Gate Watchers: We Do More Than Scoop Poop!

Welcome to the first installment of "We Do More Than Scoop Poop!"  There are many reasons why it's good to have a conscientious pooper scooper come to your property on a regular basis.  We often spot things that you might miss (besides the poop, of course.)  And because our job is to pay close attention and search meticulously, we also see things that other lawn care workers like landscapers might simply not notice.  

This is an image of a broken gate latch.  If your pooper scooper sees something like this while cleaning your yard, we will make sure it is secured properly before leaving.  We will notify you immediately.

We use a lot of gates and latches in a work day.  From a simple rusted out latch to a gate knocked off its hinges to boards coming loose in a fence ... we've seen it all.  But we realize that there is a very good chance you haven't seen it.  You may regularly enter and exit your yard from a side gate rather than the house but we don't like to make assumptions.  

So if we see a problem with your gate we report it immediately.  Your scooper will ring your bell and/or we'll give you a call.  But no matter what: we will not leave your property if your gate is not secured properly.  Even if that means rigging something temporary ourselves.  

All of this just comes with the service.  Because we care about your dogs and want to make sure they're safe as well as enjoying a poop-free yard!

A Parasite Called Giardia and Your Dog's Poop

Giardia are protozoa that prey on the small intestines of animals including young puppies and older dogs.  They are transmitted when your dog comes into contact (direct or indirect) with infected feces.  This most often happens by drinking compromised water but can also happen by grooming after contact with feces that contain Giardia cysts.  The best ways you can protect your dog from this parasite are to provide him with safe drinking water and to keep him away from the feces of unknown dogs in dog parks and other public places.  

This is an image of a parasite called Giardia that prey on dogs' intestines.  Symptoms of infection can be found in dog poop and spotted by a dog waste removal company like Big Business Scoopers.  We will bag a fecal sample for dog owners …

The resulting infection of contact with Giardia is called giardiasis and is often asymptomatic.  But when it does show, it can cause diarrhea and sometimes weight loss.  An infected dog's feces may be lighter in color, have an abnormally funky odor and look somewhat greasy.  We'll watch out for that for you and alert you as soon as we discover any warning signs.  And we will also be happy to bag a fecal sample for you to take to your veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment options.

For more information on Giardia we suggest visiting Pet Education's thorough article on the subject.  And as we learn more we'll be sure to continue sharing!

4 Favorite Puns about Working as a Pooper Scooper

When you work as a Pooper Scooper you are inevitably bound to have some interesting conversations with people you just meet.  "Scooping dog poop on the regular" isn't exactly an answer most people might expect to hear when they inquire about how you make a living.  But before we scoopers can explain that not only do we actually do this but we also enjoy it immensely, we have to get over that awkward hurdle of just establishing it as a fact.  Yes, we pick up dog waste.  

What better way to overcome anything than to make awkward puns??  Right?  Right???  So, without further adoo, our top 4 FAVORITE (among maaaany) Pooper Scooper Puns:

ONE

"What line of work are you in?"

"The line of doody ..."

TWO

"How was work today?"

"Crappy ... literally ..."

THREE

"What do you do?"

"I'm a pooper scooper."

"Really?"

"Yeah, no shit ..."

FOUR

"How's the business doing?"

"It's picking up ..."

Image: Small puppy shaking his head with the caption "Really?" ... This in response to some ridiculous puns about dog waste removal professionals.

5 Qualities of Dog Poop that We Regularly Check

So you've hired Big Business Scoopers to clean your yard of all your dog's poop.  What a relief!  Now you never have to look at or smell that stuff again!!  (Well, that is except for those rare occasions when bad Fido decides your living room rug looks like a great toilet.)  But did you know that we do more than just clean the poop?  We check it for signs of poor health as well.

If he or she hasn't already, your veterinarian may ask questions about the quality of your dog's waste.  Professional pet health providers look for five main qualities in your dog's stool: Color, Shape, Consistency, Size, and Content.  Because your dog's poop can speak volumes about your dog's health you want it to be the BEST POOP EVER.

This is a dog poop cartoon saying, "I wouldn't be here without my friends, family, and whatever that dog ate."  It is smiling next to a golden trophy that reads, "Best Poop Ever."  Courtesy of barkpost.com

We at Big Business Scoopers care very much about your dog and your dog's health.  We keep these five poop health qualities in mind as we clean your yard.  After all, we're often the only ones who see your dog's poop on a regular basis!  If we notice anything out of the ordinary we make sure to notify you immediately so that you can look out for other indications of a health problem and know when to notify your vet.  

No, we won't call you every time we see a slightly soft deposit.  (Everyone has a bad day once in a while!)  But if we do notice a pattern or something particularly worrisome then we won't hesitate to let you know.  And if you ever need a stool sample to bring to the pet clinic, just let us know.  We'll be happy to bag a sample for you.  

Here's to healthy dogs and healthy dog poop!

Our Very First Blog Post!

Big Business Scoopers has been an active Pooper Scooper service in the Pet Care Industry for 13 years now.  (Where does the time go?)  And a few weeks back we launched our second website.  We couldn't be more excited!  Squarespace offers incredible features and flexibility that we hope will help us continue effectively serving dog owners in New Jersey.

With this second site we are introducing the world to our new dog poop mascot: Felicity the defecating Frenchie.  Yes, she doubles as a mild tongue twister.  But no, she could never replace our famed doggie doo doo logo, which needs no name.

Felicity the defecating Frenchie, a French bulldog pooping in a grass field.

Does your dog give you Felicity's indifferent stare as he or she poops all over your property?  But you don't feel indifferent about having to pick up all that waste?  It might be time to call us to come to your rescue :)