely want cornstarch-based poop bags, these are a good (if expensive) option.
Greener Walker Dog Poop Bags
Though they’re eco-friendly, the Greener Walker bags didn’t hold up to most of our performance tests. They’re small and rip very easily due to the thin cornstarch-based material.
These eco-conscious bags were the smallest of the pool, so they’re not the best choice for large and giant breeds. They were also quite thin and ripped when taking the sticker off the first roll, as well as during the asphalt durability test.
The thinness definitely makes your hand feel less protected when scooping poop. They’re nearly see-through also, so you can see anything you pick up through the bag. However, these were the cheapest of the cornstarch-based biodegradable poop bags I tested, coming in a little under 4 cents per bag. These bags are best for folks who are dead-set on a non-plastic poop bag that doesn’t cost a fortune, and are willing to deal with the cons.
Frisco Refill Dog Poop Bags
The Frisco bags are close to the Earth Rated bags in feel but didn’t perform as well in our durability tests.
The Frisco Dog Poop Bags were the second cheapest after Amazon Basics — the 900-count box costs just $25.90, bringing the cost per bag to a little under 3 cents. It ranked the same as Earth Rated in the odor test, but did rip slightly in the asphalt durability test. This is not a bad poop bag by any means, but I wish the sustainability factor and durability were a bit better.
The 50% recycled packaging is nice, but it’s a bummer that there’s no recycled material in the actual bags themselves. The only thing that’s partially recycled is the cardboard box and the cardboard core that gives the roll its shape.
ChicPet Premium Dog Waste Bags
Coming in at about 18 cents per bag for the 90-count box, the compostable ChicPet dog poop bags are the most expensive bags I tested, and didn’t hold up to our durability tests.
The ChicPet Premium Dog Waste Bags cost $16.50 for the 90-count box and $28.50 for the 180-count. That brings the cost per bag to a little over 18 cents per bag for the smaller box and about 16 cents per bag for the bigger box. These are by far the most expensive bags I tested.
It’s kind of expected for the more eco-friendly bags to be pricey, but the ChicPet bags are significantly more expensive than the other biodegradable bags I tested (even though they’re all essentially made of the same materials: cornstarch blends).
These bags ripped in the asphalt durability test, but came in around the middle of the road for most other tests. They excelled at odor blocking, but that’s because they’re lavender-scented. That pro alone doesn’t warrant the high price.
FAQs
Dog poop bags aren’t always biodegradable in the way you might think. Poop bags don’t typically break down in landfills, even if they’re made of biodegradable or compostable materials. This is because oxygen is required for materials to biodegrade, and landfill environments usually lack oxygen. However, poop bags that are made of compostable, recycled or plant-based materials are still worth looking into because they cut down on creating more virgin plastic. If you use compostable or plant-based bags, you also may be able to compost the bags and your dog’s waste at home.
Not all dog poop bags block odors completely. Thicker bags and bags with added scent tend to mask smells better. In our testing, the ChicPet, Arm & Hammer and Wild One bags did the best job at neutralizing and blocking odors.
Why trust CNN Underscored
CNN Underscored editors thoroughly test all the products we cover and provide full transparency about how we test them. We have an experienced team of writers and editors who have many years of testing experience and ensure each article is carefully edited and products are properly vetted. We talk to top experts when it makes sense to ensure we are testing each product accurately and speaking about pros and cons of each item.
For this article, freelance writer Jae Thomas — who has two dogs, is a dog trainer and also works as a kennel assistant — picked up a lot of dog poop. Jae has written several other pet-focused articles for Underscored, including guides to the best dog crates and hands-free dog leashes.