how do your dogs go potty during the summer?

[Anna]

I'm a newbie doodle mom here - so sorry if this was talked about before.

 

I am starting to see some mosquitos here - right around when we take out the pup before bedtime.

And my husband wants me to figure out a better way to take him out - first thing in the morning and the last potty of the the day - when there are ALOT of mosquitos.  I don't want my hubby or my two kids to be bit - b/c of the whole west nile virus and other various yucks  out there.   (I told the three of them that mommy can't do those things - b/c I'm dainty - LOL - the youngest one bought it- he is my favorite now) 

And of course - I read about - that dogs can also get parasites from mosquito bites.

I don't like to use things like "OFF" b/c deet is very unsafe for kids and adults (Just my personal opinion)  So - I don't know - what I'm gonna do.

 

what do you guys do?

 

I was thinking - is there some sort of articficial grass pad kind of thing - where I can put it - right near my patio door - where the pup can just go out real quick and do his business and come right back in?

 

[Jennifer Tramell]

I am also a mosquito magnet.  I grew up in lower Michigan and vacationed in Canada (where the mosquito is the national bird).  I never noticed my dogs getting bit.

One of my concerns about the artificial grass is that your pup will think that the patio door is where to go - with or without the patch.  My shepherd mix decided that she didn't want to go outside in the heat to go potty so she started going in our downstairs.  This was a habit we were never able to break her of - she would sneak downstairs if we didn't remember to walk her or make sure she went outside.  Unless we intentionally sent her off the patio and out into the yard, she would go right outside the door on the sidewalk (in front) or on the patio (in back).  It's easier to prevent a lesson from being learned then to have to "un-teach" an undesirable habit.

[Melissa & Porter]

I am kinda against using something on a dog that might bother their ultra-sensitive noses.  Porter has never been bit by anything other than ticks as far as I know.

As for the humans, I put stuff on my kids/self only if we will be outside for a long time...i.e. 4th of July...and before baths/showers.  Otherwise, I, perhaps ignorantly, assume that our immune systems can handle whatever US mosquitos want to dish out to us.  My kids used to pick up nasty stomach viruses from the lovely and expensive town pool every summer.  They don't anymore.  I guarantee it is no less a cesspool of bacteria now than then.  I think they are immunologically prepped for the pool now.

Knock on wood. :-)

[Joyce & Wilson]

I live in a mosquito infested area  especially this year with flooding all around.  I take Wilson out the driveway and on the street for a quick walk.  I avoid the grass..as that is where the mosquitos are.  It doesnt take any longer to grap a poop bag and hit the pavement!!  LOL  Plus...I sleep better after a brisk walk...

[Lindsey]

Anna-
They are bad here too...but we just use a citranila (I could realllllly be spelling that wrong) candle and those new fan products. It's a little fan that you clip on your belt or lay on the chair or table beside you, it just spins around and has the scent of citronila...they WORK! and they are natural. I would look into getting those before I tried to make my puppy potty on one of those grass things, that will probably prove to be very hard and no quicker than just walking him out into the yard.

[Anna]

so - these are not the "off" clip ons?  these are natural ones?

where do you get them?

 

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Anna, I just found this product so I haven't tried it yet but it looks good and safe!! It's a human product but I don't see anything in it that should be problematic for dogs.

 

http://www.bubbleandbee.com/servlet/the-54/organic-insect-repellent...

[Carla, Lucca and Izzy]

OFF just came out with a Clip-on  http://www.off.com/ I've seen it advertised on TV

and Avon has the Skin So Soft that works.

Just a couple of suggestions

[Anna]

I know - i'm being really paranoid about the mosquitos - cuz I;m one of those people who have "sweet blood"

You can lock 5 of us in a room with a couple of mosquitos.  And I will be the only one with 20 bites.

And the bites swell up and take a long time to go away.  So I tend to be really really careful.

 

I may try the fan, the clip on and the organic sprays.

 

hmmmm.... wish Buck was a little older - then we can just let him out - by himself.

 

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Maybe you can write a product review for us after you try all the suggestions!! :)

[Leslie J]

Consumer Reports really blasted the Off Clip-on:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/video-hub/health/personal-care/o...

[Carla, Lucca and Izzy]

Wow, thanks for the info. I won't be getting this anytime soon:)

[Melissa & Porter]

My friend's middle son is that way.  The pediatrician told her that when he is covered in bites, only a few of them are actual bites and the rest are a skin reaction to the other bites, like hives...and to give him Benadryl.  Sounds miserable.  Sorry you've got that mosquito attraction.

I have the opposite I think because I am on routine asthma and allergy meds that probably limit my response to a tiny itch.  Plus, I eat an anti-inflammatory diet in an effort to help my lungs and that probably makes my skin taste like garlic to the "poor" mosquitos. :-)