{"id":5050,"date":"2024-03-13T20:01:30","date_gmt":"2024-03-13T07:01:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lawnmowing101.com\/?p=5050"},"modified":"2024-04-10T08:38:27","modified_gmt":"2024-04-09T20:38:27","slug":"dealing-with-dogs-on-lawns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lawnmowing101.com\/dealing-with-dogs-on-lawns\/","title":{"rendered":"Dealing with Dogs on Lawns  Lawn Care Business Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Dealing with Dogs on Lawns<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Keeping safe around dogs&nbsp;on the job. <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you own a lawn mowing business, chances are you\u2019ve had to deal with dogs at some point. After all, many homeowners have dogs, and you need to manage dogs while you\u2019re working safely.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This blog post will share our top tips for safely managing dogs while mowing lawns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you love dogs, one way to get more lawn mowing customers is to advertise as \u201cdog friendly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are not opposed to the occasional customer forgetting to clean up their dog\u2019s little pressies, it can be a great way to stand out in the crowd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"t-1665643602064\">You may love dogs, but that doesn\u2019t mean they love you back.&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I have got a few scars from dog bites over the years. I remember mowing a lawn in Ngaruawahia once, and a dog bit my leg while mowing out the back. It was a bad bite, and no one was in, so I packed my tools and drove to the hospital to get some stitches.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I got a phone call from the dog\u2019s owner when I was at the hospital.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He had just arrived home and wanted to know why I had only half-mowed the back lawn. I explained that his dog had bitten me while mowing the property, and I was in the hospital getting stitches.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The dog owner went quiet. I knew that he must be thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He then asked me when I was coming back to finish the lawn.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I laugh about that now, but it wasn\u2019t so funny at the time.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I still have the scar.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"510\" src=\"https:\/\/lawnmowing101.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/2259-26232-27768.jpg\" alt=\"A dog and a blower\" class=\"wp-image-5053\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lawnmowing101.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/2259-26232-27768.jpg 800w, https:\/\/lawnmowing101.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/2259-26232-27768-300x191.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lawnmowing101.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/2259-26232-27768-768x490.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A dog and a blower<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"t-1665643602065\">My method for safely managing dogs.&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I have ways of working with dogs that seem to work much better these days.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I get an incoming quote request, I now always ask if they have a dog. It is a good thing to know beforehand.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If I do not know if a dog resides on the property, the dog will usually tell me they live there when I poke my head over the fence.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another thing is to keep a look out for tell-tale signs. Dog poop and bones (hopefully not human) are the main ones.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first step in safely managing dogs is to make sure that the homeowner knows you\u2019re coming and that they\u2019ll be able to keep their dog(s) away from the area where you\u2019ll be working. This may mean asking them to put their dog(s) in another room or a fenced-in yard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"\ud83d\udc3eDog-Friendly Lawn Care Business Tips to Work with Man&#039;s Best Friend\ud83d\udc15\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/FQlkyLmPScM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"t-1665643602066\">When you visit the property.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When visiting a property for the first time, I always make it a habit to follow an old farm rule: If the gate is closed, close it after you. If it\u2019s open, leave it open.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s funny when I think about it because I\u2019m talking about safely managing dogs, yet I close the gate behind me. If there is a dog, they can\u2019t escape. However, I can\u2019t escape either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why would I do that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If worst comes to worst, I can jump a fence. Most dogs can&#8217;t. If the gate is left open and you both get out then things could get even worse.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"334\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/lawnmowing101.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Shhh.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5054\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lawnmowing101.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Shhh.png 334w, https:\/\/lawnmowing101.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Shhh-223x300.png 223w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 334px) 100vw, 334px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"t-1665643602067\">My secret weapon.&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>These days, I have a secret weapon to safely manage dogs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before you get worried, it\u2019s not really a weapon, but it sure slows dogs down.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I visit a potential dog property and no one is home, I carry dog biscuits on me\u2014tiny biscuits.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If there is a stand-offish dog, I will ignore it and leave a small trail of dog biscuits behind me as I inspect the lawn. The dog soon loses interest in me as they start looking for tiny biscuits on a long lawn.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I also use this trick with dogs that like to escape while mowing a lawn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I finish the lawn, I give the dog (or dogs) a small handful of tiny biscuits. I don\u2019t just put them in a pile; I throw them like I\u2019m feeding chickens\u2014much more entertaining for the dog.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I leave, I give them the bickies because they are not interested in escaping while I work. They want to hang around till the end for the biscuits.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, remember that some dogs have specific dietary requirements, so always use quality biscuits. If you visit regularly, let the owner know you give the dog a small amount of biscuits.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dogs love it when we visit, which is always lovely.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"t-1665643602068\">In closing &#8211; Dealing with Dogs on Lawns<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you don\u2019t have a process for safely managing dogs, they can be a big problem for lawn care businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, you can avoid any issues by taking some simple precautions. So, next time you head out to mow someone\u2019s lawn, remember these tips on safely managing dogs, and stay safe!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I hope this post helps your business become a little more dog-friendly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/lawnmowing101.com\/is-dog-poop-good-for-a-lawn\/\">Is Dog Poop Good For a Lawn?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/lawnmowing101.com\/incoming-calls-into-quality-lawn-care-leads\/\">How to ask the rignt questions on the phone? <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/lawnmowing101.com\/lawn-care-agreements\/\">Lawn Care Agreements with Customers: Do You Need One?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2011\/05\/26\/136497064\/the-new-science-of-understanding-dog-behavior\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2011\/05\/26\/136497064\/the-new-science-of-understanding-dog-behavior\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">What is the Science Of Understanding Dog Behavior?<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dealing with Dogs on Lawns Keeping safe around dogs&nbsp;on the job. If you own a lawn mowing business, chances are you\u2019ve had to deal with dogs at some point. After all, many homeowners have dogs, and you need to manage dogs while you\u2019re working safely.&nbsp; This blog post will share our top tips for safely [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5052,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnmowing101.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5050"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnmowing101.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnmowing101.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnmowing101.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnmowing101.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5050"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/lawnmowing101.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5050\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5122,"href":"https:\/\/lawnmowing101.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5050\/revisions\/5122"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnmowing101.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5052"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnmowing101.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5050"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnmowing101.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5050"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnmowing101.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5050"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}