Site Map | Search This Site | Contact Site Owner



DOG OWNERS: Love your dog -- hate poop?
Help is here at last!
 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.

Archive Page 1 | Page 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 90 | 91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 100 | 101 | 102 | 103 | 104 | 105 | 106

Page Thirty



Message Date/Time:
Thursday, 20-May-99 19:47:33

just a few questions

I would like to get started doing this. I see that most people charge by the number of dogs, but what if someone has a very large yard that would take a while to cover? Will someone please outline the basic steps on how to do this business succesfully. I'm pretty sure I have the basic idea figured out but clear me up on how to charge customers and tell me the most efficient ways to scoop and find customers. Thanks



Message Date/Time:
Saturday, 22-May-99 10:12:46

Re: just a few questions

I reserve the right to charge more for large yards. So far, the only ones I have charged extra for exceeded 2 acres. In other cases, I have negotiated a specific, smaller area.


Message Date/Time:
Monday, 24-May-99 10:38:02

Re: just a few questions

Pete's right -- I always reserved the right to charge extra for extra-large yards, but hardly ever had to actually do so. In most cases where there is a very large yard, the dog will pretty much use the same general area all the time, anyway. Charging a fee based on the number of dogs and frequency of service worked very well for me.
You'll get some good information about some of the other aspects of the business by reading this message board, and don't forget the archives of past messages from this board. They are stored online at www.pooper-scooper.com
And of course I'd be remiss in my work if I didn't remind you that I've compiled the details of my own experience in the book "The Professional Pooper-Scooper: How to start your own low-cost, high-profit dog waste removal service." There you'll learn about scooping techiniques for different conditions, including the weather. You'll also read about how to dispose of the waste you collect, find some examples of actual advertising and news releases that have worked for me, and many other details of this unusual, but much-appreciated, business.

Matthew
matthew@pooper-scooper.com




Message Date/Time:
Sunday, 23-May-99 10:36:29

pick up service

I am thinking of addvertising on pick up in my general area.would $3.50 a week be to steep.There are three towns very close together, so i could schedule one day per week, per town for pick up service on top of my yards.also any suggestions on getting radio time for exposure,i contacted a couple of the staions around my area and they charge about $99.00 per month for three adds a day.I can't afford that right now. they wont use my service in contests for prises unless i have add on the station.and any one out there that can give me a time on how long it took to get there buisness off and rolling?where i am at,people are still skeptical of the buisness.

thank you,
Personal Doggie Butler




Message Date/Time:
Monday, 24-May-99 10:30:44

Re: pick up service

I think $3.50 for bag-pickup-only service is probably a good price.
The radio spots you mentioned sound like a good deal; it's just a little more than $1/spot. But I understand that that can be hard to afford when you're first starting out and have almost no money. Keep it in mind, though, and maybe you can give it a try. It might be worth saving up that first $99, and then if the ads pay for themselves you could keep it going.
Different businesses have had different result with how long it took to "get going." Being able to afford some marketing is one of the important variables. In my own case, I had very little money to start with (I wouldn't have been able to afford $99 when I first started, either) and while my pooper-scooper business was profitable after it's first month, and the money I earned from it was far better than the same time and energy spend working at my regular jobs at the time, it took me about a year before I was serving a regular client list of more than 20 customers per week. 0f course, that eventually grew to over 650 customers per week -- so persistence paid off rather well.
I know of a service in Texas that grew to over 300 regular customers in it's first year, and one in California that acquired over 100 customers in it's first couple of months. They had the advantage of having some money to start with.
Keep plugging away with marketing techniques that cost nothing or next-to-nothing, and hang in there. It takes time to create awareness of something new, and a little more time for people to accept it.
Try newspaper classified ads, door-to-door flyers, business cards at groomers, vets, and pet shops, and a nice sign on your vehicle.

Matthew




Message Date/Time:
Monday, 24-May-99 20:18:59

Houston pooper-scoopers

Hello. I'm a freelance writer interested in doing a story for the Houston Chronicle about this new business of pooper-scooping. Are there any Houston area based scoopers out there? If so, please e-mail me with a way to get in touch with you. I also freelance for a couple of pet magazines. So, would really like to talk to you!

I am also interested in talking to clients.

Thanks! Hope you can help me out. I think it's a unique, quirky story that readers would enjoy!

Cathy



Message Date/Time:
Tuesday, 25-May-99 13:35:37

Aluminum grain scoop vs. shovel

Lana at A-1 Pooper Scoopin' recently passed the following tip to me, and with her permission I'm posting it here for all to see. Thanks, Lana! :)
---------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------

Your message of May 3 got my attention. I own a pet waste removal service in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, called A1 Pooper Scoopin'. I have been in business here for 6 years. It took me 4 years to figure this one out.....Use an ALUMINUM GRAIN SCOOP in lieu of your shovel. The advantages are as follows:
1. light weight compared to a shovel.
2. easier to handle in and out of your vehicle (small sized compared to a shovel - handle and all!!) (:
3. it has a back and rounded sides to keep the poop from leaving, therefore allowing you to shoot the poop much faster.
4. holds comfortably in your hand for longer, time consuming scoops.
5. price comparable.

You can purchase these aluminum grain scoops at your local farmers associations/outlets. I use a 6 quart grain scoop but here in Canada they also come in 4 qt. sizes, which would be perfect for the individual scoopers ( not our customers ) :)

By the way, I agree wholeheartedly with your ideas on the vacuum system. Way more time consuming than it's worth and much more unsanitary and difficult to clean as opposed to the simple hand tools. Then you also have to worry about power supply and just more STEPS to your procedure.

Lana
A1 Pooper Scoopin'



Message Date/Time:
Thursday, 27-May-99 13:01:38

If you had $1,000 to invest...?

If any of you out there had $1,000 to invest in advertising your business, what would be the best form (highest return) of advertising?




Message Date/Time:
Saturday, 29-May-99 00:43:17

Re: If you had $1,000 to invest...?

I look forward to reading some of the other answers to this intriquing question, Linda. :)
My answer would depend on whether the $1000 would be the only money available for a considerable period of time and had to be spread over several months, or if it were to be spent all at once.
I think one excellent use of the money would be a $50 classified ad in the neighborhood weekly paper every week for 20 weeks.





Message Date/Time:
Tuesday, 01-Jun-99 17:24:18

Re: If you had $1,000 to invest...?

If this is considered 'advertising' in the conventional sense, my vote would be REALLY painting up your truck(s)/van(s). After we put some money into our vehicle signage, we would often hear, "Oh -- I've seen your vans around town." We never heard that after any other form of advertising. In the conventional sense of the term, I would agree with Matthew and say advertising in neighborhood papers. We've had no luck advertising in the HUGE metro paper, but much better luck in the smaller papers that cater to a specific area.

We have tried advertising in several home owner association newsletter, and we have *never* received so much as a nibble!

Erin




Message Date/Time:
Friday, 02-Jul-99 23:15:27

Re: If you had $1,000 to invest...?

To add to what the others have said...
I find letters to vets, and realtors,
Belive it or not vets tend to keep you on file for their customers. Realtors keep you in mind in order to pass information on to their customers who have dogs. I send a letter out telling them a clean yard will help sell the home.




Message Date/Time:
Friday, 28-May-99 15:15:04

puppy pricing

I was wondering if I should charge more for clean-up when a clients dog has puppies. and they have them for six weeks?




Message Date/Time:
Saturday, 29-May-99 00:36:16

Re: puppy pricing

Good question! :) The answer may vary, depending on how much extra work and time the puppies cause.
It's nice to be able to clean up after the puppies at no extra charge for a few weeks as a courtesy to the customer. If there are only a couple of puppies, and they are all kept in a relatively small area, it might not really take much longer to do the cleaning. Six weeks of this kind of cleaning won't really hurt you, and it can really promote a great relationship with the customer.
On the other hand, sometimes there are several puppies, and maybe they have more room to run around the yard, or for some other reasons they really do add more than 50 percent to the amount of time you have to spend scooping. In a case like that it may be necessary to charge extra for the pups.
So it's really a judgement call. I've cleaned up after pups for no extra charge, and other times -- especially when the owner keeps the pups for more than two months -- I've charged for them.




Message Date/Time:
Tuesday, 01-Jun-99 06:47:20

holiday presents for your customers

Has anyone given thoughts to what you may get your customers for the hoildays to thank them. I came across name tags on one side and the other side is a reflector.

What ideas have you come up with?

We also send our customers a gift certificate when they send us a new customer that has stay with us for a while, it a surpise to them. We don't memtion it because I like to see how they talk about the service to their friends, I love the response when they get the certificate, I have found out our customers are the best... their are so nice...




Message Date/Time:
Tuesday, 01-Jun-99 17:31:21

Flyer Delivery Advice Needed

Hello,

We are getting ready to begin marketing with flyers. We have called the only company here in Atlanta that will deliver flyers. Unfortunately, they will only fold the 8.5x11" flyers in half and stick them in the mailbox post with nothing to affix them there or keep them from blowing away. They also will not deliver to homes with mailboxes attached to their house. Both of these situations present big problems for us because many mailboxes in the areas we intend to deliver to do not have posts that you can lay a flyer on (i.e., the posts are solid concrete or other material with no corners to hold a flyer) or their mailboxes are attached to the front of the home.

With this in mind, we have decided to deliver the flyers ourselves. However, we are unsure of the best way or place to leave them. Leaving them on the doorstep (unless the mailbox is there, in which case we have no choice) is really not an option as so many homes here have **very** long driveways. We would spend all of our time walking and not delivering. We know it is legal to leave the flyer on the mailbox post (and NOT in or in any way on the mailbox itself), but we do not know the best way to affix them to the post - tape, pins, et cetera.

Has anyone who has delivered flyers themselves or had flyers delivered had success with any method of delivery? We certainly appreciate any input or assistance you can provide.

Thank you very much. We will share our results with everyone here :)




Message Date/Time:
Wednesday, 02-Jun-99 13:52:11

Re: Flyer Delivery Advice Needed

Hi Erin,
I've had some experience delivering flyers (for a store that was opening in a nearby strip mall). I took a backpack with the flyers, water and delivered them door to door. I would either slip them into a door jam or leave them on the step if the porch had a door mat I would just partially cover the flyer so it would not blow away. I really didnt leave many at the mailbox unless it was a very long driveway. If the owner was in the yard I would tell them about the store etc. I have had flyers from realtors who have stapled rubber bands to their flyers and then attach them to my doorknob. That works pretty good. Then of course there are the little flyers that have a portion die cut out that you can then slip onto the doorknob. I think a lot of flyers left at the mail box tend to blow away. Hope this is of some help to you. Good luck and let us know what happens!
Mick




Message Date/Time:
Thursday, 03-Jun-99 11:50:58

Re: Flyer Delivery Advice Needed

I have had the honor of delivering my own flyers awhile back and will continue to do so in the future. Look in the yellow pages under plastic and there should be some companys that carry the flyer bags with the built in door handle hole. I leave all mine at the door but you can always wrap the flyer around a pole by wrapping the bag and push the rest of the bag thru the door knob hole. I hope this works for you. I was able to buy 1000 bags for around $25.00. Be sure to get a receipt because its part of a business expense. If you need further info you may contact me directly. Also a good straw hat and a walkman comes in handy as well. Happy walkin'!!!

Frank

K-9 Connections

P.S. Anyone interested in a folding machine for flyers can write me as well.




Message Date/Time:
Tuesday, 01-Jun-99 18:42:38

Website that will be of everyones benefit

I received a very interesting website from one of my cutomers I scooped for free month in the of may. Its a site that lists all of the upcoming dog shows in the United States up to the year 2000. Don't know know if its international. The site is:

http://www.infodog.com/main.htm

Hope everyone finds it helpful. Please let me know.

Also have an update on the free month that I gave to 19 of the 25 people that signed up at the K-9 Karnival held here in town. I was able to retain 3 customers at this time and one pending to see how there finances are. Its only been one week since the free pickups ended so I'm hoping that in a couple of weeks some will realize how nice it actually was to have someone else pick it up for them. Wish me luck !!! Also the local SPCA is holding a blood drive for dogs coming up this month so I'll be there as well. Talk to you'll soon.

Happy Scoopin' !!!

Frank

K-9 Connections



Message Date/Time:
Wednesday, 02-Jun-99 08:54:38

gourmet dog food store

I am trying to find a site for a gourmet dog food store on line. does any one know what to look under? or have address or a phone number?name of store. please send any information.thank you




Message Date/Time:
Wednesday, 02-Jun-99 14:00:24

Re: gourmet dog food store

Robin,
Go to Yahoo.com and type in gourmet dog food and there are all sorts of companies listed there!
Mick




Message Date/Time:
Wednesday, 02-Jun-99 17:55:35

Re: gourmet dog food store

Try looking up Three Dog Bakery. I think they have a corporate site. (There is a store up the street from me, and it's wild! It's a like a really fun, doggie gourmet grocery store / bakery).




Message Date/Time:
Friday, 04-Jun-99 00:18:54

Re: gourmet dog food store

Big Bark Bakery is fantastic. I forget their website address but you can find it under "Our Friends" at the Pet-Butler website.
Good Luck!



Message Date/Time:
Wednesday, 02-Jun-99 11:03:15

How to prevent dogs from pooping on my lawn

I'm hoping that at least one of you can give me some advice. I don't have a dog of my own, but I do love them dearly. Unfortunately, it seems that quite a few dogs have taken a liking to 'doing their business" in front of my house, and their owners do not have the courtesy to scoop it up and dispose of it properly. So, I'm left with 3-4 piles of poop every day.
Does anyone know of anything I can put down on my lawn that will not harm the grass or the dogs or other animals, but will discourage the dogs from pooping there ?
Please advise ASAP as this is getting to be a real problem. Thanks in advance.



Message Date/Time:
Thursday, 03-Jun-99 06:06:01

Re: How to prevent dogs from pooping on my lawn

Meijers or any lawn and garden store carries a product that is a dog/rabbit repellent. It smells NASTY, but it will do the trick, without a doubt. It won't hurt the lawn either.

Good Luck!




Message Date/Time:
Friday, 04-Jun-99 00:15:42

Re: How to prevent dogs from pooping on my lawn

Land mines!




Message Date/Time:
Wednesday, 23-Jun-99 13:34:44

Re: Re: How to prevent dogs from pooping on my lawn

If you know where the dogs "live", return it!!!!!! It worked for me




Message Date/Time:
Sunday, 27-Jun-99 17:42:44

Re: How to prevent dogs from pooping on my lawn

How about a smallish sign that says "No POOPING ZONE!" to remind ignorant people NOT to allow their animals to use your yard? I would think you could make one or two for next to nothing and attach them to stakes in the grass near the sidewalk.




Message Date/Time:
Tuesday, 15-Jun-99 21:53:02

pooped out in columbus

Please help! I moved into an apartment complex and although I didn't know it when I signed the lease, this complex allows people to let their dogs crap anywhere on the grounds. Every once in awhile, someone comes by and cleans it up, but not before I step in it. (the people who mow the grass don't stop by that often either)

I live towards the back of the complex, and everyone brings their dogs far from their front-row apts over to my "terror-itory" and have the dog crap there. I've asked them to not let the dogs poop in the area between my door and my car. Most of these dog owners are over-priviledged college brats and could care less, giving a snooty, "Why shall I have to clean it? I pay $15.oo a month so I don't have to."

Of course, my reply is; "I'd pay $15.oo a month to not have to step in shit." but you should see the blank stares to that one. (I'm pretty ticked as I write this, can you tell?) It would be easier to deal with, if these dogs were under a 100 pounds, and ate less stinky food. Or if they didn't seem to be smiling when they did the deed. (that includes the dog)

Does anyone know where I can find Columbus (OH) pooper scooper laws, and how those laws are affected when a apt leasing agency says 'it's okay' for dogs that are not yours to poop on your patio? I called the apt office and the gals there only gave bad advice about spooking the dogs. (It's not their fault)

I'm really ticked and don't know what the heck I'm gonna do the next time I see these brats walking their dogs over to my yard.

Thanks!




Message Date/Time:
Saturday, 19-Jun-99 10:48:59

Re: pooped out in columbus

It's hard to believe, but no one of those people is likely to be found guilty of breaking a law.

The apartment complex may be held liable, though. Call the Columbus Health Dept. at 645-7417. They are likely to be reluctant to help, but if the apartment is in Clumbus, it is their job. Stay with it. Outsite the city limits, but within Franklin County, call 462-3160.

This is a problem nobody really wants to deal with. Good luck.