As inventions go, Susan Drexler's is for the dogs, or for dog doodle, as she calls it.

Drexler of Wernersville has come up with a cleaner way to pick up your dog's yard droppings and keep them separate from your regular trash and garbage.

Drexler got tired of dealing with yard messes left by her yellow Labrador retriever, Dakota, and Joe, a boxer.

She said dogs and children step in the messes and track them around the yard and even into the house.

Drexler obtained a patent for the Doodle Daley in February and is waiting for a prototype of the device to be completed.

The ingenious device allows dog owners to pick up dog droppings without getting their hands dirty or mixing the animal and household waste streams.

The plastic unit is shaped like a half a fire hydrant and has a hinged lid for easy access to the bag-lined interior, where the waste is stored. On the back is a scoop with a handle for easy pick up and drop in and a stabilizing rod that sticks into the lawn so the unit doesn't fall over in mid-scoop. Two wheels on the bottom make it easier to pull the unit around your property while cleaning up after Fido.

Once the waste has been collected with the scoop and bagged, the unit can be rolled up against a wall or shed for easy storage until it is needed again.

Part of the adventure of marketing an invention has been the more than two-year process, Drexler said.

Filling out forms and dealing with lawyers and fabricators who can bring her invention to life has been interesting.

Drexler also said she doesn't anticipate any problems marketing the Doodle Dandy once it is manufactured.

She said there are 77.5 million dogs owned as pets in the U.S. alone.

Contact Dan Kelly: 610-371-5040 or dkelly@readingeagle.com.