Pet Product Review: Bow Wow Bags

The new Bow Wow Bag is described as "your dog's own personal, yet fashionable, tote that attaches to standard and retractable leash handles." Four Paw Nation writers from different cities and lifestyles gave the Bow Wow Bag a spin.

"I take my dog running with me, sometimes for five or six miles, and while I have the hydration system figured out (I squirt water into her mouth from my hydration pack), and I have biodegradable bags attached to the leash, I'm left with one problem: If I have to use one of the bags, I then have to carry it. All. The. Way. Home. I have a large dog, so that bag gets pretty full, not to mention stinky. My hope for the Bow Wow Bag was that I'd be able to put my sealed bag into it, close it up, and finish my run without having to deal with the smell. It totally worked! The bag was large enough to hold keys in the zipper pocket and, well, you know what I had to put in the main compartment. It sealed up tightly enough that I couldn't smell a thing. Quite a feat, I have to say. Plus, the pink color was cute as can be. Two paws up!" -- Kristen Seymour

"My problem with the Bow Wow Bag is that it doesn't solve any of my problems. It's intended as a safekeeping spot for poop bags, keys and other personal items, but after seven years of walking my dog, I know my pants, jacket and hoodie pockets perfectly well, i.e. which ones can hold three unused poop bags with none falling out, or where to stash my keys so I can always feel them against my hip. (Keeping my keys off my person makes me nervous, although the Bow Wow does feature an interior zippered pocket.) It's also supposed to provide a discreet hiding spot for a used bag until you can find a receptacle, but honestly, I am not a whit concerned with strangers seeing me carry a bag of dog poop. I am, after all, walking a dog." -- Rose Martelli

"For several years I've kept one of those small plastic poop-bag dispensers on my dog Izzy's leash. Compared to that compact dispenser, the Bow Wow Bag at first seemed a bit bulky. But after attaching it to Izzy's leash and trying it out, I quickly realized it has some advantages. When I'm wearing gloves, it's a lot easier to open the Bow Wow bag to fish out a pick-up bag. Since we live in frosty Maine, that's a major plus. I also like the Bow Wow's small zippered compartment, which will be great for stowing keys during long walks in the summertime, when I'm often wearing clothes without pockets. The bag also has room for a tennis ball, which is sure to please Izzy -- that is, once all the snow melts. Overall this lightweight bag exceeded my expectations." - Kirsten Taylor

"'Wait, you want me to put the poop bag inside of another bag?' my wife Anna asked when I presented her with the Bow Wow Bag, shortly before we departed on a walk with our dog Pippy. Um, yeah, I did, though very quickly I didn't see what the point was either. Ostensibly designed to tote "doggie necessities," like toys, treats and, yes, poop bags, the Bow Wow Bag lacks much purpose. The "standard bag," which we tested, is too small to hold anything much bigger than a tennis ball. In fact, the Bow Wow Bag could easily fit in the poop bag itself. As for the zippered inside pocket for keys, well, that's why we have pants pockets. The Bow Wow Bag's only other feature is a Velcro circle of unexplained functionality. Are we supposed to strap it to our belt loop and carry it like a fanny pack?" -- Ben Westhoff

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