When it comes to dog poop, there is a lot of concern about clean up.

For the urban dog crowd it boils down to carrying poop bags so that you can “scoop the poop” right when the dog deposits it.

However, the choices are daunting!

In the last post I talked about the new product called the Poo Boss but you need to have some bags to deposit the poop into before putting into the vest.

Which got me to thinking–what do I consider the best poop bag?

Today there are so many choices and so it is hard to say.

In my area, people want to recycle plastic bags of all sorts–but the problem is that if you spring a leak–it is not a nice experience.

Also, most are not biodegradable and that is a growing concern.

My favorite to date has to be the Mutt Mitt because it goes over your hand like a glove and just allows you to grab the “deposit” and then simply pull the glove up and over and then is easy to tie.

They are biodegradable too so that is a huge plus about the product.

Now I’ve tried a lot of biodegradable poop bags, dog poop mitts, and even dog poop boxes and so my choice was not made lightly.

Plus, when you have a big dog the output requires something that you can get your mitts around!

So, tell me what you favorite poop bag happens to be and why.

Otherwise take a minute to purchase mutt mitts online and let me know your opinion.

If you have carrying a poop bag, this might be an ideal product for you and your pet.

The design of Poo Boss is both protective and useful since it carries a supply of pet poop bags, is a reflective vest that can be seen a good distance away, and allows you to place the dog’s dung right into a convenient pocket in the vest.

I am not sure how the dogs react but pet people are loving the hands free option.

It isn’t too often I see a new product that deals with a problem in a new way but this one sure does.

The Poo Boss is well designed and attractive.

I’ve posted a video of the Poo Boss below but if you are already convinced, you can also buy a Poo Boss poop vest online.

However, what most people fail to understand is that this isn’t a magic rock–it requires that you train the dog to toilet near it.

Simply place the Potty Rock in the area you want as the designated dog potty area.

Next, you take the dog on a leash out near the rock and then praise your canine when he or she goes potty in the spot.

The pheromones in the rock signal the dog to eliminate and trains him or her to use that specific area to “do the business” which saves your lawn and garden.

It keeps other areas of your yard spot free and clean of canine urine and fecal matter.

If you need to train the pet to eliminate in another area, or are traveling and want to encourage appropriate elimination, simply move the Potty Rock and repeat the process.

The rock is infused with a built in fragrance that attracts canines and stimulates elimination and that will not wash away in rain or deteriorate quickly in sunshine or inclement weather.

This dog potty training device can be stored in a zip lock bag for future use and can be used for both puppies or adult dogs.

The dog training product was designed to reduce the time it takes to house train a dog and attract an animal to one spot while also eliminating ugly urine stains and burns in the yard.

Reviews of the pet potty rock vary but if you need help with outside toileting, this may be the product for you.

Believe it or not the most common house training problem people have with their pets is that they cannot tell when their pet signals that he or she has to go outside to potty.

In many cases the signals are subtle but there is a way to train a dog to tell you that he or she needs to go out.

In the past, this has been done by teaching a dog to bark, to scratch at the door, or to ring a bell that is on a tether below the door knob.

Today you can actually just get a pet potty training bell such as the Tell Bell.

A pet potty training bell is convenient because you can take it with you.

The reason a pet bell is a better idea than making one on your own is that the construction is high quality and the innovative design makes it comfortable (and easy) for a dog to ring.

Other bell products are not durable enough and do not have a big enough surface for a dog to ring easily.

Another good design element is that you can place the bell where you want it and use it in different locations.

If you have ever tried to use a bell that hangs on the door, you know that they can become toys and are not always loud enough.

In addition, hanging bells can be a problem if the dog paws it since they often end up scratching the door.

One of the nice features of the Tell Bell is that it comes with an instructional DVD showing how to use the product and how to train the dog to ring the bell when he or she has to go out to toilet.

The packet also comes with a training booklet so you can review the training tips easily.

It can take a while to get a dog comfortable using it–especially when you have previously trained other methods.

But once the dog gets the idea you will enjoy it–and impress your friends and family!

Although some dogs can pick up the new training concept quickly and easily, some animals might take a bit longer and so it training success can vary from just a couple of days up into a few weeks.

Younger pups might see it as a play toy so it is a good idea to anchor it down until younger animals are fully trained to use it.

Another valuable tip is to make sure you have two bells in different locations.

Some dogs will decide to begin ringing the bell just to go out or get attention and two bells can teach them to differentiate and make life a little easier for both of you.

By using two bells, you can train one as a signal for “I need to go outside to potty” and the other location for “I want to have playtime.”

The Tell Bell works well and is a handy tool to take with you on trips or when you are guests at another home.

Each Tell Bell package comes with two bells, an instructional DVD and a training booklet.

Pet potty training solutions vary according to your preferences and budget.

In some situations, crate training is a good solution for puppies or dogs that are having a tough time but reliance on those tools are not always the best because people abuse them.

For instance, crate confinement should only be for short durations of time and not for hours and hours.

Also, today there are a wide variety of choices when it comes to dog crates for pet potty training.

Potty training dogs can be done with wood dog crates, wire dog crates, or the smaller more fashionable (and portable) travel dog crates.

There are a variety of tips and tricks to use if you do decide to use crate training to house train a pet but will get to that in another post.

What is important to note is that when selecting a crate for house training a puppy or dog,

First, it is important to create a positive association with the crate.

Let the dog or puppy get used to it for short durations.

It also should be big enough that the pet won’t be covered in excrement or urine if he or she has an accident.

Also, when using crate training, if the pet messes in the crate you should not punish the animal upon your return.

Just take the pet outside to toilet and then wash out the crate.

Be sure to use a pet odor remover to get rid of smells that you might not smell but that your pet can.

There is a specific way to toilet train your pet using a crate and we will cover that in another post.

In the meantime, feel free to leave your comments below.

However kittens that are removed from the mother cat too early sometimes need help with their skills or perhaps have only lived outside and need to develop new habits.

You’ll need to make sure you have the right conditions for good litter box training.

First, sometimes the temptation to use the indoor plants can pose a problem so temporarily remove them or confine the kitten in an area where he or she does not have access to them.

Next you’ll need to have the right supplies and those are a litter pan, kitty litter and a scooper plus feline odor neutralizer and clean up aids.

If you have multiple cats, make sure you have one litter pan for each plus an extra. I’d also suggest getting a pan with low sides to help the kitten access it easily.

Use unscented litter because most cats will not like the scent–and use something other than clumping clay litter because if the kitten ingests it during bathing it can cause problems in the young cat if ingested.

If the kitten has been an outdoor cat, you can start with soil and gradually increase commercial litter while you decrease the natural soil. Do this over a couple of weeks in 10% increments.

The easiest way to litter train your kitten is to keep the young feline in a confined area.

Cats are normally clean animals but if your kitten needs help, observe after feeding time and place the cat into the box within 10-20 minutes after it eats.

You can use your index finger to scratch the litter or gently take his or her paw and simulate scratching in the box. Instinct should kick in.

If you have trouble, be patient. If this is a big problem, you can also use a warm, wet washcloth to do what the mother cat would do—gently wipe the urogenital area to stimulate elimination while the kitten is in the box.

Keep the litter box clean and remember that once the kitten has soiled in it, he or she will be more likely to use the box because of the scent attractant.

If there is an accident outside the box, you can move the feces into the litter box and blot the urine onto a paper towel and place slightly under the litter in the box to attract the kitten to the box and encourage proper use through scent and instinct.

If the youngster needs help, you need to know the signs a kitten will show when he or she needs to toilet.

One of the simple signals is that he or she will begin scratching on the floor, in a corner, or behind something.

So, it is important to remain observant and watch the kitten closely.

Most young animals will need to toilet upon waking, after play and after eating. If you combine close proximity to the litter box during these times the kitten is more likely to take the hint.

You can also place the kitten in the box if you think he or she still needs some prompting.

Proper placement of the litter pan is important too. Make sure it is located in a quiet area away from where the food bowl is (but not too far away).

Corner locations often get the best results and make sure the kitten knows where the litter box is and doesn’t have to travel far to get to it.

As a rule of thumb provide one to two litter boxes per cat in a household. If your house is very large, or has multiple floors, you may need to provide multiple locations.

Accidents might happen and they should be expected since a kitten is a baby.

Don’t make the mistake of punishing a kitten for accidents because it only makes things worse and will make your kitten fearful of you or worse, hide his or her actions from you.

If you catch the kitten in the act quickly pick it up and place in the litter box. Remember, close monitoring and confinement works well if you are having problems.

Click here for kitten litter box training aids

This earth-friendly, biodegradable litter contains no added chemicals or perfumes and so is safe for you, your cat and the environment.

Because corn has a porous structure it presents a large surface area and so helps to trap and absorb both ammonia and urine odors naturally.

In addition, World’s Best Cat Litter has clumping capabilities that make it easy for you to clean the litterbox and also lasts a long time which also helps save money.

Since it is so lightweight it is ideal for automatic litter boxes.

You and your household felines will also enjoy the soft texture and natural scent.

If your poor kitties sneeze a lot from the dust from supermarket clumping litter this is a great alternative.

Some cat owners complain that the biggest problem with this cat litter is the lack of odor control and the fact that it is so lightweight that it gets kicked out of the box and tracked around more frequently than some other litters.

Regular scooping and the use of an odor control powder should help control any odor problems and using a hooded cat box along with a litter mat should help curb the tracking.

Interested? Buy World’s Best Cat Litter here.

We have reviewed a few of the pet potty training options for dogs on this site (with more to come) but I wanted to take a break and share a few little known secrets with you.

Did you know that pet potty training problems are not all the same?
Some people get confused about the type of house training problem a dog might have.

Perhaps your dog is scent marking?
This is a problem that is more common with male dogs and usually occurs on objects or around the perimeter of a home. Male dogs will often lift a leg to mark.

Perhaps your dog wets when it gets excited?
Some dogs wet when they get excited or over stimulated which occurs most frequently when they approach (or are approached) by another human or another dog.

Perhaps your dog suddenly starts having accidents after a good record?
This type of situation occurs often in conjuntion with a veterinary medical condition and the biggest clue is when a house trained dog—suddenly isn’t.

Perhaps your dog is simply confused or downright clueless?
Puppies are often taught the wrong behaviors prior to arriving in their forever home but sometimes they are simply clueless about what is acceptable and what isn’t!

Of course there are many other examples but my point here is to illustrate that you have to know what kind of problem you have in order to tackle it successfully.

Different problems will require a different approach because the pet potty training issue isn’t just one simple solution.

People want to believe you can solve the problem right away but sometimes it can take a while.

The first step is to pay close attention to what is happening and to rule out any veterinary medical issues.

Next you’ll need some of the pet tolieting aids already covered and a plan of action.

Although you can get a variety of advice from neighbors, friends, or associates at work—don’t do it.

They share a lot of wrong and potentially harmful information. Go to an expert or get a good instruction manual.

In the long run both you and your dog will be happier if you get expert guidance.

Try this house training book for starters!

Although the Litter Maid Automatic Self-Cleaning Litter Box sounds ideal for a household with a large cat or multiple felines, despite the claims that this big, self-cleaning litter box eliminates most odors while keeping the litter pleasingly fresh—a whole lot of cat owners hate it.

Theoretically, when a cat enters the litter box, it triggers a sensor and then that sets off a timer so that within ten minutes a rake runs through the litter, scooping out clumps and depositing them in a plastic container at the box’s end.

Next, this area is automatically sealed until the next cat “deposit” when the raking cycle repeats.

Twelve reusable, disposable containers are included in the purchase and the litter box can be plugged into a wall socket (AC adapter included) or operated on eight D-cell batteries (not included).

There is also a carpeted ramp that leads into the box and that helps clean cat paws on the way out.

We liked that there is a safety component and that the rake stops and reverses at the slightest touch or if an object gets in the way.

In case the cat re-enters the box before the 10 minutes have elapsed, the timer automatically resets.

Okay, so why don’t feline owners like the box?

The complaints are the same—although some are more entertaining than others.

One person called it the “turd launcher” and said it was like having meteor showers of turds inside the home.

Here are what cat owners said,

• The rake often would get hung up and then fling the cat dung across the room.
• The clumping litter has to be deep enough for the urine to form a ball in the middle of the litter because the rake does not reach down deep enough to scrape the bottom.
• The motor might burn out if litter is deep or the clump sticks to the bottom. Many had to scrape off the rake and the urine clumps off the bottom several times a day. (Silicone spray helps but owners hated having to apply it repeatedly.)
• Rack guides snap off and the device fails to work.
• Some owners felt they spent more time messing with the litter box than ever before.
• Consumer Reports has discussed problems with this product and how bad customer service is–and apparently they were right.
• Raking and dumping into the container was reported to be incomplete and material often sticks to the rake so that is accumulated and required additional sifting and cleaning.
• The motor seemed weak, didn’t complete the cycle consistently and often quit in the middle of action.
• The rake didn’t reach to the bottom of the pan leaving a gross layer of “stuff.”
• It is also super noisy.
• Many break within a couple of weeks.

With so many unhappy cat owners chiming in, we can only say that we do not recommend the Litter Maid Automatic Mega Self-Cleaning Litter Box and so give it a one star rating. Why not try the Omega Self-Cleaning Litter Box instead?

Iris Open Top Litter Box (CLH12)

The shield is open on top so it is easier for the pet owner to reach inside to clean the box and refill litter.

Included with the Iris Open Top Litter Box is litter scoop that fits anywhere on the litter box. The litter box also uses standard pan filters. (Dimensions 15 x 19 x 12)

The Iris Open Top Litter Box is the perfect box for some and a nightmare for others.

On the pro side, the scooper is attached to each litter box and the sides are tall so they help keep litter in (except at the front) and keep any cat urination sprays confined to the box because the sides are high enough to contain any cat urinating sprays.

Mixed opinions tend to surround the design of the front corners since they are not square and some report having scooping issues because of it.

But other owners say it is not an issue if you use clumping litter and litter box liners.

Another issue reported concerns using this box with mobility challenged  or elderly pets because the pan height is too high for some to easily get into without jumping.

Finally, although the shield keeps the cat litter from being kicked out the sides of the box, it tends to get trapped between the shield and the box.

Ultimately, the price of the box makes it attractive to those working to solve some of their cat urine spraying problems.

We like the idea behind a product that addresses cat urine spraying and that is very affordable. However too many people have whined about this product so we give it a three star rating out of five. Click here to buy the Iris Open Top Litter Box now.