Meet Miller: Canine Solution To a Pest Problem

Have a wasp problem? We recommend you use honeybees, as we did at our GreenHouse. Have a goose problem? We recommend Miller, the coincidentally named, goose-chasing dog and newest member of Marigold Lodge, Herman Miller’s lodge and conference center.

Located on Lake Macatawa in Holland, Michigan, Marigold Lodge has long been a favorite summer home for Canadian geese. While beautiful to look at, the geese are messy and nuisance to both guests and staff. A number of methods have been tried throughout the years to discourage the geese from taking up residence on the grounds, but to no avail.

Enter Miller, a five-year old Field-Bred Cocker and solution to our goose issue. Under the watchful eye of the Marigold staff, Miller patrols the grounds chasing away any geese wandering around. Trained to flush out birds, Miller seems to enjoy his new part-time job, which gives him an opportunity to get off the sofa and get some exercise.

This is a fun story, but also touches the core of what we do as a company, creative problem-solving for sustainable solutions. Solving our goose problem was no different. By discouraging the geese from nesting this year, Miller is reducing the likelihood of them returning next year, as geese tend to return to the same nesting location year-after-year.

Miller, enjoying what he does, is one happy dog.

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