What Do You Do with Dog Poo on Lawns?
Let’s talk about something no one likes to deal with but every lawnie has faced at some point: dog poo on customer lawns.
You rock up to a job, unload your mower, and before you’ve made your first pass, bam—you’re dealing with landmines left by Fido. If you’re in a van setup like us, that mess ends up smeared on your mower wheels, then into your van, and by the time you realise, you’re halfway home with the smell of dog crap in your nostrils.
And look, we’ve all had those glorious moments when you hit a fresh one full-speed with the whipper snipper. It splats against the fence, your boots, your pants, and sometimes even your face. It’s like a rite of passage. If it hasn’t happened to you yet, give it time—it’s coming.
So what can you actually do about it?
The Doggy Dilemma: Why It’s a Bigger Deal Than It Seems
Some folks might say, “It’s just a bit of poo, mate. Harden up.” But when you mow 5–10 lawns a day, it adds up. The smell, the mess, the cleanup—it kills momentum. You’re not just losing time; you’re losing your sanity.
Here’s the thing most customers don’t realise:
- It’s unhygienic
- It wrecks your gear
- It takes longer to mow around poo
- And worst of all—it feels like they don’t respect your time
We’re not there to clean up after pets. We’re lawnies, not dog walkers.
What the Forum Says (Brace Yourself)
We recently had a post about this blow up in our community group, and the responses were… creative, to say the least. Here are some of the top suggestions:
- Charge a dog poo fee
- Mow around it
- Whip around it with a weedeater (brave, but risky)
- Blow it away with a blower (???)
- Zig-zag the wheels to clean them off
Look, some of these ideas are sort of okay in theory. But in practice? Not so much.
Let’s break it down.
1. Charging a Dog Poo Fee
Sounds good on paper, but how are you going to enforce it? Are you going to walk around inspecting for turds and then say, “Ah yep, that’s a $15 surcharge today”? That’s a quick way to lose customers—or get ghosted.
If you want to go this route, you’re better off quoting two prices from the start:
💰 With poo: $60
💰 Without poo: $50
That way, it’s their choice. No surprises. No awkward convos later.
2. Mow Around the Poo
This one makes me laugh. You mow around every pile and end up with little green turd islands dotting the lawn like it’s some kind of weird art piece. It looks unprofessional, and you end up doubling back trying to cut the bits you missed.
It also takes longer. Way longer.
3. Weed Eating Around It
No thanks. One slip and you’re wearing it. Not a hill I’m willing to die on. Moving on.
4. Blowing It With a Blower
I’ve genuinely got no idea how this would work. Someone said it helps dry it out. Another claimed you could blow it under a bush. Sounds like a good way to fling poo into your customer’s flowerbed—or your own face. Could make for a great YouTube short though…
5. Zig-Zagging the Wheels to Clean Them
This isn’t Mario Kart. Zig-zagging just spreads the mess around, and next thing you know your back wheels are doing donuts through dog stew.
What We Actually Do (And What Works)
We keep it simple. We use pre-mow text reminders for the “problem clients.”
Not everyone gets a reminder—just the ones who need to do something before we arrive. That could be:
- Remove the dog poo
- Move a car
- Unlock the gate
It’s a friendly heads-up that says, “Hey, we’re coming tomorrow—can you sort XYZ before we arrive?”
Here’s an example:
“Hi! Just a heads-up that we’re coming to mow your lawn tomorrow. Could you please remove any dog poo, move the car, and unlock the side gate if needed? Thanks!”
If they sort it, great. Smooth sailing.
If they don’t… well, we mow over it. We avoid hitting it with our wheels if possible. If it becomes a regular issue, we quietly raise the price to cover the extra time and cleanup.
Simple.
Do You Cancel Over Dog Poo?
Some people do. I get it.
But personally, I think cancelling over it should be a last resort. It’s not worth the drama unless the customer is consistently disrespectful or it’s a full-blown minefield every single time.
That said, if it’s a one-off or happens occasionally, I let it go. We’re all human. Sometimes people forget. Life gets busy. Dogs are unpredictable.
But if it’s every single visit, then it’s fair to either:
- Raise the price
- Say you can’t continue the service unless the situation improves
- Or—if they’re really not worth it—let them go
How to Price for Poo (Without Making It Awkward)
Like I mentioned earlier, one trick is to quote two prices upfront. That way it’s their decision.
You could say something like:
“We can offer two options: $50 if the lawn is cleared before we arrive, or $60 if we need to work around dog waste. Totally up to you—just let us know what suits.”
It’s subtle, professional, and it frames it as a choice rather than a penalty. You’ll usually find that people will try a bit harder to clean up if they know it saves them money.
If you’re already servicing someone and don’t want to do the two-price thing, just quietly increase the price after a while. Don’t make a big deal out of it—just include it as part of your normal annual review.
What About First-Time Customers?
On first visits, I always walk the lawn and check it out. If it’s clear, great. If it’s a poo-patch, I make a mental note.
Then, when I’m quoting, I say something like:
“We noticed a bit of dog waste today. Totally fine—just letting you know that if it’s there when we come, it does take us a bit longer, so it affects pricing a little.”
That plants the seed without sounding like a whinger. It sets expectations right away.
Tools That Can Help
Here are a few practical tools that can help deal with the odd bit of dog mess:
🧤 Cheap gloves — Keep a box in the van for emergency flick-and-toss situations
🧼 Spray bottle of diluted disinfectant — For when it gets on your boots or gear
🧽 Old rag or paper towels — Wipe and go
🚫 Avoid the wheels — If you can dodge it with the wheels, you’ll save a heap of cleanup later
We’re not here to clean up yards, but let’s be honest—sometimes it’s quicker to just deal with it than let it ruin your flow for the whole day.
Final Thoughts: It’s Just Dog Poo
At the end of the day, it’s just dog poo.
Yes, it’s gross. Yes, it’s annoying. But if you’ve been in this game more than five minutes, you know it’s part of the job. You’ll never completely eliminate it.
What you can do is:
- Set expectations
- Send reminder texts
- Raise prices if needed
- Stay professional
And remember: you don’t need to be the dog poo police. You just need to run your business in a way that protects your time, your gear, and your sanity.
Got a Method That Works for You?
Drop it in the comments in our group or message us directly. Always keen to hear new ideas—especially if someone’s actually figured out how that blower trick works 😅
Until then—keep the mower blades sharp, your wheels clean, and your boots pointed away from the fence line.
Happy mowing, everyone.
