Dogs can be messy, and unfortunately, it often means a messy home. Unfortunately, your favorite pet cannot always be taught to clean up after themselves, so it’s up to you to make sure your house maintains order and cleanliness. It takes a little bit of work, but it is achievable!
Designated Home
If possible, it can make all the difference to have a designated dog place. A separate room, such as the mudroom or laundry room, is great if you have the space. If you don’t have the luxury of establishing a room for your dog, it’s important to still make sure they have a small space to their own. It will help to keep messes contained and show everyone where your pet’s belongings should go. Their food bowls, bed, toys, and leash should be in this space. This will make it easier to find your dog’s items as well as contain their space to one area.
Container and Baskets
Organizing your dog’s supplies is similar to organizing your own belongings. Designated containers and baskets can be useful for establishing a space for their items. Instead of shoving their leash into the junk drawer, consider having a basket or hook for their items needed for their walk. Treats are another item to store together so you don’t accidentally mix them with your own snacks. In our house, we have a separate caddy for the dogs’ bath supplies. This makes an already challenging task easier! Dog toys should also go in a separate basket, so it’s easier for the dogs to find them and to get put away.
Dog Beds
Dog beds may be one of the dirtiest things in your house. With this in mind, it’s important to either replace them often or purchase beds with removable covers. It can be easy to overlook the dirt and dust collecting on their beds, but once you wash the covers you’ll see (and smell!) the difference.
Clean at First Entry
When you take your dog for a walk, their paws are coming in contact with everything outside. Once you bring them inside the house, everything outside starts to collect inside your house. To avoid dirty paws in the house, try to wash or wipe down your dog’s paws after every walk. This is especially pertinent if you don’t wear shoes in the house. Your dog shouldn’t bring their dirty “shoes” in the house either.
Grooming
It’s no secret that routine brushing and grooming help with shedding. Try to practice this daily, or weekly depending on the breed of your dog, to stay on top of dog fur. A trip to the groomers also helps for them to get a deep clean and a more manageable haircut.
The key to maintaining a happy home with dogs is to ultimately clean and tidy a little each day to avoid a large mess. The extra few minutes will be worth it! Let’s show that it is possible to have both dogs and a clean house!
