Lesson 2: Accidents And Cleanup
Why cleaning up accidents properly is so important and how to do it
Good Dog is on a mission to educate the public and make it simple for people to get dogs from good sources and for reputable breeders, shelters and rescues to put their dogs in good homes.
Good Dog is on a mission to educate the public and make it simple for people to get dogs from good sources and for reputable breeders, shelters and rescues to put their dogs in good homes.
Good Dog is on a mission to educate the public and make it simple for people to get dogs from good sources and for reputable breeders, shelters and rescues to put their dogs in good homes.
You might be thinking, “I know how to clean up after my dog,” but a dog's sense of smell is actually sharper than our own. We may clean well enough that we would never know an accident happened, but our pups can still pick up on it. It's this same sense of smell that tells a dog where to go to the bathroom, so if you don’t remove those odors well enough, your dog will return to the same spot over and over.
Cleanup Supplies
Luckily, you only need a few items for proper clean if your pup ever has an accident in your house (or someone else's!).
- To completely remove all traces of an accident, use an enzymatic cleaner, such as Simple Solution™, Nature’s Miracle™, or Skout's Honor. These products are made to completely remove urine and feces, as well as odors, from most surfaces. Be sure to clearly read the instructions in order for the cleaners to work effectively
- Have lots of paper towels on hand during this time. Good quality paper towels will make cleanup much easier
- Poop bags are important to use whenever you walk your puppy off your property, but they are also helpful for cleanup indoors
- (optional) If your puppy has already had a number of accidents in your house, you might want to get a fluorescent UV (or black) light. These lights cause organic material to glow so you can see the last remnants of accidents and clean them up completely
Thorough Cleanup is Key
When your puppy has an accident, thorough cleanup is critical to house-training success. Below are tips for cleaning a variety of surfaces.
On a hard surface, like tile or wood
- Pick up any poop and/or wipe urine up with paper towels
- Clean the area fully with Nature's Miracle®, Simple Solution®, or Skout’s Honor, or another enzymatic cleaner
- Leave the area damp with the enzymatic cleaner so the evaporation process removes the smell
On carpet or a rug or carpet
- Pick up any solid waste
- Soak up any liquid waste by placing 8-10 layers of folded paper towels on top of the accident and standing on the towels
- Repeat the process until the towels come up nearly dry
- Soak the area with an enzymatic cleaner
- Use paper towels again to soak up any excess
- Let the carpet air dry
For more cleanup tips, watch the video tutorial below:
Dr. Gayle Watkins, PhD is the Founder of Avidog, the leading educational platform for dog breeders and puppy owners, and Gaylan's Golden Retrievers, her 40-year breeding program. Today, Gayle is the only golden retriever AKC Gold Breeder of Merit, and is a three-time AKC “Breeder of the Year.”
