The Poop Scoop Unleashed

Missing Boxer

06/08/2011 16:21:00

Last week I went to see the Boxers, Rocco and Junior (as I do every week).

I was greeted by Rocco and he was thrilled to see me, wagging his tail and wanting me to try and get his toy off him.

I couldn't see Junior, so I thought he must be at the Vets. I continued on with the job in hand.

When I had finished the job, I saw that there was only one dog food bowl and only ONE bed! OMG!

I thought to myself, poor Junior has passed away! So I said goodbye to Rocco, got in the van and I had tears streaming down my face. I finally pulled myself together before I got to Hugo and Phillipe's house.

When I arrived home, I thought I would send an email to the Fur Parents and asked what had happened. When I checked my emails, there was an email waiting for me............"sorry, forgot to let you know that Junior is at my Parents house as Rocco is recovering from an Operation"!!!!! Phew.......

Goodness me! Next time I will not come to the worst conclusion first.

Hope your pets are keeping warm.

Regards,

The Poop Scoop Team

Wanted: Your Ideas For Environmentally Friendly Dog Poop Disposal

02/02/2011 19:34:00

We at The Poop Scoop wanted to dispose of our dog poop in an environmentally friendly way but I really didn’t know how or where. I called my local Perth council to find out where the poop from the dog parks ended up, and I was horrified to find out it just went into landfill!

Considering that dog poo provides the perfect breeding ground for flies and fleas and all sorts of other nasties I hated the idea of it just sitting in landfill. I scoured the web and phone every local green agency I could find and no one had an environmentally friendly solution to dog poo disposal. Not even the sewerage treatment plant!

We found one eco-solution with The Earthwise Centre in Subiaco, Perth, and together we created a dog poo worm farm. A worm farm is one of the safest ways to break down dog poo so it can be reused on a garden (whereas a compost bin doesn’t break the dog poo down enough to make it safe). While this is a great start, we’d love to find something on a bigger scale. This would mean that other doggie businesses, like The Shenton Park Dog Refuge, can safely and greenly dispose of their dog poo without filling landfill.

So here is a challenge for our fellow dog lovers. Please tell us your ideas and suggestions about dog poop disposal. As a country of pet owners we have to find a way to help reduce landfill and the impact on our environment.

Do you know of a green means of dog poo disposal that can handle of lot of disposin’? You can comment here or on our Facebook page -- we’d love to hear your ideas!

The Team at The Poop Scoop Service

Help Your Dog Stay Calm During Australia Day Fireworks

01/25/2011 07:52:00

Tomorrow is Australia Day and that means BBQs, sunshine, a day off work to spend time with friends and family and …. fireworks! Most of us love the colour and excitement but fireworks can be a nightmare for your dogs.

A lot of dogs get so frightened; they escape the property and just keep running. The RSPCA are kept very busy and so it’s really important for your dogs to always wear pet identification.

If you're not sure how your dog will react here are some tips to help you, help him:

The RSPCA recommends, you take your dog out for plenty of active exercise before the fireworks start, then after a couple of hours you can feed a meal. A tired and well-fed dog will be far less anxious during the night. If you can, stay home to be with your pet. Let your pet be with you Do not fuss over your pet excessively but try to engage them in normal activities. Do not soothe and comfort a scared dog, it will only increase the problem. Instead, be cheerful and in control.

If you are not going to be home,

Put your dog in a safe room in the house, away from the noise
Place a load of blankets in there so he can burrow in and hide
Leave some chews or favourite toys

Cesar Milan, world-renowned dog behaviour specialist and “dog whisperer”, recommends that you prepare for your dog's reaction to fireworks, thunder and other noisemakers.

The best preparation is prevention so if you already know your dog/s will react badly; start desensitizing them to the loud noises throughout the year. This will really help reduce the startling affect they have and help them stay calm.

Our dog would bark and whine because he was so frightened by the nearby fireworks (and thunder during storms) but by following The Dog Whisperer method, we have managed to help him overcome his fear. It was also thanks to The Claremont Showground fireworks that happened every night for 10 nights, during The Royal Perth Show. Now when he hears fireworks or thunder, he may bark, then we tell him to lie down and he is okay. It gives him the reassurance that we are in control and there is nothing for him to worry about.

If you take your dog to this “hiding” spot a few times before the fireworks they will get to know that it’s a safe spot and calm down more easily. And these tips work just as well for thunder and other noisy activities.

If you are not going to be home, but know that fireworks are going to be happening, another tip is to put the television or radio on. This kind of ‘close’ noise may help balance the noise from the fireworks outside.

So whatever you are doing this Australia Day, think of your dog too and make sure he (or she) is safe. Feel free to leave a comment with any extra tips you have learnt!

See you next week,

The Team at The Poop Scoop Service

It’s Dog Personalities That Make The Poop Scoop Fun!

01/19/2011 08:31:00

All our four legged friends are such lovely souls and it’s such a delight to see them each and every week. We’re there to dispose of the dog poop but we always make sure we spend time with our four-legged clients.

They get more and more comfortable with us and crack us up with their different quirks. This week I wanted to tell you about two very lovely dogs call Zander and Kingston.

Zander is an Australian Kelpie and as soon as I arrive to pick up the dog poo, he brings me a toy to kick across the garden. It’s a different toy every single week it’s so funny to watch. He brings the toy over….but not too close…..then he gets really close to the ground waiting for the moment I kick it. I try and trick him by kicking it in a different direction, but he’s too clever, he knows exactly where its going. That’s kelpie dogs for you!

Kingston, the staffy (or Staffordshire Terrier for the full name), lives with Zander but while all this fun is going on, he just watches with his tail wagging.

One of my favourite habits is Zander’s escort service. But it’s not what you think! When I arrive he always greets me at the gate. He walks me in, wants a big pat, and lies down while I get on with the poop scooping. When it’s time to go, he trots up and walks me back to the gate. Such a polite dog.

And while I say “always”, if it’s raining, forget it!

How are you going with The Poop Scoop Pet Challenge for 2011?

Leave a comment or tell me about your favourite dog breed, and what they do to make you laugh.

The Team at The Poop Scoop Service.

Great Reasons to Make 2011 All About Your Pet (plus dog walking tips)

01/12/2011 06:30:00

Happy New Year Everyone!

Did you have lots of Christmas fun with your family, friends? And with your pets of course! We hope you steered clear of the dangerous food for dogs and gave them their own treats.

At this time of year most people start thinking about the coming year, especially New Year resolutions. We usually think about ourselves (losing weight or changing jobs) but, what if you made this year’s resolutions about your pet?

We give you The Poop Scoop Pet Challenge for 2011.

· Get up just 30 mins earlier than normal

· Take your dog (or dogs) out for a walk or a run

What do you get out of it?

A Happier Pet. Dogs are born to travel, so even a quick walk will make them feel so much happier. And happy dogs are much less likely to wreck the garden while you are out.

Social Time With Other Dogs. Dogs love this social time and when they meet up, they run around with each other and really tucker themselves out. It’s also a great opportunity to chat with other dog owners.

But the best thing about exercising your dog is …

You’re exercising too! Like most things, if you have a friend or neighbour to go with you, you are more likely to get up and go. Your dog will LOVE you for it.

Here’s a Top Dog Walking Tip from Cesar Milan (Dog Whisperer):

Walking in front of your dog allows you to be seen as the pack leader. Conversely, if your dog controls you on the walk he is the pack leader. TIP: Be the first one out the door and the first one in and keep your dog beside or behind you during the walk.

So get out there and get walking and let us know how you go!

If you already take your dog/s out walking, leave a comment and tell us your favourite spot for you and pooch to go.

The Team at The Poop Scoop Service

Beware Of Christmas Food That Is Toxic For Your Dogs

12/23/2010 06:56:00

This is the time of year when we’ve got a house full of people and a table laden with goodies but it’s important to remember that not all our lovely, festive food is good for our dogs. In fact, some of it is downright poisonous!

Here are some foods to keep clear of the floor and out of your pets bowls this Christmas.

Chocolate – Tasty But Deadly For Dogs

As humans we can feel like we’ve overdosed on chocolate but for dogs, chocolate can be quite dangerous. Their heart rate can increase or become irregular and the diuretic nature of chocolate can leave them very dehydrated.

Onions and Garlic – Not Just Bad For Breath

Onions are toxic to a range of animals because they develop haemolytic anaemia, where the pet’s red blood cells burst while circulating in its body. Shocking isn’t it!

Nuts and Seeds – Especially Macadamias

Macadamia nuts are one of may favourites but I’m always very careful where I leave them as they can end up paralysing your dog’s hindquarters. They will recover but it’s very painful and worth being extra careful.

Other foods to keep away from your dogs are:

· Grapes and raisins

· Avocado

· Cooked Bones (with sharps shards & splinters)

· Corn Cobs (tricky to digest)

· Broccoli (in large amounts)

· Rhubarb and tomato leaves/stems

· Alcohol and hops

· Coffee grounds

· Potato peelings

· Spoiled food … if you wouldn’t eat it then it’s not for pooch either

But I’m sure they’d love a doggie treat so make them feel part of the family this Christmas (as we know you will). In fact, leave a comment below and tell us what is your favourite festive doggie treat to give?

From everyone at The Poop Scoop Service, we wish our happy customers a very Merry Christmas and their Mums and Dads too! We’re already looking forward to 2011.

Until 2011, Love Your Pooch and Your Garden

The Team at The Poop Scoop Service

How there are any perks to the job?

12/15/2010 12:59:00

The Poop Scoop Unleashed

We visit a lot of dogs around Perth, scooping their poop and taking it away to leaving a trail of clean backyards, happy dogs and happy owners.

It’s very satisfying but I know you’re wondering how there are any perks to the job.

Well, it’s the dogs we visit that make it a really fun job. They’re all so gorgeous!

If you are a dog owner you know how different each dog can be. And every dog we visit has it’s own personality.

One of the guys we visit is Zeus. He’s a Rottweiler and such a funny guy. Zeus is HUGE and weighs in at around 55 kilos so he’s not a dog to mess with.

But when we arrive, he cracks us up because he behaves differently depending on whether his Shitzu mate is there or not.

If Zeus is on his own, he is very aloof. He may not even greet me at the gate and will just sun himself by the pool. He’s a total cool-cat (if you’ll excuse the reference). That’s ok though, because it means I’ve got time to get around the yard and remove all the dog poo and when I am done, he’ll reluctantly give me cuddle.

If his Shitzu friend, Cougar, is with him well… Zeus will bark and madly wag his tail (almost bending himself in half) and can’t wait for a cuddle. What a show off!! And if I try to pat Cougar, Zeus will push him out the way.

After we’ve said hello they let me pick up all the poop, but I can be sure that when I turn around; there they are, sitting together watching me. Making sure every thing is being cleaned up properly.

Zeus and Cougar, two very funny guys… You see, there are perks to the job!!

Until next time, Love Your Pooch and Your Garden.

The Team at The Poop Scoop Service.

Did you know that dog poop is a huge breeding ground for flies and fleas?

12/08/2010 09:50:00

Did you know that dog poop is a huge breeding ground for flies and fleas? What an opener, I know!!

But with summer making it’s presence known, a lot of Poop Scoop customers are getting their property cleared twice a week. This means you don’t have eggs being laid in the dog poop lying around And the garden stays a lot clearer when you’re out there most.

One of our twice-a-week-ers is Marvy, a 1 year old Great Dane and Kuma who is a Grand Ole Rotti Lady.

When I arrive at the house, Kuma will bark a couple of times and then wander off because she can’t be bothered (too old for all that rubbish!!).

Marvy on the other hand, being a young (enormous) whippersnapper, is so delighted and so excited for a big hug that I usually have to push him out of the way so I can get inside!

While I get on with picking up the dog poop, Kuma gets on with a doggie nap but Marvy will follow me around every step of the way (clearly hinting that it would be much better if I gave him more hugs instead of picking up stinky poo!).

Then when the garden is clear, I’ve filled up their bucket of water and it’s time for me to leave, Marvy always rushes to the gate and gives me a look that says “doooon’t leeeeeaaavve meeeeee”. He kills me when he does that, so I try not to look at him in the eye!

Enjoy this gorgeous summer sun!

The Team at The Poop Scoop Service.

PS Don’t forget to keep your garden clear as the weather starts warming up. You’ll notice less flies and fleas not to mention a garden you can enjoy!

This is the start of something fun and we’re glad you’re here!

11/28/2010 12:06:00

This is the start of something fun and we’re glad you’re here! We’re the Poop Scoopers and The Poop Scoop Unleashed is a blog especially for dog owners, and dog lovers. We’ll be romping around untethered and wild sharing the stories and wisdom from our adventures.

And we know what you’re thinking…. helping dog owners reclaim their backyard by removing all dog poop might not sound like a glamorous blog subject. But we have so many funny moments with our doggie customers, that we thought it was about time we shared them.

We’ll also be sharing some excellent tips for pet care, dog grooming, dog health and doggie events all around Perth.

If you have a tip or an event or just a funny story about your dog, let us know with a comment!

So what is the Poop Scoop Service all about? Well you can read about that on this other page but basically, we’re the super nice friends of

dogs and dog owners to all around Perth. That’s Perth Australia, not Perth in Scotland where I’m sure we’d still love the dogs, but not the weather so much.

Every week, we’ll be here with some must have knowledge, some nice to have tips and some dog related funnies to lift your day. See you next week!

The Team at The Poop Scoop Service.

PS If you’re wondering who the handsome devil in the picture is, that’s Me, the Poop Scoop mascot!