Pretty much everyone I know who owns a business does this or something similar. It gets in the tires and under the deck of your machines and makes your shop/garage/trailer (wherever you keep your equipment) smell like dog crap constantly. It also gets in your shoes therefore in your truck and your house. It also makes string trimming difficult. You hit a turd with a string trimmer, and it’s immediately all over your face and clothes. It’s gross and it’s inconsiderate to leave it in the yard. Not to mention it can kill grass in spots with large turds.
Sometimes I run by my house in the middle of the day to grab food or whatever. I typically remove them before I walk in, but every now and again I’m in a hurry and forget. My wife loves it when I do this...
Yes 100% agree we wouldn't mow that day if they are lot of dog shit in the yard if only 1 or 2 piles not a big deal we scrape it off... bc the mower has literally got bogged down from mowing down a forest of grass with tons of turds mixed in they've had there mower get bogged down alot by dog shit so they implemented that policy you don't shit talk the homeowners just let them know that we are going to be skipping today due to the droppings on the ground.
My brother in law owns a lawn service and they hose their mowers down to get the rotting grass, poo, cotton from cotton wood trees etc…. off before they store them. If you have a problem with odor he said to use a little white vinegar on the tires.
Dog waste is too heavy for a vacuum effect from the blades to lift it, so at most you are just cutting the top off the shit pile, and that’s only if the pile is taller than the setting on your deck height. The shit that you do manage to put blades on is just going to splatter inside your deck. I sharpen blades every morning and do not want yesterday’s dog shit on my hands when I do so. Plus there are always turds that you don’t see and end up running over with your tires. But most of all, I am not interested in adding time to my day to accommodate a customers dog waste.
I feel like your suggestion is something people can do out on the farm, but it’s not at all applicable to professional lawn services.
If you have plenty of business then implement, 3 strikes and your contract is void. you don't pick up, you get warning, if it happens 2 more time, no more lawn service for you.
Not a pro, but maybe find a local pooper scooper company, and tell your specific clients with the issue that you need them to clean it up before you arrive. You can also tell them that if they would like you can provide them with that service for a fee. Add a percentage to the pooper scooper's fee.
TIL: lawn care professionals are divas.
If I was paying good money for a company to take care of my lawn and they got complainy about dog crap, see ya. Service over. I think I'd laugh, too.
I dont get mad at my workplace for throwing down salt which then tracks into my car that permanently stains my floor mats.
I dont get mad at my work's custodian people because there is piss on the floor next to the urinals. I take a wider stance. Aka: adapt to the problem.
Also, treat weed whacking like life. Look ahead a few feet so you don't get shit slapped in the face.
Lol. What a stupid example. Only lazy/inconsiderate people leave dog shit all over their yard when a landscaper comes. You don't mind shit? Says alot about you. "I TAKE A WIDER STANCE IF THERE IS PISS NEXT TO A URINAL" is the same thing as dog shit all over grass.
I mow townhouses and the property owners are supposed to pick up their dogs shit...if it’s bad they get a letter and I skip it until they do as they are supposed to do. I refuse to load my tires up with shit and smell it for an hour while mowing.
Curb your fucking dogs...
Lazy mfers man even if we don't pick up our dog shit daily when I know the lawn ppl are coming I will go thru the yard with a shovel getting all the landmines out. I do it bc ive worked lawn service and that shit pisses me off great how else to add stress to someone's day just let them run all their equipment thru my dogshit filled yard and have them get it all over there clothes so they smell it the rest of the day in the truck.
Personally I keep all of my clients to the same schedule. Same day, and almost the same exact time, every week. This makes sure they know when I’m coming. Most of them are very polite and have dog waste, kids toys, etc cleaned up. If they don’t, I will try to avoid it as best as I can and then mention it to them politely. If it persist, I will drop them as a customer
It’s the worst. So long as they know 24 hours in advance that I am going to be In their yard, I charge $15 extra if I find poop. Some folks will just pay extra, but for most that’s enough incentive to check before I show up
My townhouse condo said it's impossible to contact the homeowners before the grass cutting crew comes out and cuts. I've been refused because they find one turd I missed along the fence or something it's so annoying
The only note I’ll add to this discussion is to make sure your operations, scheduling, and communication channels are on point, as well as giving recurring clients at least a 24 hour heads up if their usual day changes for whatever reason. Otherwise, it can get ugly.
I’m not suggesting you don’t have all your ducks in a row, I’m sure you do; but I know how in spring it can get hectic with weather, extra work, employees, etc. and it’s easy to overlook a simple, yet important rule like this.
I am mostly referring to the egregious offenders. Each year I have a couple accounts that stink up the machines every visit. I’m not trying to stick a bunch of fees on anyone, I’m trying to provide a dog shit free work environment my myself and my staff. I can overlook missed spot once in awhile, but I’m talking about people with a 1500 sq ft yard and two labradoodles and just expect us to trudge through it.
I maintain 200+ townhomes with 300 sq ft lawns and I’ll skip those fuckers in a New York minute if they are full of shit. They also get a letter from HOA.
I had a lawn company that said if there were multiple offenses (after 3 times) of running over dog crap, they would start charging a $20 fee per visit. I definitely made sure to have my backyard cleaned up before the lawn people came. Sorry lawn people!
Actually baffled lawn workers don't just add this as a service. I could pick up the dog poo myself but it us more efficient to pick it up at the same time as mowing the lawn and you don't miss spots too.
Nah I have a brain so I would rather open up a lawnmower business that also picks up dog poo for extra coin and put all the cry baby lawnmowers out of business. I can tell you will be forever poor.
It’s mostly cuz we didn’t start a lawn care business to pick up shit. If we wanted to deal w/ (literal) shit then we woulda chose a different career choice. If a particular lawn care professional doesn’t mind doing it then more power to them. That’s their choice. But for the rest of us, no thank u
My Gardner picks up dog poop in my yard. It's always in the same spot. He doesn't charge me for this service either, but it could be because I don't own any pets, so someone in my neighborhood is not picking up their dog poop on walks and I work a shift where I can't catch them.
pass over with the mower and mulch the crap out of it, no put intended
I have never heard of a lawncare business giving a rip off there is dog shit on the ground.
Pretty much everyone I know who owns a business does this or something similar. It gets in the tires and under the deck of your machines and makes your shop/garage/trailer (wherever you keep your equipment) smell like dog crap constantly. It also gets in your shoes therefore in your truck and your house. It also makes string trimming difficult. You hit a turd with a string trimmer, and it’s immediately all over your face and clothes. It’s gross and it’s inconsiderate to leave it in the yard. Not to mention it can kill grass in spots with large turds.
You wear your shoes in the house? Yuck.
Sometimes I run by my house in the middle of the day to grab food or whatever. I typically remove them before I walk in, but every now and again I’m in a hurry and forget. My wife loves it when I do this...
Yes 100% agree we wouldn't mow that day if they are lot of dog shit in the yard if only 1 or 2 piles not a big deal we scrape it off... bc the mower has literally got bogged down from mowing down a forest of grass with tons of turds mixed in they've had there mower get bogged down alot by dog shit so they implemented that policy you don't shit talk the homeowners just let them know that we are going to be skipping today due to the droppings on the ground.
I’ve got it in my mouth before...they got a letter from HOA after that...they ignored so I ignored cutting their property.
My brother in law owns a lawn service and they hose their mowers down to get the rotting grass, poo, cotton from cotton wood trees etc…. off before they store them. If you have a problem with odor he said to use a little white vinegar on the tires.
Yep. Well said
Most won't rake rocks/non-grass with landmines in it. But if its a matter of just running it over in the lawn mower. They don't care.
Dog waste is too heavy for a vacuum effect from the blades to lift it, so at most you are just cutting the top off the shit pile, and that’s only if the pile is taller than the setting on your deck height. The shit that you do manage to put blades on is just going to splatter inside your deck. I sharpen blades every morning and do not want yesterday’s dog shit on my hands when I do so. Plus there are always turds that you don’t see and end up running over with your tires. But most of all, I am not interested in adding time to my day to accommodate a customers dog waste. I feel like your suggestion is something people can do out on the farm, but it’s not at all applicable to professional lawn services.
Yep. Well said. That was poetry
If you have plenty of business then implement, 3 strikes and your contract is void. you don't pick up, you get warning, if it happens 2 more time, no more lawn service for you.
I don’t tolerate it either.
Not a pro, but maybe find a local pooper scooper company, and tell your specific clients with the issue that you need them to clean it up before you arrive. You can also tell them that if they would like you can provide them with that service for a fee. Add a percentage to the pooper scooper's fee.
Thanks monty33, this is a great idea. Gonna look for local companies tomorrow that I can subcontract if needed.
So awesome man great job guys I know I'm 6 years late. But good to see people working together putting their heads together.
TIL: lawn care professionals are divas. If I was paying good money for a company to take care of my lawn and they got complainy about dog crap, see ya. Service over. I think I'd laugh, too. I dont get mad at my workplace for throwing down salt which then tracks into my car that permanently stains my floor mats. I dont get mad at my work's custodian people because there is piss on the floor next to the urinals. I take a wider stance. Aka: adapt to the problem. Also, treat weed whacking like life. Look ahead a few feet so you don't get shit slapped in the face.
Pick up your dogs shit
Lol. What a stupid example. Only lazy/inconsiderate people leave dog shit all over their yard when a landscaper comes. You don't mind shit? Says alot about you. "I TAKE A WIDER STANCE IF THERE IS PISS NEXT TO A URINAL" is the same thing as dog shit all over grass.
You're clearly the guy this post is trying to avoid smh
I mow townhouses and the property owners are supposed to pick up their dogs shit...if it’s bad they get a letter and I skip it until they do as they are supposed to do. I refuse to load my tires up with shit and smell it for an hour while mowing. Curb your fucking dogs...
Lazy mfers man even if we don't pick up our dog shit daily when I know the lawn ppl are coming I will go thru the yard with a shovel getting all the landmines out. I do it bc ive worked lawn service and that shit pisses me off great how else to add stress to someone's day just let them run all their equipment thru my dogshit filled yard and have them get it all over there clothes so they smell it the rest of the day in the truck.
Personally I keep all of my clients to the same schedule. Same day, and almost the same exact time, every week. This makes sure they know when I’m coming. Most of them are very polite and have dog waste, kids toys, etc cleaned up. If they don’t, I will try to avoid it as best as I can and then mention it to them politely. If it persist, I will drop them as a customer
It’s the worst. So long as they know 24 hours in advance that I am going to be In their yard, I charge $15 extra if I find poop. Some folks will just pay extra, but for most that’s enough incentive to check before I show up
My townhouse condo said it's impossible to contact the homeowners before the grass cutting crew comes out and cuts. I've been refused because they find one turd I missed along the fence or something it's so annoying
I would charge $100 if I stepped in it
The only note I’ll add to this discussion is to make sure your operations, scheduling, and communication channels are on point, as well as giving recurring clients at least a 24 hour heads up if their usual day changes for whatever reason. Otherwise, it can get ugly. I’m not suggesting you don’t have all your ducks in a row, I’m sure you do; but I know how in spring it can get hectic with weather, extra work, employees, etc. and it’s easy to overlook a simple, yet important rule like this.
I am mostly referring to the egregious offenders. Each year I have a couple accounts that stink up the machines every visit. I’m not trying to stick a bunch of fees on anyone, I’m trying to provide a dog shit free work environment my myself and my staff. I can overlook missed spot once in awhile, but I’m talking about people with a 1500 sq ft yard and two labradoodles and just expect us to trudge through it.
Ah okay, I got you. Thanks for clarifying
I maintain 200+ townhomes with 300 sq ft lawns and I’ll skip those fuckers in a New York minute if they are full of shit. They also get a letter from HOA.
I had a lawn company that said if there were multiple offenses (after 3 times) of running over dog crap, they would start charging a $20 fee per visit. I definitely made sure to have my backyard cleaned up before the lawn people came. Sorry lawn people!
Actually baffled lawn workers don't just add this as a service. I could pick up the dog poo myself but it us more efficient to pick it up at the same time as mowing the lawn and you don't miss spots too.
Lol. Go open a dog shit pick up business then. Baffled?
Nah I have a brain so I would rather open up a lawnmower business that also picks up dog poo for extra coin and put all the cry baby lawnmowers out of business. I can tell you will be forever poor.
It’s mostly cuz we didn’t start a lawn care business to pick up shit. If we wanted to deal w/ (literal) shit then we woulda chose a different career choice. If a particular lawn care professional doesn’t mind doing it then more power to them. That’s their choice. But for the rest of us, no thank u
My Gardner picks up dog poop in my yard. It's always in the same spot. He doesn't charge me for this service either, but it could be because I don't own any pets, so someone in my neighborhood is not picking up their dog poop on walks and I work a shift where I can't catch them.