👋 Hey from Brandon
Labor Day weekend is the unofficial last hurrah of summer, and if your place is anything like the yards I visit, that means a backyard full of people, food, and — hopefully — a happy dog weaving through it all. A little prep keeps the whole thing safe and fun. Here’s your quick rundown.
🌱 Season’s Yard Tip: Get the yard guest-ready
Before company shows up, do a lap of the yard. Scoop everything (or let us handle the day before), rinse the high-traffic areas, and pick up anything a dog might snatch during the chaos — corn cobs, skewers, and dropped food are the usual culprits. If you’re firing up the grill, set it up where the dog can’t bump the legs, and make sure the trash can has a lid that actually latches. A clean, hazard-free yard means you get to enjoy your own party instead of playing lifeguard.
🐾 Pup Health Corner: Cookout foods to keep away from your dog
Holiday weekends are a top time for emergency vet visits, and it’s almost always the food. Keep these off-limits: onions and garlic (toxic to dogs, and they’re in a lot of dips, burgers, and sauces); grapes and raisins (even small amounts can cause kidney trouble); corn cobs (not toxic, but a classic and dangerous intestinal blockage); bones and skewers (splinter or puncture risk); and anything with xylitol (sugar-free gum, some ketchups and baked goods) — extremely dangerous. Give guests a heads-up not to slip the dog table scraps, keep a bowl of your dog’s own treats handy, and set up a quiet room or crate as a retreat if the party gets loud. Save your vet’s number and the nearest OC emergency clinic in your phone, just in case.
📍 Around OC: A calmer holiday outing
If your dog isn’t a fan of crowds, skip the packed midday beach and go early. Huntington Dog Beach is at its best right at sunrise on a holiday weekend — cooler sand, thinner crowds, and off-leash room to roam. Prefer to stay inland? An early-morning loop at your neighborhood off-leash park beats fighting for parking on PCH. Whatever you pick, bring plenty of water — early September can still bring a sneaky heat wave.
⭐ Featured Pup: Daisy from Coto de Caza
Daisy is a beagle whose nose, her family swears, “can find a dropped hot dog from three yards away.” Last Labor Day she staged a successful raid on the BBQ table; this year they’re ready with a puzzle feeder and a baby gate. We’ll have her yard spotless the day before so the party starts clean. 🧡
Want your pup featured? Reply with a photo and a line about them.
🚚 From Brandon’s Truck
Ran a batch of “day-before-the-party” cleanups across Irvine and Newport this week — it’s become a bit of a Labor Day tradition. There’s something satisfying about handing a family a fresh, clean yard right before the guests arrive. Happy to be part of the pre-party crew.
👉 One quick thing
Loving the service? A 30-second review means the world. Word-of-mouth is everything for a small, family-run local business — and a quick review helps other OC dog owners find us. If we’ve kept your yard clean this summer, would you drop us a rating and a line about your experience? Just reply to this email and I’ll send you the direct link, or find us at ocpoopscoop.com. Thank you — genuinely.
Have a safe, fun, tail-wagging Labor Day weekend.
— Brandon
OC Poop Scoop · (714) 831-5855
Mon–Fri 7:30am–6pm · Sat 7:30am–3pm
Veteran-Owned & Family-Run · Serving Irvine, Newport Beach, Laguna Niguel, Coto de Caza & surrounding OC
P.S. Save your vet’s after-hours number in your phone before the weekend — five seconds now, huge relief if you ever need it.