What you get in the pack
The Little Bags from Essential Foods are small bags for picking up your dog's droppings on the walk. One pack contains 40 bags, and if you want to stock up, you can buy THE LITTLE BAGS, 40 BAGS x 4, that is four packs at once with a total of 160 bags. You'll find the single pack as THE LITTLE BAGS, 40 BAGS.
The bags are easy to tear off and large enough to be tied with a knot, so your hand doesn't come into contact with the contents. They take up little room in your pocket or in a bag holder on the dog leash, so you always have a couple with you when you head out.
How to work out how many packs you need
The number of bags you use largely follows the number of walks. If you walk twice a day with a dog that typically goes once per walk, you'll end up at around 60 bags a month. So a single pack of 40 will last less than a month, while the four-pack of 160 covers a good two and a half months for one dog.
If you have several dogs, or you take many and long walks, the consumption quickly adds up, and here the bulk purchase makes the most sense both in terms of price and how often you have to remember to reorder. A practical rule of thumb: always keep a couple of extra bags in each jacket pocket and in the car, so you're never caught without.
Where may dog waste bags be disposed of in Denmark?
Full dog waste bags belong in the residual waste. This also applies in most Danish municipalities, where the household has been provided with bins for food waste and recycling, because dog droppings and the bag itself should not go in food waste, paper or plastic, but in the container that goes to incineration or residual waste.
On the walk, you can throw the tied bag in the public waste bins and the special dog bag stands that many municipalities have set up along paths, in parks and by dog forests. Never leave it in nature or hang it in a bush thinking you'll pick it up later, and don't throw it in bins for food waste or recyclable materials. If you're in doubt about the rules where you live, you can check your own municipality's waste guidelines, as sorting can vary slightly from municipality to municipality.
Biodegradable, compostable or ordinary plastic
The words biodegradable and compostable are used interchangeably, but they don't mean the same thing. Biodegradable simply means that the material can be broken down by microorganisms over time, without saying anything about how long, or under what conditions. Compostable is a narrower term: here the material must be able to break down completely under specific conditions, often in an industrial composting facility, not in an ordinary garden compost.
Regardless of the material, a dog bag with droppings must today go in the residual waste in Denmark, not in compost or food waste. So even a compostable bag is in practice incinerated together with the residual waste, because dog droppings must not end up in the biomass. If you want to know more about what really lies behind labels like these, it's worth reading the manufacturer's own information, rather than assuming that a green label automatically means the bag can be composted at home.
How to avoid leaks and odour
What separates a usable bag from a bad one is whether it holds tight. A bag that is too thin or breaks when you tie a knot is worse than no bag. Always tie a firm double knot close to the contents, so the air is pressed out and the odour kept in until you reach a bin.
If you have a long way to the nearest waste bin, it can pay off to have a small odour-proof holder or an extra bag to put the tied bag in, so you can carry it without bother. Avoid leaving full bags in a hot car or a tight pocket for hours, because heat intensifies the odour regardless of bag quality.
Bag holder on the leash or loose bags in your pocket
Many carry the bags in a small dispenser that clips onto the dog leash or harness, so you have them right at hand and never leave them at home. The Little Bags are sized to fit most ordinary bag holders, and you can roll a couple together and leave them in the holder between walks.
If you prefer to keep them loose in your pocket, that works fine, as long as you remember to top up. The most common reason for being without a bag on the walk is not that the pack ran out, but that you forgot to put new ones in your pocket after the last wash of the jacket.
Bags for the dog from a food manufacturer
Essential Foods primarily makes food for dogs, and The Little Bags are among the practical accessories you can add to the basket along with the food. If you're ordering treats such as Delights Treats or food anyway, you save an extra delivery by taking the bags along in the same order.
If you need other equipment for feeding at home, you'll find it under accessories for meals. This way you gather the everyday practical things for the dog in one place, from the meal to the walk.
