Looking ahead to Spring....and dirt....

[Sandy]

I'm thinking ahead to warmer days and melting snow, and mud. Wondering - what will I do with Toby when he is muddy at the back door? We have a fenced yard, so he will be out wandering around, and I'm sure will drag in his fair share of dirt. The back patio door comes right into the kitchen area, and adjacent to that, the living room with beige carpet. I'm thinking of maybe getting a cheap indoor leash and hooking him onto it when he comes in dirty until he at least dries a bit. I don't know.....any thoughts? Maybe it's time to get that new Dyson vacuum.... :)

[Sandy]

My problem is that if Toby goes directly right upon entering he'll be in the living room. Quinn must be smaller than Toby, because I can't imagine throwing him in the tub for a foot bath every time he comes in! Dogs and dirt - grrrr. Too bad I love him so much. :)

[Sandy]

Okay - Toby is about 40 pounds at 5 months, so we're on track with Quinn. :)

[Tammy]

Our snow just melted and the backyard has a lot of mud holes. I let Zoe out last night and forgot about her ! She was muddy from her armpits down and we had to bathe her feet in the kitchen sink. She is a high maintenance girl. Luckily I have wood floors where the back door is !

[Adina P]

Suggestions from best idea to worst:

1) Send Toby to me for the Spring. I'll deal with all the mud for you ;-)

2) Rip out your carpet

3) Baby gates blocking entrance to carpeted area until he dries off, towels by the door, teach him to "wipe your feet" on command (which would mean to teach him to walk in a circle 2-3 times on a mat/demudding rug by the back door when he comes in).

[Sandy]

We actually would like to rip out the carpet and put in hardwood. That kind of depends on finances. A Dyson would be cheaper..... :)
I have towels by the door, I just need to be more consistent on teaching him to stand still while his feet are wiped. Your dogs must be especially well trained if they are able to "wipe their feet".

Maybe I WILL send Toby to you - I'm sure he and Rosco would enjoy each other's company. They could compare early biting notes..... :)

[Adina P]

LOL-- I could just see them laughing at how they terrorized us parents!

Mine don't know "wipe your feet" -- I attempted the teaching, but got lazy and impatient to try to get ALL THREE to do it, but I DO know someone who did teach their dog to "wipe" his feet...worked great! I think you essentially lure them in a circle with a treat..so they don't 'wipe' as much as walk in a circle a few times and that helps.

[Leslie, Dexter & Kirby]

Dexter is a dirt magnet...he can look at dirt and get dirty. We keep generic (Target) baby wipes in the garage and wipe their feet pretty much everytime they come in (except right when there's snow on the ground). For times he is more dirty we either throw him in the bathtub or wash him off with the hose in the yard (spring through fall only).

[Mary Beth Sancomb-Moran]

We usually keep a bathtowel at the door and grab the dogs immediately when they come in and wipe up the worst of the mud. Some inevitably gets on the carpeting, but it keeps it to a minimum.

[Sandy]

I'm also thinking of the poor couch. I have it covered with a blanket, but it is Toby's favourite spot. Things could get interesting. Oh well, if anyone comes over, I guess it's love me, love my dog ( and any dirt he brings in. )

[Suzanne & Jack]

Jack is nearly 100 lbs and our other dog is about 60, so both are big boys. Our yard is also fenced, small, and partially mulched. We have tall grasses across the back so the boys like to run around them like an obstacle course. We use a small dishpan that I fill with warm water and a tiny bit of dish soap (I add it after the water so there are no suds). I dip their paws in before they come in the house and then dry with the towel. The soap helps to remove any sticky mud. I've found that wiping them doesn't always get the dirt in their nails. It's kind of a pain, but definitely keeps the dirt in check. I even take the dishpan when we go to the dogpark, if its muddy. We also have slate floors in our kitchen where they come in and they don't show any dirt.

[Suzanne & Jack]

We are actually in the process of building a new house. I told the builder that I want it to be "dog friendly" with a utility room that opens to the yard and a half shower that the dogs can walk into. I want a hose like a commercial dishwasher, and all tile.

[Suzanne & Jack]

Our old house had the raised tub with a handheld shower. I found it was hard to keep them in. I'm wanting a 3-4 foot square area with a drain in the center and walls that are about 4' tall. Also we found that our property tax was higher because the dog tub was considered an extra bath. - stupid.