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First time living with dogs and carpet!

This forum is for discussing all topics related to the challenges (and joys!) of keeping your house clean while living with dogs. Here you can share tips, recommendations for products and techniques, and more!

  
Daisy

Use your nose!		 
 
Barked: Mon Aug 27, '12 1:12pm PST 
For the first time in my adult life I am now living in an apartment with my 2 Chihuahuas. Daisy is 7 years, Bambi is 8 months. Both were fairly house trained back at home where we just had rugs on tile, and most importantly, a dog door. Obviously we aren't going to have a dog door here. Even if I could install one there is dangerous wildlife/people/strays/etc, and my dogs are small, easy prey.

I already went and got a thing of Nature's Miracle as a "just in case". My biggest problem/worry is that the carpet is kind of a shag carpet, so I worry I just won't see the urine. The carpet I had in my dorm last year was easy to clean because it was that cheap indoor/outdoor stuff with no pad underneath. Any tips on finding it if/when it does happen? It has only been about 48 hours since I have been here, and I have been really careful about it, but at some point I imagine that something will probably happen and when they do pee on carpet it practically disappears.

Also, how do you know when they need to go out? Any training tips for teaching them to tell you when they actually need to go? So far I take them out every 30-60 minutes when not crated and/or just watch them like a hawk. I can tell by their body language, but it would be nice if they could go sit and whine by the door or something as a back-up for if I happen to be ditsy.

Thank you for any and all tips!
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Jewel, PCD

8.6lbs of fury- in a bow!		 
 
Barked: Tue Aug 28, '12 7:44am PST 
You could tie a bell to a string and hang it from the door and teach them to ring it when they want out. The danger of this being if they have a sense of humor they'll ring the bell when ever they want to get you up.

Jewel and my fosters usually pace between me and the door or lay by the door if it's not important and they just want to go lay in the yard.
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Opheila

It ain't over- till the fat- kitty sings		 
 
Barked: Tue Aug 28, '12 1:22pm PST 
After cats, kids, dogs and carpets...only two suggestions. Either have the $20 specials, the big area rugs that you can toss and replace regularly when you need to, or rent one of those steamer machines, once a month or every other month. I added a small shot of bleach to the solution and it worked well...not if you have fragile carpet of course and no one in the room till it dries a few hours.
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Member Since
09/10/2011		 
 
Barked: Wed Aug 29, '12 5:50am PST 
In training our puppy, we always said "going outside" when we brought the dog out to teach her the cue. No punishing if they had accidents in the house - just brought them outside and say "go outside".

Now our dog goes to the door or comes to us and whines when she has to go out, and all we have to do is ask "Need to go outside?" and she responds.

Takes a little practice, but most dogs catch on quick.
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Angel Lexi- ...Gone But- Never

Angel Kisses And- Butterfly- Whispers
 
 
Barked: Wed Aug 29, '12 9:34am PST 
When you take them out and they potty make sure you give lots of praise and hugs and tell them Good Boy/ Girl...Never punish if they have an accident just clean it up and take them out and say..Go Potty. If you always go to the same sopt they lean fast. My dogs know when I pick up the short leash it's potty time and when they see the long 20' leash they jump up and dpown as they know it's walk time..Dogs are samrt and sounds like you are on the right track. Good Luck and let us know how it goes.
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Des Kyle

Play or snuggle- you decide 		 
 
Barked: Tue Oct 30, '12 6:35pm PST 
the best thing to do is crate train your dogs and leave them crated when gone. Also you need to learn then life span of your dogs bladder and try to not plan trips longer than they can hold it. Remember to take your dogs our before you leave and dont rush them often times the little ones want to take their time.
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Sarge

Teddybear		 
 
Barked: Tue Oct 30, '12 7:40pm PST 
I crate trained mine till I was 100% sure they wouldn't potty while I was gone or if I knew I was going to be gone longer then they could hold it. I also trained Sarge to ring the bell that I hung on the front door knob to let me know when he wants to go out. If you need to do some occasional checks to stay on top of it urine shows up with black lights and you could always get a small hand held one to check your carpet.
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Member Since
12/02/2012		 
 
Barked: Thu Dec 13, '12 9:50pm PST 
You can always start with house training your dog so that you wouldn't have to wash your carpet every time he pees on it. It's going to be frustrating at first but you have to be very patient about it. Besides, this house training will help you avoid getting stressed from having to clean up after such a messy dog.
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