Dog walks with Maverick are one of the best parts of the day. Fresh air, a happy cockapoo investigating every interesting smell, and the quiet satisfaction of a dog who has had a proper run around.
The less glamorous part of dog ownership — picking up after them — is just a fact of life. You are going to do it several times a day, every day, for the entire life of your dog. It makes sense to use something that actually works.
We switched to Earth Rated lavender bags a while back and have not looked at anything else since. Here is the honest version of why.
“Once you've had a bag split on you, you start caring quite a lot about bag quality.”
The Problem with Cheap Bags
Most dog owners will recognise this: you buy a bulk roll of the cheapest poo bags you can find, because they are all the same really, aren't they? Then one splits. Usually at exactly the wrong moment, in exactly the wrong conditions.
Beyond the obvious practical problem, cheap bags smell exactly like what they contain. You are carrying it for the rest of the walk. Not ideal.
We went through a few different options before landing on Earth Rated. Some were fine. Some were not. Earth Rated are the ones we keep buying.
Why Earth Rated Lavender
The lavender scent is the first thing most people notice. It is not overpowering — it is genuinely subtle, just enough to make the whole thing considerably more pleasant than it would otherwise be. On a cold morning walk that small detail makes a real difference.
The bags themselves are thick. Properly thick — the kind where you tie them off and forget about it rather than handling them with the caution of someone defusing something. They tear off the roll cleanly, open easily with cold fingers, and have never once let us down.
Each roll is 15 bags. We keep one dispenser on Maverick's lead and a spare roll in every coat we own. At this point it is just part of the routine.
The Part That Actually Matters
Maverick has no opinion on poo bags. He is immediately interested in the next thing. But for everyone else on the walk, the right bag makes a genuinely noticeable difference to the experience.
Subtle and genuine — not synthetic or overwhelming. Just enough to make an unpleasant task considerably less unpleasant.
These do not split. Full stop. After one bad experience with a cheaper bag we appreciated this more than we expected to.
Opens easily in cold weather, tears cleanly from the roll, ties securely. Every small detail handled properly.
The Honest Verdict
Thick, reliable bags — have never split once
Genuine lavender scent — subtle and effective
Easy to open with cold fingers — a small thing that matters daily
15 bags per roll — fits standard dispensers perfectly
Available on Amazon — easy to keep stocked up
Costs more than the cheapest options available. That is the honest trade-off — but after one split bag, the upgrade feels more than worth it.
Earth Rated Lavender Poo Bags
The ones on Maverick's lead every single walk. Available on Amazon — easy to stock up and never run out.
Find on Amazon →AD | Affiliate link — we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We buy these ourselves on every walk.
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