Basic pooper scooper companies come to your home once or on a weekly or monthly basis to clean up after your pet. Dog cleanups are the most common and involve employees of the company coming into your backyard, safely cleaning all of your dog’s waste and then removing it from your property. Many northern pooper scoopers offer a post-winter package which tackles the (inevitably) large amount of frozen waste under piles of melting snow.

Expect to pay a higher rate the more often you have the company come to clean up your pet’s waste, and make sure you read the pooper scooper’s terms of service carefully. Most won’t fight with gates that don’t open properly, may not pick up waste that ends up in flower beds or under trees, and typically prefer to operate when your pet isn’t in the yard. Long story short: If the company can’t easily access your yard or home to do the work, you may end up with a bill but no service.

No matter the type of services offered, or their cost, it’s important to evaluate pooper scoopers based on their performance and punctuality. Most operate on a schedule: You’ll be told what day and approximately what time they’ll be coming by to clean your yard. While extreme weather or other unforeseen events may push back or change your service time, your scooper should always call and let you know about any issues.

–from Care.com