Housebreaking Hints

By Marilyn Marks
The Good Dog Spot! in Bloomfield, offering day care, boarding and training.

Even if you’re not trying to housebreak a puppy right now, there may be times in your dog’s life when accidents happen.  Here are a few things to keep in mind about our dogs’ desire to "go" outside.
Even in adulthood, excitement or nervousness can get the colon rockin’.  You’ll want to make sure you give your dog a potty break after a car ride, returning home from a vet visit (if nerves didn’t prompt him to leave a present in the lobby), or after a hectic social situation (lots of greetings of people and/or dogs).   Of course, this also applies to bringing a dog home for the first time, whether from shelter, breeder or rescue organization.  This little effort can prevent a lot of indoor mess and embarrassment.
Many people complain that the dog goes in the house shortly after being outside for a long time.  That’s because your dog didn’t know that outside was the place and that was the time to use the toilet.   Instead, make "business" trips outside short, one minute sessions.  Save hanging out in the yard or going on walks for after potty success.  This will teach your dog the difference between a business trip and just being outside as well as provide a reward for using the grass in your yard as a toilet.   
Cleaning up urine accidents (or mushy fecal ones) is a challenge.  You can spend a ton on spot, stain and odor removers, but vinegar and water do a fine job.  Mix 1/2 cup of vinegar to 3 cups of water and pour some into a clean spray bottle.  Spritz the area then rub with a damp rag to permeate.  Then sprinkle on some baking soda.  This may produce bubbles.  When it’s all dry, vacuum it up.  As with any carpet cleaning, test a small non-conspicuous area first.  When it’s done, you may want to dose it with one of your favorite essential oils or some Fresh Wave Natural Order Neutralizer (www.fresh-wave.com).   One cleaning product you may want to look at is is Anti-Icky Poo (www.mistermax.com).   This two step process is a little costly but it does tend to work.  One great tool is The Bissell Spot Bot.  It’s a portable carpet cleaning machine that you place over a soiled area, press a button and it does its thing in a 3 minute cycle while you do something else.  Of course it says only to use their carpet shampoo products in it, which you should do if you want to really maintain your warranty, but the vinegar and water solution or the anti-icky poo would probably work fine in it as well.  OxyClean type products seem to do a good job of getting fecal stains out if any remain after the above type cleanings.
If your dog is urinating or defecating on pillows, clothing piles, beds or people, or on vertical surfaces all over the house, your dog’s issue is probably not a housebreaking problem but rather a marking problem.  Marking is a behavioral concern rather than a lack of understanding about where to use the toilet.  In this case, it’s best to seek the advice of a professional.