Chem-Dry of Long Beach is committed to providing you with the healthiest home possible. Even man’s best friend can sometimes have an accident or two. Whether it occurs on your carpet, rug, or upholstery, we are the experts at removal and restoration. Here are the steps to handle it correctly so you can prevent repeat behavior, take of the mess and smell, and remain best friends with your dog.
1. Catching him in the act
It’s often a rare occasion, but if you catch your dog having an accident you should use it as a learning opportunity for the dog. Be sure not to punish the dog. Instead of promoting fear of relieving themselves inside, this will only encourage them to be sneakier next time to avoid punishment. Instead, use a firm voice discouraging behavior while quickly taking the dog outside to where he/she normally relieves.
2. Immediate damage control
As soon as you notice the accident, use a paper towel to soak up as much of the urine as you can from the floor or carpet. Don’t use a hair dryer to dry any excess urine, as this will lead to increased odor and difficulty removing the stain. If your dog has soiled anything washable such as clothing, put it through a cold rinse cycle and then a normal wash cycle with detergent.
3. Fixing the deeper problem
During the initial phase of the accident, the urine seeped beneath the carpet surface all the way to the padding. Although pet urine removal solutions can be bought from a store, they only provide a minimal surface clean of the carpet and a temporary odor mask. The urine continues to dry deep beneath the surface and becomes a breeding ground for dust and other contaminants. These can lead to serious health problems such as respiratory issues and other diseases. Avoid steam cleaning the area as the heat can set the stain and odor, and the water can take a long time to dry, causing mildew to grow.
Instead, rely on Chem-Dry of Long Beach’s proprietary Pet Urine Removal Treatment that penetrates deep within your carpet to explode and extract hardened urine crystals. Our technique ensures thorough removal of dry urine stains and complete elimination of pet urine odors, restoring your carpet to its original state.
4. Determining the cause
Rather than just having you gone from the house for too long to let them out, there are a number of reasons that your dog might have had an accident, including:
- Stress. Major life changes such as home relocation can cause distress for your dog, leading to accidents.
- Schedule changes. Your dog becomes accustomed to regular relief times. When there is a sudden alteration in the schedule, your dog will often have an accident. Make changes gradual to help your dog become comfortable.
- Home renovations. Dogs have powerful scent detection and new home renovations can often be alerting and confuse the dog. They may feel obligated to mark the new renovations with their scent, as is the case with most new carpets.
- New medications. New medications can trigger side effects that lead to accidents. Be aware of these side effects and plan ahead to avoid accidents in your home.
- Health issues. Frequent uncontrollable bladder accidents may be a sign of something bigger. If you notice that your dog’s behavior is significantly different along with the accidents, speak with a veterinarian.
Note: Training is key! Sometimes the best defense is a good offense. Start training your dog when they are young regarding where to relieve themselves. When you’re dealing with a new puppy, understand that accidents will likely be common. In order to house train your puppy:
- Begin by taking the dog out frequently, and then gradually increase the amount of time between trips outside.
- Go outside with your dog and praise him when he urinates in a properly designated spot, then reward him/her with a treat afterward.
We hope that these tips will help you when your dog has an accident. Pet urine isn’t ever fun to deal with, but it is a problem that you can address and take care of properly. For advanced pet urine removal, contact Chem-Dry of Long Beach.