How To: Pick up after your dog

Learn how to pick up after your dog. It's easy to be a responsible pet owner by cleaning up after your dog – just be prepared to roll-up your sleeves!

You Will Need

* A plastic bag
* High-quality dog food
* Disposable latex gloves

Step 1. Be prepared

When taking your dog for a walk, always bring at least one plastic bag.

Step 2. Put on the bag

Turn the plastic bag inside out and put it on your hand, as you would a glove.

Consider feeding your dog high-quality dog food, which contains fewer fillers, so your dog produces less waste and there's less to pick up.

Step 3. Pick up the mess

Wearing the plastic bag, pick up your dog's mess.

For extra protection, wear a disposable latex glove as well.

Step 4. Wrap the mess

Grab the edge of the plastic bag and gently pull it off your hand, turning the bag outside in, so that the mess is contained inside. Tie the bag shut.

Step 5. Dispose of the waste

Locate the nearest trash can and dispose of the plastic bag.

FACT: It's estimated that the 75 million dogs in the U.S. create 3.6 billion pounds of waste per year.