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Not sure if I should post this here or in the house forum.
My niece has a dog, lab like, and we are in Florida. Lots of rain, lots of sand. Her floors are constantly dirty from the dog walking stuff in.
Recommend a front door mat or indoor rug or whatever that will help with the dirt and sand. I want to surprise her with one but I've no idea what to get.
When I was a kid, my mom bred and trained dogs - and we lived in coastal Florida. Today I have two dogs who, as part of their job, have to walk on beaches and sometimes dirty fields. The dogs always have to get in the car to leave work sites, so I have seat covers, and the car gets a REGULAR vacuuming. Both the dogs and I track sand into the car. I don't know of anything other than cleaning up after. That cleaning cup would probably work, but it would require more attention than I'd give. Although, when the dogs get REALLY dirty - which sometimes they do - tracking through the mud at the edge of a pond can get really stinky - I will give them a shower on returning home. And I'll pull the seat covers and wash them. I've got spares.
I think the best key is a closed waiting/holding area with a good absorbant rug in it. Mud room or crate/pen for them to spend even a few minutes walking on a rug or towels to knock most of the sand and dirt off before coming in.
Dogs are going to track the outdoors indoors. It's just life with dogs. Regardless what type of mat or rug you put down, you need to keep the dog on it long enough for some of what's on their paws to shake, drop, or rub off. You'll still need to shake or wash the rug/mat out to get rid of the mess or the dog's pads will pick it up again and track it around anyway. Buy a washable rug that will go with the decor.
FWIW, I usually keep a bucket partially filled with water on a mat, a sponge and towel near the door the dog goes in and out of the most. Most of my dogs got used to putting feet into the bucket for a quick rinse on command.
What about a nicer-looking broom/dustpan combo to keep by the door? Embrace the tool's presence...find a whimsical artsy one she might enjoy.
Last edited by Parnassia; 06-07-2023 at 05:29 PM..
When I was a kid, my mom bred and trained dogs - and we lived in coastal Florida. Today I have two dogs who, as part of their job, have to walk on beaches and sometimes dirty fields. The dogs always have to get in the car to leave work sites, so I have seat covers, and the car gets a REGULAR vacuuming. Both the dogs and I track sand into the car. I don't know of anything other than cleaning up after. That cleaning cup would probably work, but it would require more attention than I'd give. Although, when the dogs get REALLY dirty - which sometimes they do - tracking through the mud at the edge of a pond can get really stinky - I will give them a shower on returning home. And I'll pull the seat covers and wash them. I've got spares.
I had a moment of clarity and thought after posting this reply. What do you use on the beach, to wash sand and salt off when leaving? A shower. Some beaches will even have shower heads placed down low, just for feet. How could you do something like this with your dogs? Use a hose and spray nozzle. A quick wash-off, and all you have to deal with is wet dog.
Which is exactly what I do when I come home with muddy dogs (from swimming or mucking about in the muddy/silty bottoms of ponds and wetlands). If the weather is too cold for using the hose, they get in the shower. The hose is easier.
You can buy super absorbent floor mats that will take a lot of the water. I've got a few of those at my back door that the dogs must walk across as they come inside. The mats are rubber backed so moisture doesn't go through to the floor.
As long as the dogs don't have a self activated doggy door, many people wipe the feet as the dog comes in. Dogs easily learn to stop and wait for their feet when they first come inside.
My dogs don't track a lot of water in because they are not hairy, It helps to trim the hair on the feet if the dog has any long or soft hair.
My dogs don't track in dirt because I maintain a good lawn in the backyard. Playing on grass keeps the dogs lot cleaner than playing in wet dirt.
Roomba helps. Whatever dog hair and dirt that comes in with the dogs, Roomba wanders around once a day and cleans it up.
My dogs don't track in dirt because I maintain a good lawn in the backyard. Playing on grass keeps the dogs lot cleaner than playing in wet dirt.
Good point. Providing a "absorption area" outside the house to intercept mud, dirt, sand will reduce what the dogs will bring in. For my current house its larger diameter gravel or grass. During the winter everything's frozen solid or snowcovered. Spring thaw always brings a reminder of how dirty the outside world actually is for dog paws.
Our problem was the dogs bringing in dirt and mud. And since we live on a farm you can guess what a lot of the mud is made out of. We found this type of rug really made a difference:
The only downside is that it's a little TOO plush. One of our dogs thought it was her new bed and would try to move it to where she wanted to lay.
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