Uh Oh, the Dog had an Accident
Are you one of the thousands of families who adopted a new pet into your family this summer? Or do you have a pet who is potty trained but has accidents from time to time, perhaps from excitement when someone comes to visit? Having pets is a wonderful part of life, and they certainly are a big job – but they can also cause some frustrations! Have you had a day yet where you walked in the door after long hours at work, only to step on something wet on the carpet? Knowing how to handle the accident, and the dog can quickly ease your frustration. Here are some steps to get the problem under control.
Damage Control
Start by simply using some paper towels to blot as much of the urine as you can. Avoid any motions that will push the liquid further into the carpet. The idea of blotting is to lift the urine out of the carpet without spreading it further out, or down into the carpet. When it comes to clean up, beware of using home steam cleaners or products that could damage your carpet. Even after you’ve blotted the area, the urine may have had time to soak through the padding and onto the sub floor. When this happens, bacteria could linger, and since the moisture is just sitting there undried, it could also trigger a mildew problem deep in the carpet. This is why we suggest avoiding steam cleaning on your own because it does not dry the area. Plus, using heat could actually set in the stain (and the odor), doing much more damage than good.
Our answer? Clean it up as best you can, and if it is a big stain or you’ve had a lot of accidents during the potty training phase, call a professional team like Team Hitchcock to get your carpets thoroughly cleaned. Did you know we are the top choice for carpet cleaning in Berks County??
Handling the Puppy
Now, we aren’t vets or dog trainers, but here are some tips from pet pros on how to help your puppy, or adult dog, stop having accidents.
First of all, when you discover the accident, if it’s a puppy, don’t punish them. They’re still learning! Instead, cheerfully acknowledge the accident and immediately take them outside to their potty area and remind them that is where they are supposed to do their business.
If your adult dog who is potty trained has been having accidents, there might be some reasons why. Have there been big life changes that could be stressing your pet out? Has there been a move of residence or major schedule changes? Have you been away for an extended period of time? Is there a new baby in the house? Are you doing renovations or remodeling? Just as we can get stressed out with big life changes and projects, so can your pup! Also be mindful that there could be an underlying health issue if this is a reoccurring problem, or if your pet is on a new medication, that could be the culprit.
The Answers
Just like training and positive reinforcement are the keys to potty training a pup, professional carpet cleaning is the smart choice when your carpet becomes the spot of choice for your dog. Like any professional carpet cleaning company, Hitchcock can help clean and preserve your carpets!