Many dog lovers (and opponents) complain that as soon as a puppy appears in the house, maintaining cleanliness and order becomes impossible. Not hard, not time-consuming, but downright impossible. Is this really the case? Find the answers below.

A dog is not a creature for the lazy. Keeping even the smallest dog requires a lot of your time and effort, not only in maintaining order in the house but also in training and interaction. Think about this, please, before getting a puppy.

However, cleanliness in a home with a dog is possible. Here is a list of rules that will help maintain perfect cleanliness in your apartment, even if you have a furry friend.

Potty Buddy – Pet accessories designed to keep your home clean and your dog happy.

Wash their paws twice a day.

First and foremost, of course, a dog brings a lot of dirt, sand, and dust from the street after a walk. Owners usually solve this problem in three common ways: wiping paws with a cloth, washing them in a basin, or simply letting the dog “dry off” after a walk in the corridor, and after all the dirt has fallen off, letting it into the house.

But remember, what do you do when you return from a walk? You wash your hands with soap under running water. This is considered normal, and that’s despite the fact that you likely didn’t “walk” on the ground with your palms. People don’t wipe their hands with a cloth (even a conditionally clean one), don’t rinse their hands in a basin, and of course, don’t wait for the dirt to fall off on its own when it dries.

The same applies to dogs. And if you want your floors to be clean, you need to train your puppy to wash its paws under running water using a special shampoo every time it returns from a walk. This procedure should become mandatory, without exceptions, even when it’s completely dry outside. After all, this doesn’t mean the dog’s paws are clean.

To avoid dirtying the bathtub, lay a polyurethane mat on the bottom, which can be bought at any hardware store. With it, the dog’s claws won’t scratch the surface of the tub, the paws won’t slip, and sand and dirt will drain through the holes in the mat, not settling back on the carefully washed paws.

Clean Dog, Clean House. What to Use for Washing Dog Paws?

For frequent paw washing, choose only special dog wash products. In any pet store, you’ll find an arsenal of pet shampoos from budget to expensive options. Choose what you think is suitable for your dog. Concentrated products in large packages can save money. Dilute them in a 1 to 3 ratio with water.

Naturally, dirt and dust settle not only on the paw pads but also on almost all limbs, and for short and long-haired four-legged friends, it’s often necessary to wash their bellies too. Remember, the soapy solution must be completely rinsed off the dog! Any shampoo residue can cause dryness and skin irritation. After washing, let the dog stand in the tub for a while, wipe with a towel, and then release the pet to roam freely and onto the clean couch.

Not all dogs enjoy such bathing several times a day, so it’s important to maintain a friendly attitude during washing. Praise your dog for being obedient, for standing calmly, and not trying to jump out of the tub, spin around, or sit down. A full dog bath can be done once a month or even less frequently if you wipe the fur from dust that settles from the air. By the way, our grooming salon can help with washing and trimming.

Clean paws mean at least a clean floor! As well as everything else your dog can reach. For example, many dogs lean on doors to open them or on kitchen cabinets to see what smells so tasty.

But there’s another problem…

Fur in the Apartment. What to Do?

Another headache for homeowners is fur. Dogs typically shed twice a year. These are standard shedding periods. But there are also “provoked” shedding instances. For example, a dog might start shedding due to a change in food, after giving birth, due to a sudden warm-up outside, or stress. But even between shedding periods, fur gradually falls off your pet. This is especially true for dogs with a rich undercoat.

Yes, it’s a fact. If your dog is not one of the “hairless” breeds, completely devoid of hair, it’s unlikely that you can completely eliminate fur in the house. Due to the constant temperature of around 20°C (68°F) in our apartments throughout the year, dogs lose their fur with varying intensity but continuously.

However, you can avoid a significant accumulation of fur on your sofas, floors, and other surfaces by regularly brushing your pet.

Regularly means every day during the shedding period, in spring and autumn, regardless of the type of fur. When your friend is not actively shedding, the frequency of brushing depends on the length and type of fur: dogs with long fur or a dense undercoat should be brushed 3–4 times a week, short-haired dogs 1–2 times a week.

If you accustom your pet to brushing from a young age, it is likely to enjoy the procedure. Many owners report that their pets joyfully run to them just at the sight of a brush. Problems begin when a dog that hasn’t been brushed for years is suddenly groomed. It’s painful, unusual, and even a bit scary for the dog. After an “ordeal” of removing mats, many dogs fear brushes like fire. If you have to accustom an adult dog to hygienic procedures, do it gently but persistently. Praise your dog during brushing, telling it how beautiful it will be. Believe it or not, dogs care about their appearance.

It’s important to accustom your dog to having its fur brushed not only on its back but also on its paws, groin, and ears – as some dogs, as they grow older, do not allow touching these areas of their body. The animal must fully trust you – and this trust is developed through habit.

During the shedding period, a Furminator is ideal for dogs with short hair or a dense undercoat. It specifically brushes out the undercoat, and does so painlessly for the dog. For long-haired dogs, a fine-toothed comb is best. When purchasing, ensure the teeth are rounded, not sharp, to avoid injuring the dog’s skin.

For daily care, a massage brush is sufficient.

How to Clean the Apartment from Fur

Many people get short-haired dogs only because they think “there’s less fur.” This is not true! Not only is there not less fur, but it’s also harder to clean up. However, there’s nothing impossible about cleaning up dog hair. You don’t need any special arsenal; it’s all quite straightforward.

For a quick floor clean-up, a regular broom or brush moistened with water will do. To clean furniture, use a sticky roller or a special brush. But for effectiveness, nothing beats the simple old-fashioned method: a rubber glove worn on the hand, slightly dampened with water. Fur sticks to it instantly, and you can reach even hard-to-reach places with your hand.

For a thorough cleaning of the apartment from fur, you will need a vacuum cleaner. A regular vacuum cleaner, but preferably a highly powerful one. Incidentally, turbo brushes, which are advertised as ideal for cleaning fur, are only suitable for short fur. It’s the short fur that embeds itself into the upholstery of sofas, gets lost among the pile of carpets, and is difficult to remove without such a turbo brush. Long guard hairs and soft undercoat wrap around the turbo brush and will require additional time for you to clean the brush itself. Therefore, owners of long-haired dogs are better off using a standard attachment with an extendable brush.

That’s basically it.

The actions listed above are enough to maintain cleanliness in the house. You’ll agree, washing, grooming, and vacuuming aren’t such an insurmountable task. And cleanliness in a house with a dog is not only possible but also desirable.