The tradesman's best friend and guardian of the ute toolbox - his dog - is going the way of the wolf whistle on building sites.
Builders responsible for multi-million dollar homes in the leafy suburbs have a blanket policy of no dogs on site - and blaring radios are out, too.
"It used to be that most builders had big dogs but no dogs is widespread now, said Kieran Mallon, president of Auckland Master Builders Federation. "As builders we set our own rules for sites and it's a courtesy thing towards your client."
Main contractors say dogs and radios can be health and safety hazards. Some say dogs' behaviour ranks with the choice of radio stations as a cause of conflict and annoyance among workers.
Lindesay Construction contracts manager Hamish Craig said the company had a blanket ban on dogs and radios on its residential sites.