Housebreaking your dog or cat is the way to ensure a hospitable fresh home for you and your pets. Dogs and cats require training before they are housebroken whether they are babies or full grown, and approaches to training for puppies and kittens are different than for full-grown pets.
There are many manuals and methods for housebreaking puppies and kittens, and your Vet can certainly help with that. But outside of general training, what are some reasons and how do you keep an older or even trained pet from staining your carpets and having accidents? Here are some guidelines for keeping a clean, pet-odor free environment.
There are always reasons why a dog or cat might not be housebroken or might have accidents. First, there may be physical reasons, such as a urinary infection, so get your pet checked thoroughly at the vet’s.
• Sometimes dogs just don’t know what is expected of them, especially young ones, but sometimes even our older ones. A puppy needs to develop control so a very general rule of thumb is one hour more than a pup’s age in months. Crate training certainly helps (which is not cruel; dogs see it as their den) and confinement, along with going out at the correct times, and even more importantly using praise and correction. Correcting a dog after the fact is pointless, they associate that there’s an accident over there on the carpet by your anger, but they don’t get that they caused it to be there. Cats love a clean space. Begin by surrounding the litter box with newspapers to catch accidents and confine kitty to the room in which it is. Make certain that the litter box stays clean or kitty will choose another cleaner option, like your carpet.
• Many dogs practice “submissive urination” and it is actually, in dog language, a sign of respect. This is the type of dog who gets low to the ground or squats, especially when greeting you or being scolded, and then urinates. This is not really a deviation from their housebreaking, but the spot on the floor is still there.
• Some pet store puppies have suffered from prolonged crating and have been allowed to go in their crates. They have not learned to not dirty their areas (it is natural not to dirty their dens). It takes patience and time to help these dogs overcome habits, and alternatives would be to use wee wee pads and newspapers as you train.
• Male dogs and cats that have not been neutered lift their legs to mark their territory or spray. Neutering and training helps this. You also might want to try some of the repelling sprays found at pet supply stores, as well as cleaning solutions designed for dog urine and cat spray.
• Praising your dog profusely and with treats when they actually go outside, or in their designated area, is extremely effective. If you catch them mid- accident, just a sharp word will surprise them into stopping momentarily (the trick here is to surprise them, not correct them), and you can then rush the dog outside or to his area, and then praise them. Give them an associated word that will trigger them to go like “let’s go.” Cats don’t respond to praise training really – just keep things clean for them.
No matter what methods you use for our four-legged companions, accidents will happen. To keep your home smelling and feeling fresh, remember a few simple rules:
• Blot up a stain thoroughly and immediately.
• Clean with a non-ammonia product. White vinegar and mild soap are great.
• Do not stream or dry with hair dryer
• Try a bio-enzyme treatment to get at bacteria that may cause odors.
When all else fails, call High Quality Carpet Cleaning. We are the experts that can help you remove persistent carpet odors and stains. Contact us through our online form, which can be found here: http://www.highqualitycarpet.com/contact, or by calling us at 732.400.5255.