Keep safe around dogs
If you own a lawn mowing business, chances are you’ve had to deal with dogs at some point. After all, many homeowners have dogs, and you need to safely manage dogs while you’re working.
This blog post will share our top tips for safely managing dogs while mowing lawns.
If you love dogs, one way to get more lawn mowing customers is to advertise as “dog friendly.”
If you are not opposed to the occasional customer forgetting to clean up their dog’s little pressies, it can be a great way to stand out in the crowd.
You may love dogs but that doesn’t mean that they love you back.
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.
When I was at the hospital, I got a phone call from the dog’s owner.
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.
The dog owner went quiet. I knew what he was thinking.
He then asked me when I was coming back to finish the lawn.
I laugh about that now, but it wasn’t so funny at the time.
I still have the scar.
How I safely manage dogs these days.
I have ways of working with dogs that seem to work much better these days.
When I get an incoming quote request, I now always ask if they have a dog. It is a good thing to know beforehand.
If I do not know if a dog resides on the property, the dog will usually tell you that they live there when you poke your head over the fence.
Another thing is to keep a look out for tell-tale signs. Dog poos and bones (hopefully not human) are the main ones.
The first thing you need to do to safely managing dogs is make sure that the homeowner knows you’re coming and that they’ll be able to keep their dog(s) away from the area where you’ll be working. This may mean asking them to put their dog(s) in another room or a fenced-in yard.
When you visit the property.
When visiting a property for the first time, I always make it a habit to use an old farm rule. If the gate is closed, then close it after you. If it’s open, then leave it open.
It’s funny when I think about it because I’m talking about safely managing dogs yet I close the gate behind me. If there is a dog, they can’t escape. However, I can’t escape either. Why would I do that?
My secret weapon.
These days, I have a secret weapon to safely manage dogs.
Before you get worried, it’s not really a weapon, but it sure slows dogs down.
When I visit a potential dog property when no one is home, I carry dog biscuits on me—tiny biscuits.
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.
I also use this trick with dogs that like to escape while I’m mowing a lawn.
When I finish the lawn, I give the dog (or dogs) a small handful of tiny biscuits. I don’t just put them in a pile; I throw them like I’m feeding chickens—much more entertaining for the dog.
I give them the bickies when I leave because they are not interested in escaping while I am working. They want to hang around till the end for the biscuits.
Also, remember that some dogs have specific dietary requirements, so always use quality biscuits. If you visit regularly, let the owner know that you give the dog a small amount of biscuits.
We have dogs that love it when we visit, which is always nice.
In closing
If you don’t have a process for safely managing dogs they can be a big problem for lawn-mowing businesses.
By taking some simple precautions, though, you can avoid any issues. So, next time you head out to mow someone’s lawn, keep these tips on safely managing dogs in mind and stay safe!
I hope this post helps your business become a little more dog friendly.
