New Puppy? Puppy Potty Training Tips. How To Clean Pet Stains

PUPPY POTTY TRAINING TIPS

Getting a puppy can be a great idea. However too many times what seems like a great idea turns out to be problematic. Every year, thousands of puppies are taken in to a new home and then returned or placed in a shelter. There are many reasons for this. Puppies require attention, adjustment to scheduling and unexpected expenses. If you are planning on getting a puppy, these are some things to take into consideration, and they are things the pet owner can proactively adjust. In some cases, puppies are returned because of accidents in the house. This too is something that can be controlled by the owner. In many cases, improper cleaning techniques only promote a puppy going to the bathroom in the house. This is something that can be corrected by properly cleaning pet stains. When pet stains are cleaned correctly, it can actual prevent a new puppy from going to the bathroom in the house.

The first thing to understand about dogs is that they urinate based on instinct as well as training. With a new puppy, it is important to establish a schedule. Take the puppy outside frequently to encourage the dog to go to the bathroom outside. You may notice as you take the dog outside, he/she will do a lot of sniffing. This is natural instinct kicking in. Dogs tend to urinate in the same spot based on scent. They tend to urinate in the same spot they have previously gone. As you continue to take your new puppy outside, try to guide your dog to the spot where they have previously gone to the bathroom. As time progresses, you will be able to wait longer periods of time when taking your dog outside. Eventually, this pattern will help the dog identify the area outside as the area where they can go to the bathroom. 

Naturally, with a puppy, there will be accidents in the house. This should be expected with a new puppy. While you can take measures to prevent such accidents, including frequent outdoor visits, or placing the puppy in an area where an accident would not impact the house, don't be upset when an accident happens on the carpet or a rug. 

When an accident occurs on the carpet, it is essential that you clean the area properly. As stated previously, dogs urinate based on instinct. If they smell the odor of urine, they are likely to continue to go to the bathroom in that spot until the urine scent is completely removed. If an accident occurs, the first time may very well be an accident. Sometimes this happens with puppies because they become overly excited, do not have bladder control, or have not grown accustomed to the potty schedule. This is to be expected. To prevent it from becoming a habit, clean the urine stain properly.

PET STAINS - WHAT NOT TO DO

There are countless products available for pet stain removal. There are also endless online "recipes" and "DIY pet stain removers." Unfortunately, many of these products are not as effective as they claim to be. And nearly EVERY Do It Yourself Pet Stain Remover offers the WORST thing you can possible do to clean pet stains. 

DO NOT USE VINEGAR FOR
PET STAINS

• VINEGAR - Vinegar is the primary ingredient in almost every Do It Yourself pet stain remover recipe. As a natural cleaner, vinegar works to break down stains due to it's acidic base. Distilled white vinegar has a pH level of 2.4. Vinegar has a distinct acidic smell. Dog urine has an acidic base with a pH level typically around 6.5. Like vinegar, pet urine has a distinct acidic odor. Because vinegar and urine share this acidic base, as well as an acidic odor, the puppy's instincts will likely kick in. A dog can not differentiate the scent of vinegar from that of their urine. Because of this, if vinegar is used to clean pet stains from carpet, the dog will likely be encouraged to urinate in that spot. Vinegar is easily the WORST thing you can use to clean pet stains. Even the Human Society acknowledges that vinegar & ammonia based cleaners can encourage pets to continue urinating in the spot where they were applied. 

• ENZYMES -  Enzymatic cleaners dominate the aisles of every pet store. Many claim to be environmentally friendly, which is a factor in their popularity. However a closer look at the Safety Data Sheets can reveal the products contain some of the most dangerous chemicals such as 2-Butoxyethanol - a horrid chemical which can cause skeletal defects and weight loss in mammals. The last thing you want to do is place toxic chemicals on your carpet where it can affect your pets or your children. Aside from the health risks of some enzymes, there is also a specific science to the way enzymes work. Through the process, the idea is that an enzyme will interact with urine to promote that is breaks down. However for enzymes to work correctly, a lot of factors need to be just right. Temperature, acidity of the urine, age of the enzymes and the diet of the dog are just a few factors that can prevent enzymes from working correctly. Often, people find that the enzymes may appear to have worked, only to find that in a few days either the stain reappears or the odor becomes overwhelming. This is often as a result of proteins being broken down and settling back into the carpet, or the enzyme not actually having the power to clean into the padding of the carpet. 

• HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS - In line with the DIY pet stain remover recipes are those that call for various household cleaners. Many homemade pet stain removal recipes call for laundry detergent or dish soap. No! Just don't do it! Soap based cleaners work on the principal of attraction. Dirt, dust and other staining agents, including urine, are pulled toward the soap. When used in carpet, as the soap travels downward, it takes the stains with it. When this happens, what might have been a simple surface stain now becomes embedded in the padding. As you rinse, you might notice the surface becomes clean, but in time, everything that has seeped into the padding will resurface. This then results in "phantom stains" that come back after you have cleaned the area. There are several other problems soap based cleaners present. They can clog the pores of carpet, making the carpet feel rigid. Soap also does not have the power to kill the odor - especially if it seeps downward into the padding. Again, you are only intensifying the urge for your new puppy to urinate in that spot again. Other household cleaners present other problems. Some can actually spread the stain, leaving a grayish residue on the surface of light colored carpets. Oxidizing agents can cause discoloration to carpets. When a carpet becomes discolored, this can not be easily reversed.

HOW TO CLEAN PET STAINS

They key to preventing your puppy from going to the bathroom in the house is proper cleaning. because dogs are drawn to urinate in spots where they have previously gone, it is imperative to not just remove the visible stain, but also to completely remove the urine odor. 

Genesis 950 All Purpose Cleaner

Genesis 950 is a green, all purpose surfactant based cleaner. Instead of using soaps or hazardous chemicals, Genesis 950 relies on water as the key ingredient. Sold in concentrated form, water is added upon use. When Genesis 950 and water interact with a stain, Genesis 950 breaks down the bonds of a stain. Once the bonds of a stain are broken, the stain becomes water soluble. Solubility allows for the stain to lose adherence and be flushed from the surface. In the event that pet urine has seeped into the padding, Genesis 950 can be used in a carpet cleaning machine to effectively break down any odor causing stains in the padding. In addition to breaking down and removing stains, Genesis 950 also has the power to kill odor causing bacteria. As the odor is removed, the likelihood of your dog continuing to urinate on the carpet is reduced.

There are two methods for removing pet stains with Genesis 950. The first is by spot cleaning. Spot cleaning is most suitable for surface stains. These types of stains include when the accident is number 2 or if your puppy got sick on the carpet. To spot clean these stains, use Genesis 950 in a spray bottle mixed with water. The recommended ratio is 1/3 part Genesis 950 to 2/3 parts water. This recommendation works great for cleaning multiple messes from pet stains to kitchen cleaning. Keeping a spray bottle with this ratio in the cleaning cabinet makes you ready for any situation. 

How to remove pet stains

Spot cleaning with Genesis 950 is easy. Simply spray the solution mixed with water on the stain. Be sure to allow the stain to be thoroughly saturated. Allow the solution to sit for several minutes. Once the stain has absorbed the solution, it should be able to be wiped away fairly easy. If after wiping up the stain, there is still some left behind, reapply the cleaning solution and let sit a little longer before wiping. Once the stain has been removed, blot with fresh water to rinse. When complete, let the area dry. 

While spot cleaning is effective for surface stains, it is NOT an acceptable means to clean pet urine. Pet urine, being a liquid, travels down ward. Often, it ends up in the padding, which because of it's consistency, absorbs liquid such as urine, like a sponge. When urine odor is an issue, spot cleaning the surface will NOT remove the urine in the padding. Spraying deodorizes on the area will also not have any impact on the padding. As long as that urine odor is in the padding, the likelihood of your dog peeing there will remain very high. To properly remove pet urine and pet urine odor from carpet, it MUST be done with a machine. 

A carpet cleaning machine allows for solution to be distributed below the carpet surface. As this is where the odor settles, this is very important. A carpet cleaning machine also has the power to extract the stains, sediment and urine that has been trapped in the padding. When Genesis 950 is used in a carpet cleaning machine, the solution gets into the padding, breaks down not only the pet stains, but also the dirt and dust. Be sure to thoroughly go over the entire carpet with the Genesis 950/water mixture, ensuring that the carpet is thoroughly saturated. Once the carpeted has been treated in this manner, allow it to sit for anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. This will give the solution the time needed to properly break down stains and kill odor causing bacteria. After this time has elapsed, fill your carpet cleaning machine with ONLY fresh water. Slowly go over all areas that have been initially cleaned using the machine. Doing this will flush everything that has been broken down out of the carpet. At first, the return water may come back black. If so, continue to rinse until you can get the return water as clear as possible. Once you are satisfied with the rinsing, allow the carpet to dry. The results will be a clean, odor free carpet. You will likely also notice the carpet feels softer - this is in part to Genesis 950 being soap free.

If a new puppy is going to be part of your future, be prepared for a little bit of disruption. One of the biggest reasons puppies end up unwanted after being gifted is due to training issues. However many of these issues can be resolved quite simply by properly training and cleaning up after your pet. If your puppy is having accidents in the house, it might not be because of the puppy. Instead, it might be because of how you are cleaning up after the puppy. Are you using products that encourage urination? Are you using products that do not remove the odor? Before you get rid of that puppy, try getting rid of the cleaning products you are using. Keeping your puppy and your family happy might be as simple as finding the right way to remove pet stains.