How to Cope with Housetraining and Unsightly Carpet Stains

Dog owners all share something in common, whether they have a terrier, Lab, German Shepherd, or a bulldog. Somewhere along the journey of pet ownership, you’ll come across the unsightly evidence of an accident. It doesn’t matter if you have a puppy or a dog (who should definitely know better), accidents just happen.

Read on for a few tips on how to keep those accidents to a minimum, protect your flooring, and keep your frustrations in check.

Take the dog to the vet. If your dog is housetrained but unexpectedly starts having accidents, there could be a medical issue. Contact a veterinarian to make sure an illness is not behind the problem, according to the American Humane Society. Accidents also could be a sign that your male dog needs neutering.

There also could be a behavioral cause. Did anything change in your household routine? Separation anxiety and excitement could trigger a dog to start having accidents. Make sure you discuss any possible changes with the vet.

Clean thoroughly. Here’s another bit of advice from the Humane Society. Make sure you thoroughly clean the area where the dog relieved herself. She is naturally inclined to return to the area of the previous deed. By cleaning it deeply and removing all of the odor, it is unlikely that she will decide to go back to the same spot.

You may need to use professional products or have carpeting and rugs professionally cleaned to ensure that the scent doesn’t remain.

Keep in mind that your dog is a dog. It’s part of normal dog behavior to relieve themselves just about anywhere they don’t sleep. Be patient in training the dog about where he should relieve himself.

Adopt proper training techniques. Use positive reinforcement to train your dog on where to eliminate. Rubbing his nose in his feces is ineffective, according to the Continental Kennel Club. Worse yet, it can cause distrust in your relationship with your dog. Other mistakes include yelling or spanking your dog. Instead, try clapping loudly whenever you catch your dog in the act.

Purchase pet-friendly carpet padding. As noted before, accidents happen. If you have hard flooring, cleaning up messes may be easier. However, if you have carpeting, take a look at padding designed specifically for pet owners.

When installing carpet, look for padding that has a moisture barrier designed to prevent pet urine stains from becoming soaked into the carpet, padding and floorboards underneath. These pads have protective coatings that prevent urine and other liquids from soaking into the layers — which can lead to issues like the growth of bacteria, mold, mildew and fungus. Another bonus? Many of these pads contain an antimicrobial enzyme that’s designed to kill any potential odor-causing agents.

But, as noted earlier, it’s always important to make sure that the urine is thoroughly cleaned to discourage your pet from returning to the same place.