Michael Haigh – senior brand manager at Webbox – provides top tips for dog owners to have a mud-free home.
While having a dog cleaning station is sure to help prevent muddy pawprints in your home, there are even more ways to prevent them before your pet steps inside the house.
- Keep their fur trimmed;
- Have towels at the ready;
- Practise commands.
Keep their fur trimmed
Any long-haired dog owner knows just how much their pets’ fur can pick up from the outdoors, including mud and dirt from walks at this time of year.
By keeping their fur trimmed, not only can you prevent a muddy home, but you can avoid some of the knots that matted hair cause.
Your pet will get most of the mud on their paws, so the most important place to trim is around their feet and between the paw pads.
However, you may also want to trim the bottom of their legs if they pick up a lot of dirt here.
If you are worried about trimming their coat in the wrong way, pay a visit to a groomer and have it done professionally.
Have towels at the ready
Before you set off for your walk, it is a good idea to leave a couple of towels somewhere outside the house so you can start the cleaning process before you step inside.
While towelling them will no get all the mud off, you can give their feet a good wipe over to prevent muddy pawprints and make sure there is no mud dripping off their fur for them to shake off.
Just make sure to use old towels that you do not need to use for anything else.
Practise commands
Dealing with a muddy dog can be a challenge in itself, let alone one who does not know the training basics.
Teaching your dog to understand commands is sure to help you not just when you are trying to keep the house mud-free but in everyday life too.
Basic commands like sit and stay are ideal for when you need just a few minutes to gather cleaning supplies together or if you just want to help your dog calm down.
And when it comes to cleaning them, teaching your pooch to raise its paws will make the process go more smoothly.
In the soggy winter and autumn months, even a short run around the garden can end up leading to muddy pawprints throughout the house.
By setting up a pet cleaning station in your home, you can keep your house tidy and still allow your dog the joy of a muddy walk.
All you need is a station that is set up near an access to running water and has washable floors and walls which can withstand a few muddy shakes.
Even with a dog washing station, it will still be helpful to teach your furry friend a few basic commands if they do not know them already.
This can help you stop them from running around the home with muddy paws and keep them calm before their bath or shower too.
You can use small treats to reward them when they follow your commands and slowly phase them out until they learn to be obedient without them.
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