Is a pooper scooper service worth it? For some households, absolutely. For others, a bag, a scooper and ten minutes on Saturday is all they need. We run a scooping company, so take this with that in mind, but the honest answer depends on three things: how many dogs you have, how much your time is worth to you, and whether the job is actually getting done now.
When doing it yourself is fine
Let us start with the case against hiring anyone.
- You have one small dog and a small yard.
- You walk your dog and pick up on the walk, so little ends up in the yard.
- You already scoop every few days without thinking about it.
- You do not mind the job, and nobody in the house is avoiding the backyard because of it.
If that is you, keep doing what you are doing. A good long handled scooper and a lidded trash can are all you need. Our guide to how often to pick up dog poop in your yard can help you settle on a rhythm.
Who gets the most value
Here is where a service tends to make the biggest difference.
Multi dog homes
Two or three dogs in one yard can produce a surprising amount of waste in a week. The job grows from a quick lap to a real chore, and it is the kind that gets skipped.
Seniors and people with mobility issues
Bending, walking uneven ground and carrying bags across a sandy yard is hard on knees and backs. A regular visit keeps the yard safe to walk in without anyone having to do the part that hurts.
Busy families
When both parents work and the kids have practice, the backyard falls to the bottom of the list. Kids also tend to play barefoot. The CDC says dog hookworm larvae can enter bare skin from soil or sand contaminated by animal feces, and that young children are most at risk from roundworm eggs in contaminated dirt. Prompt pickup is the simplest fix.
Rentals and homes on the market
Landlords, vacation rental hosts and sellers need the yard presentable on a schedule, whether or not anyone lives there that week.
The real cost: time, not just money
Our weekly service for one dog is $79 a month. Every other week is $59, and twice a week is $139. Two and three dog homes pay a bit more; see all plans and prices.
Compare that to what scooping actually costs you. Count the minutes it takes to walk the yard, bag everything, tie it off and get it to the bin, then multiply by the visits you would need in a month. Add the weeks it slides and the bigger cleanup that follows. If those hours are worth more to you than the monthly price, a service is worth it. If they are not, it is not. Our breakdown of what a pooper scooper service costs in Pensacola goes deeper on pricing.
What you get besides a clean yard
A service is more than the scooping. With us, every visit includes:
- Every pile scooped and double bagged.
- Waste hauled away, or placed in your bin if you prefer.
- Tools disinfected before we enter your yard.
- The gate closed and latched, with a photo texted when we finish.
- A free deodorizing spot treatment on request.
It also takes the waste out of the rain's path. UF/IFAS notes that pet waste can wash into storm drains and hurt water quality, and EPA says storm drain runoff flows untreated to streams, rivers, lakes and the ocean.
Is dog poop pick up worth it? How to decide
Ask yourself these questions:
- Is the yard clean right now, honestly?
- Does anyone in the house avoid going out back because of it?
- Has scooping caused an argument in the last month?
- Do you have two or more dogs, or a hard time bending and walking the yard?
- Would you use the time for something you would rather do?
If you answered yes to two or more, try it. We are month to month with no contracts, so you can test it for a month and cancel if it is not for you. Want to see exactly what happens during a visit first? Read what a pooper scooper service actually does.
Try a month
Text SCOOP to (850) 273-8546 with your address and how many dogs you have, or sign up online and pick your day. Weekly service starts at $79 a month for one dog. If the yard has two or more weeks of buildup, the first invoice includes a $40 initial cleanup.