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DOG OWNERS: Love your dog -- hate poop?
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THE INTERNATIONAL DIRECTORY OF DOG WASTE REMOVAL SERVICES

Scoopers & Friends Discussion Board Archives

Messages archived from the Scoopers & Friends Discussion Board, going back to May of 1998. The discussion board board is an online forum about the business of pet-waste removal. Browse the messages, CLICK HERE TO SEARCH by keyword, or click here to participate in current discussions.

Message Date/Time:
Monday, 10-Aug-98 16:04:24

Background ... A few nights ago on the chat line I was asked about this subject. I stated that I had four degrees; one of which is an MBA. Someone, on line stated that she had a doctors degree. I did not catch the name. Would like to know who it was. In addition, it would be interesting to find the background of all the other pooper scoopers.

Richard (Dr Doo Litter)

P.S. Better yet....how about a profile.. Number of kids...working background...what your kids are doing. Makes it interesting to have some kind of picture of the persons in this business and of those who make contact with each of us.

Message Date/Time:
Tuesday, 11-Aug-98 01:05:06

Re: Background ... Well, I'm a 47 year-old retired tattoo artist. 31 years in the trade. I have four children, James (28), Michael (25), Jason (23), and Katie Nicole (10). I have always owned my own businesses, including a retail store, an exotic bird import/export business (Macaws, Cockatoos, that sort of thing), and I currently own two businesses (for four years now) on the Internet creating commercial Web sites for small and large companies. Poop scooping is just as appealing to me as any of the other ventures I have involved myself in. Honest work is honest work.
I am self-educated (quit school in the eighth-grade).

Anyone else?

Message Date/Time:
Tuesday, 11-Aug-98 12:52:00

Re: Re: Background ... Iam 36 years old, married with 2 kids Jamie(20) my step daughter and Nikiya(4). I have a BS degree in Animal Health Technology and Animal Science. Plus I have schooling in the medical field as a EMT and I do Search and Rescue K-9 for the Sherriff Dept. I have worked as a Veterinary Tech for over 15 years and I have also had this business, Southpaw Pet Care Services, where I do Medical Petsitting, Transportation, and Scooping since 1988 in Ca and Va.( where I am currently.) I have always enjoyed helping animals and people(SAR). Plus its great to be self-employed. Deborah

Message Date/Time:
Tuesday, 11-Aug-98 13:18:46

Re: Re: Background ... Hi all!! I am a SFC in the U.S. Army stationed at Fort Hood texas. I read an artical about this when i was traveling and now i started my own. I have 3 kids (Girls) 17, 15 and 7. 3 Dogs 2 cats and a exwife. My school trained skills are in Computer and Electronic repair. But i feel working for someone for 15 years is enough so here i am. I hope to retire soon and do this full time.

Don Scoop-Patrol

Message Date/Time:
Tuesday, 11-Aug-98 22:29:10

Re: Re: Background ... I'm 32, my husband is 40. We don't have any kids nor do we plan to. I have an Associates degree in Business & Office Administration & currently work for as an underwriter for an insurance company. My husband has a degree in Petroleum Technology & currently works for Motorola. We started our poop scooping business about six months ago & are really optimistic about it.
Next...

Message Date/Time:
Tuesday, 11-Aug-98 23:42:38

Re: Re: Background ... 45--postal worker and hate it have 5 dogs and 2 pot belly pigs so i can honestly say i have experience [had as many as 8 dogs at one time] poop picking doesn't even phase me!!!!just a fact of life here

Message Date/Time:
Sunday, 23-Aug-98 17:21:10

Re: Re: Background ... Hi I am new at this but I will give you a profile. I was in the computer field for many years and finally got fed up last May. I have had a petsitting business for 4 years and recently started a Soccer business which is mainly on weekends. The pooper Scooper business i have actually been thinking about this for over a year. i have two children both girls and are 15 and 5. I have a college degree in Communications

Message Date/Time:
Wednesday, 12-Aug-98 08:09:46

Re: Background ... Hello all, I am a 33 year old father of 3 with (whoops) number 4 on the way. I am a consultant with Andersen Consulting here in Philadelphia. I was a construction worker for 13 years while I went to school at night . Once I got my degree and got into the corporate world I found I was burning myself out very quickly. I read a story in the Wall Street journal about a fellow pooper scooper and went on the Net to do some research. I found Mattew's site and the rest is history. I am looking for something to supplement my income and if the business takes off and I can do it full-time great. This is my first real attempt at running my own business and it has been alot of fun(alot of work too). I don't get to join in on the wednesday night chat as the only access I have to a computer is here at work, but I do keep up with everyone's progress on this bulletin board. Good luck to all and keep on scooping.

Message Date/Time:
Wednesday, 12-Aug-98 13:58:27

Re: Background ... I am 36 years old, married and have two kids, 1 is 20 yrs(step daugther) and the other is 4 yrs. Both are girls. I have a Bs degree in Animal Health Technology and Animal Science. Plus I am an Emergency Medical Technician and do Search and Rescue with two German Shepherds. I have been in this business for about 10 years, in Calif. and now in Virginia. But I have worked in the Animal Field since 1980. In my business I am a Medical Pet sitter Pooper Scooper and animal Tranporter. Its all alot of fun and I wouldn't trade any of my jobs.

Message Date/Time:
Wednesday, 12-Aug-98 19:15:08

Re: Background ... Hello gang! My name is Matt Boswell, I'm single, 27 and work for in New Car Sales for Sewell Village Cadillac in Dallas, Texas. You may have heard of the book: Customers for Life - Carl Sewell, well that's us. I've been at it for 5 1/2 years. I have a BBA in Marketing but have never wanted to use my degree for anything but my own business. After searching, praying, and consulting with friends, and reading Matthew's manual, I believe there is nothing out there that offers such an exciting "ground floor" opportunity at such a low start up cost as poop scooping does.
Getting customers has proven much more difficult than I expected, but after reading about all the others who are succeeding, I am encouraged to press on. I guess you could say this chat line is like a support group for scoopers!
I have hit about 50 apartment managers with a three fold brochure and spent about $1,500 in newspaper advertising and still not a call. Both the ads and the brochure were done professionally and I am a very schooled and comfortable salesman but so far it ain't happening.
I'd also like to mention: a couple weeks ago I inquired on the chat line about "bonding". I was refering to the act of becoming insured against employee/client problems such as theft...I do appreciate, however, those who replied with ways to better "bond" with a client's dog. I'll try to be more careful with my wording next time.
Also, I may not need it for a while but developing an attractive pay plan that keeps employees motivated, thorough, and loyal, while maintaining profitability is a concern I hope to have a need for soon. Any ideas? (no hurry!)
Thanks for all that you do,
Red
Pet Butler
"It's a dirty job, but Pet Butler's gotta do it!"

Message Date/Time:
Monday, 31-Aug-98 14:14:01

Re: Re: Background ... Hey look! Another PET BUTLER!
Pete Hulse
43 years old, married

I've known Matthew for about 30 years, now. He and I overcame our weaknesses and combined our strengths to to turn his nice little home based business into a strong little out-of-the-home business. We doubled out customer base, increased the rate of work per hour, reduced the rate of complaints, computerized the company, streamlined the operation and hired great people to help with the work. Once we got most of the bugs worked out, I bought the company!

PET BUTLER serving Central Ohio since 1988!

Message Date/Time:
Thursday, 13-Aug-98 15:21:25

Re: Background ... I'm 36, married almost 16 years and adopted a son. He will be 3 in December. I have an Associates Degree in Electronics and being in a military (Navy) town I have no business having such a background. I would have to move elsewhere to get a job. I currently own 2 businesses. This one and C F I Item Locators, so if you need me to locate something let me know (except People). I just got tired of looking for a job and decided with my wifes support (100%) I am going forth with scoopin. I just came legal the other day. I got my business license which cost me a total of $96.00 including zoning fee's. Even the zoning commissioner liked the idea. He thought I was really bold for starting something like this. Not bad huh? Oh, I also own 2 dogs. One is a pure bread Norweigen Elkhound and the other is part German Shepard and Elkhound. Talk to you'll later.

Frank
Poopy Scoopy Canine Waste Removal Service
"You'll Never Have To Worry About Shoveling Again"

Message Date/Time:
Friday, 14-Aug-98 10:46:03

Re: Background ... Hi everyone! I'm Julie, 29 and have 2 boys that are 10 and 7. No degree...married almost 10 years.....professional mom :-)! We have 2 Dobermans Jake and Josie. Lots of experience picking up dog doo doo!! So far we have sunk over $1,600 and have 1 customer. It's only been 7 weeks so I won't go into a depression yet. I need you guys to keep me motivated :-)!! Talk to you soon.......

Message Date/Time:
Friday, 14-Aug-98 12:34:58

Re: Background ... Hi everyone! I'm 44 year old female, married for 7 years and have 2 girls and 4 stepsons. My fulltime job is a computer graphic artist working as a contractor for the U.S. EPA in Cincinnati, OH. I started my scooping business due to the lack of work at my job. I'm not one to sit around wasteing time I'm too motivated for that. I've always had the desire to own my own business, so here I am. Best of luck to all of you and your businesses!!

Message Date/Time:
Wednesday, 19-Aug-98 15:42:36

Re: Background ... I have an M.A. in Linguistics and am a training consultant for Franklin Covey in Salt Lake City.

This is a fun survey. Are you going to publish a full report?

Message Date/Time:
Saturday, 29-Aug-98 15:51:47

Re: Background ... G'day. Late to reply, but here goes:

39 years old, worked as a beekeeper, musician, x-rated video tech, electronics repair, operations manager, small business marketing, mailing list & mailing service, ummm, probably some other things that have slipped my mind...

I have a BS in life, am married (wife is a musician, bass player) with no kids (2 birds and a tortoise, the wife's alergic to dogs, of all things). Celebrating my 10th year annviersary in Paris & south France next month.

John
Scoopers Dog Waste Removal Service
"Your Dog's Business is Our Business"
Los Angeles

Message Date/Time:
Saturday, 26-Sep-98 02:24:05

Background info on me ... Good day, eh....
You guessed it, another Canadian. Residing in Manitoba, my business SCOOPERMAN Pet Waste Removal begun in 1996. I saw a story on the national news about a father and son team, scoopers. I wondered if that would work here. Next thing you know, here I was! My stats? Married with 3 kids, (girl, 6/boy,2/boy,7mos.) I have no degrees or post secondary training. I do have a school bus driver's cert. and I work presently in maintenance. I enjoy street ministry, and reaching out with a positive WORD in such a negative world.
*shortened version.
View the book on me at www.lifestory.com/Wil ( *kidding!!)
Ain't Matt a dear....thanks a bunch, guy!
Words of Wisdom : Business WILLPICK UP!! Keep on going! (The dogs do...)

God bless always,
Wil