Can You Flush Dog Poop in The Toilet? [Full Answer]

Published by Ahmad Jamal on May 2, 2023 | Last updated on May 14, 2023

I own a dog, and I can easily tell you that they poop as much as a regular human being, making their mess a problem if you aren’t planning to deal with them properly.

Some people would tell you to just flush it down the toilet, others have detailed plans on when and where to do that.

Therefore, this CleanersAdvisor guide will help you get to a definitive answer on Can You Flush Dog Poop or not, and if so, when to flush dog poop down the toilet.

In this CleanersAdvisor guide, we’ll help you know more on when and how to flush dog poop down the toilet, whether you’re connected to the sewers system or not.

Moreover, we’ll explain in depth when you shouldn’t flush dog poop down the toilet, and the scientific reasoning behind that.

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Why Discuss The Question of “Can You Flush Dog Poop”?

On an annual basis in the US, dogs collectively deposit 10 million tons of waste, according to “Doody Calls” a waste clean up service.

That means dealing with dog poop properly can save a huge amount of money, or can waste it entirely on precautions, unclogging sewers, and more.

Let’s imagine a near daily scenario, you encounter dog poop on the ground, then you pick it up with special dog poop bags as usual.

But what should you do with those dog poop bags? Should you just throw them in the trash? Is this solution suitable for all seasons and weathers?

Should you just throw the bag into the bathroom sink? Don’t we flush our own human poop in the toilet safely?

So many questions at hand, but we’ll answer them soon, read on.

To show you we’re experts with everything around poop, here’s a list of guides we shared our experience in, that can help you with poop-centered cleaning issues such as stains, smells, and other issues:

How to get poop smell out of clothes
Toilet clogged with poop
How to clean dog diarrhea from carpet
How to get poop smell off hands
Poop on bed sheets
How to get dried diarrhea out of carpet
How to get poop out of mattress
How to get rid of human feces odor
How to clean dog poop off concrete

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Can You Flush Dog Poop Down the Toilet

Let’s tackle the main question, can you flush dog poop down the toilet? The answer is yes, but under some conditions.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, flushing dog poop down the toilet without a bag, only flushing the poop waste is the best disposal method of dog poop.

However, they added, “Never flush plastic bags or any kind of plastic down the toilet, even if some products are labeled (Flushable), they can cause real damage to the toilet,” as they can damage the sewer systems, and even cause problems inside the plumbing in your house.

Therefore, flushing the dog poop down the toilet won’t harm the person who uses the toilet after you’ve flushed dog poop in it, and it won’t cause any pollution to the rivers or streams after it reaches its final destination inside the sewers.

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Can You Flush Dog Poop If You Have Septic Tank

Another main condition before deciding to safely flush dog poop in the toilet, is having your house connected to a public sewer system, not only connected to a septic tank.

However, according to recent research, 21 million US households use a private septic system and drain field to handle their toilet waste.

In this case, those 21 million households should never flush dog poop down their toilet.

Why? Dog feces contain other types of bacteria, hair, rawhide, grasses, and carry other types of parasites.

A handful of these things can clog the drain field of the septic system, and thus will cause clogs inside your toilet.

If you have a septic tank connected to your house’s draining system, you don’t want a small dog poop to damage your whole draining system, when you can dispose of it safer and more efficiently.

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Why Don’t We Flush Dog Poop

If you have a septic tank, then there’s one more reason why you shouldn’t flush dog poop, as dog feces contain roundworm eggs and a variety of bacteria most wastewater treatment systems aren’t designed to counter or dispose of.

Add this to the possibility of clogging your toilet after flushing dog poop, and you have more than enough reasons to NOT flush dog poop inside your toilet if your house is built like described.

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What Is the Alternative to Flushing Dog Poop Down the Toilet?

We’ll recap later with the final section of this guide, but if your house is connected to a Septic Tank, then you won’t be able to flush dog poop down the toilet, so what should you do?

The best solution is to use a biodegradable bag to collect dog poop inside it, and then dispose of it in the garbage.

Flushing the poop or the garbage bag inside the toilet will lead to a disastrous outcome, whereas getting rid of it in a garbage bag can relieve your sewer systems of such stress.

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Top Tip For Flushing Dog Poop Down the Toilet

Our top tip when discussing whether can you flush dog poop or not, is to be aware of what you do, and how you do it when it comes to doing it in front of your kids.

Generally speaking, kids follow their dads and moms in what they do, and using the wrong method of disposing of dog poop can teach the wrong type of action to your kids.

Teach them the right way that suits your house and its draining systems, and they’ll follow your lead to the right path of disposing of dog poops.

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To Wrap Up

To wrap everything up, Can You Flush Dog Poop Down the Toilet? Yes, if your house is connected to the city’s sewer system.

If your house is connected to a septic tank, or you’re used to flushing the dog poop in plastic bags, stop it immediately, and collect dog poop in biodegradable bags, then throw them in the trash can outside.

If you have any questions regarding this dog poop flushing topic, don’t hesitate to reach out to us in the comments section below, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

Here’s a video on Can You Flush Dog Poop in the toilet if you’re a fan of video guides: