Puppies! Cleaning Up!

People aren't perfect and we shouldn't expect our puppies to be perfect either. Puppies are very cute but they do make mistakes. Sometimes they don't even know they've made a mistake unless we communicate to them that we find a certain behavior unacceptable.

One mistake that puppies may make, especially during house-training, is relieving themselves indoors, instead of the appointed space outside. If this happens it's important to clean your puppy's accident up quickly and thoroughly. Proper sanitation controls odor, prevents ruined carpets or stained floors and helps keep your home clean and healthy. Proper cleaning of your puppy's accident will also prevent "scent posts."

Scent posts
Scent chemicals may remain even after an accident has been cleaned up – these chemicals are released where your puppy urinates or defecates. When your puppy smells the scent chemicals he may get the urge to relieve himself in the same spot – this creates a scent post. Your puppy's nose helps him to smell things that our much weaker noses might never smell. We may think that our puppy's accident on the hall carpet has been thoroughly cleaned – the hall may even smell like roses – but when your puppy returns to the scene of his accident he may easily detect the scent chemicals under the smell of floral cleansing products. This smell triggers your puppy's urge to eliminate.

If the area where the scent chemicals exist is not cleaned up thoroughly your puppy may repeat his behavior. There is some good news about scent posts: the outside scent post directs your puppy to the designated spot where he should relieve himself. Scent posts in the house are not desirable but outside scent posts are very helpful when house-training your puppy.

To clean carpet stains
Clean up your puppy's accident as soon as possible. Conventional household cleaners, perfumed sprays and carpet shampoos don't get rid of scent posts. They just make the area smell nicer to us. Ammonia based cleaners should not be used to clean soiled areas. The ammonia may smell like urine to your puppy, and may act as a scent post. To get rid of the scent posts you need to thoroughly clean the soiled area with a product that will neutralize the odor.

First remove as much of the dampness as possible from the area. Next, clean the area with a product made specifically for cleaning up puppy accidents – it will neutralize the scent posts if used properly. If the stain has soaked through to your carpet padding you will also need to treat it and the floor with the solution. If the stain has set you may need to use a product made specifically for dried stains, and apply it a few times.

It's also important to make sure that old stains have been thoroughly cleaned. Although we may not see the stain it may still be there, and it may be a scent post for your puppy. Black lights are available from pet supply stores and should make any old stains visible, so that you can clean the stain thoroughly and get rid of the scent post.

Never yell at your puppy or reprimand him for having an accident in the house. Unless you catch him in the act he won't associate the reprimand with his accident. If he is reprimanded during the accident your puppy will try to hide from you the next time he relieves himself in the house, and this will make it more difficult for you to clean immediately.

With patience and consistency you can house-train your puppy. Speak to your veterinarian if you have any concerns, or suspect that your puppy's accidents are not house-training related.