Having a dog for a pet can bring you lots of joy and fun, but it can also bring you challenges, especially if your dog has a habit of peeing on your carpeting. If your dog is a puppy, he or she will need to be housebroken and effectively trained to do their business outdoors. This takes a lot of time and attention initially, but your efforts will pay off handsomely if you are consistent and follow through.
House training a puppy means keeping your eye on them constantly and taking them out frequently, especially after eating or drinking so they get conditioned to doing their business outside rather than in your house. The more you can take your puppy outside, the greater your chances of successfully training them not to pee or poop inside. There will be ‘accidents’ in the process, but the more consistent you are, the less these accidents will occur.
If an accident happens on the carpet, be sure to clean the area thoroughly to remove any stain, and then apply a solution of water and vinegar to the area to eliminate the urine odor. If a dog smells its urine, it will be more likely to pee in the same spot again. The vinegar not only removes the odor, but the smell of vinegar is actually unpleasant to dogs and will discourage them from repeating the offense. You could also use lemon juice or a solution of baking soda and water.
If you have an older dog that begins peeing in the house, there are a few solutions you can try. When housebroken dogs begin peeing in the house, it’s often a sign that they are not getting enough potty breaks. Even older, house trained dogs will pee on your carpeting or area rugs if they are kept inside for too long. To prevent these accidents, increase the number of potty breaks you give your dog throughout the day.
Commercial cleaning solutions specifically designed for animal stains are an effective and convenient way to clean stains and eliminate pet urine odors. Many contain ingredients your dog won’t like – e.g., cinnamon or lemongrass – that will deter your dog from peeing on the area again.
Lastly, you can ‘crate’ your dog when you aren’t home. Puppies are easily introduced to this technique, but older dogs may take a little time to acclimate. Dogs are less likely to soil their space when they are confined to a crate, but be sure not to leave your dog crated for more than a couple hours at a time.
