Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Are Flush Puppies safe for septic and sewer systems?

A: Yes! The bags are safe for both septic and sewer systems. While we certainly can never “guarantee” anything, we have sold over 500,000 bags, and have never had a customer complain about issues with their septic system.

With that said, every septic system is different. Some are not very good at breaking down organic matter. What we advise people is thatif you are discouraged from flushing wet wipes in your system, then we recommend you not flush Flush Puppies!  Remember, Flush Puppies contain no plastic, so if flushing doesn’t work for you, they’re still much better than plastic bags no matter how you dispose of them!

Q: Why should I flush the doodie down the toilet when I could just leave it on the ground?

A: Because as a responsible dog owner, you’re No. 1 when it comes to disposing of Fido’s No. 2, and leaving pet waste on the ground creates serious health risks:

• Dog poop ain’t fertilizer. In fact, it’s classified as a type of pollution, and it can infect surface water and groundwater.
• Doodie contains parasites including hookworms, roundworms, and tapeworms, which pose a health risk, especially to kiddos – and the eggs from those parasites can live in the ground for years.
• Because of these risks, cities across the country, including New York City and San Francisco, have already enacted pooper-scooper fines. Don’t end up in the doghouse when you travel or when your city enacts the same laws.
• And since Flush Puppies are 100% biodegradable, they’re an environmentally conscious solution even if you throw them in the trash.

Q: C’mon, do these bags seriously biodegrade in water?

A: Does your dog @#*%? Yes, they biodegrade in water. But that doesn’t mean they’re crappy construction.

• Flush Puppies are made of Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) film, a hydro-biodegradable material (dissolves in water).
• The key is creating the bags with a “solubility point” at which they are strong enough to hold Fido’s semi-moist poop, but soluble enough, quickly enough, that you can actually see the breakdown process start to happen when you toss the bag in the toilet.  That’s where we came in.
• Water from the toilet goes through a sewage treatment plant specifically designed to remove harmful toxins and bacteria from fecal matter.
• In short, the bags won’t break down on your walk home from the park, but they will start to break down after being submerged in your toilet water.  Typically, within 96 hours after being flushed, the Flush Puppies bag will have fully dissolved into H2O and CO2.  In some toilet systems (colder climates, bacteria-poor environments, or older plumbing) it may take longer.

Q: How bad can it be to just throw dog poop in the trash?

A: Allow us to give you a few facts and figures about the impact of animal doodie in American landfills:

• There are an estimated 44.8 million dogs in the U.S.
• In a city of 100,000 people, or 43 square miles, dogs can generate about 2.5 tons of feces a day. That’s almost 2 million pounds a year.
• Most of that doodie ends up in plastic garbage bags, which can take up to 1,000 years to decompose in a landfill. Enough said?

Q: What if my house has old plumbing?

A: No problemo!  Some Flush Puppies’ users with “low-water” toilets or really old plumbing have told us it can take more than one flush to get everything down.  If that’s the case, let the Flush Puppies bag sit in the water for 10 minutes before attempting to flush again.  If flushing simply isn’t an option for you, you can still put Flush Puppies in the trash; remember, Flush Puppies bags contain no plastic!

Q: How big are the bags?

A: The bags are 8″x10″, which generally can accommodate a dog up to 75 lbs, depending on what you feed your dog!