Dogs vs keeping the house clean!/Dogs on furnature HELP!!!???

[Bounceback]

I hope this is the right section to post this in!!

I’ve recently moved in (although I’ve been living here for the last 7 months) Anyways, The boyfriend has 2 dogs, a Jack Russell/Beagle X (really someone please take this dog!!) and a 2y/o adopted Pit - both female and I have a 4 year old GSD, also a female… We live on a working farm, soy beans, corn, hay, straw, blah blah blah, you get the idea… so it’s messy no matter how you look at it…

My question, shot of frustration… I feel like I am constantly cleaning the same thing over and over again due to the dogs… mud everywhere, just they seem to destroy the house no matter what, I’ll spend all day doing floors (hardwood) sweeping, mopping and so on and as soon as they go outside and come back in it seems like all that work was for nothing.

Does anyone else have the same problem? Or any advice on how to keep things cleaner?

Also, another little vent with keeping the house clean, My dog was never one to jump on the couch and go to sleep until we started staying here, His dogs (mainly the Jack) feel the need to jump up at any given time and lick themselves to the point where the couch is soaked and over time it starts to smell HORRIBLE! To the point where I won’t even sit on it without a blanket over it. The pit has gotten better, (we have a designated chair that she knows she’s allowed to go on, they all do) but why do they insist on jumping on the things they KNOW their not supposed to. We both correct them when they jump up but it doesn’t seem to matter…

We got a new couch, but have not moved in the living room yet, my worry is that they will destroy this one also… Does anyone have any suggestions on how to keep them off the furniture?

I just hate not having people over due to the fact that I can never keep anything clean long enough and I hate feeling ashamed of what the house looks like.

-T

[KateKat]

well…you live on a farm, and the dogs are outside all day? They’re going to get dirty. So maybe before letting them in, wipe them down first?

As for the couch jumping-you just have to be firm about it. When they get off the couch, that is when you need to praise them or give them a treat. Also, if you don’t have dog beds out already, buy some. When they lie down on those, they get praise/a treat. You have to work at it, and be consistent.

[jherold]

Dogs + Farm = Dirt. Having a mud room where they can stay when wet helps. Cover the furniture and only uncover it for guests. Keep up the training to teach the dogs that they are not allowed on the furniture, EVER. The boyfriend can not slip up and occassionally let them up because then they just get confused.

If one of the dogs is licking himself that much, it might be some sort of physical problem (allergies) or ocd issue. That would need to be checked by the vet.

It sounds like you resent his dogs. Try not to. They are a package deal. Try training the beagle cross and see if she gets better with a little direction and attention.

That many dogs in the house is going to equal lots of hair and dirt. Try not to be too anal about it.

[Bounceback]

I don’t mean to come off that way, I love the Pit, but not a huge fan on the Jack (she doesnt like to get wet (go out after a rain) so she’d much rather just go in the house no matter how long you have her outside for (only reason Im not a huge fan of this dogs…)

a dog doing that is the only real way to make me not really care for it.

[spook1]

…It’s a impossibility…I’ve tried… I also have 3 dogs one being a german shedder…

[threedogpack]

Several ideas.

Is there a way to have an outside kennel built (I got mine at TSC), maybe a 6x10? If so and you can line the area with bricks/concrete/pavers, perhaps they can stay out there to dry off.

For the couch behavior, get a clicker and some dog beds and shape them to stay on the dog bed. I think, just due to the mud etc, I’d also get a raised pvc bed and put the other on top of that. That way you can line the floor under with towels and/or shower curtains to protect the floor. You don’t want to have a dog bed be wet, but only on the bottom and ruin the floor. Most dogs want to be on a bed or couch because it’s comfortable and soft. If you can make another place AS comfortable and easier to get to, then add in training you’d be more likely to eliminate the couch behavior.

If you can purchase a kennel but don’t want to do the flooring, get an extra raised pvc bed and place out there. They’ll use it rather than sit on the ground.

If they can be dried off before coming in, then a quick go-over with a soft bristle brush will catch any stuck on bits and it will dramatically reduce the hair/mud.

If you do not already own a rubber bristle broom, they are incredibly useful for both hardwood and fabric. I have two from Simply Good Stuff
http://www.simplygoodstuff.com/rubber_brooms.htm

and I love them. They pick up stuff I did not even know was there. I have a hand held one for my bed and the couch.

If the JRT/Beagle is licking himself, he may have a skin issue that is being made worse or created by all the dirt next to his skin. If he will allow it, see if he’s irritated somewhere.

[KateKat]

[QUOTE=Bounceback;5808489]
I don’t mean to come off that way, I love the Pit, but not a huge fan on the Jack (she doesnt like to get wet (go out after a rain) so she’d much rather just go in the house no matter how long you have her outside for (only reason Im not a huge fan of this dogs…)

a dog doing that is the only real way to make me not really care for it.[/QUOTE]

You know, my friend has a Rat Terrier who was a bit the same way. And part of the problem was the dog was never really put on a potty training schedule (my friend worked odd days and weird hours). So if I were you, I might go back to potty training 101 with this dog, and maybe even consider crating during the day. Because yea…going potty in the house is NOT COOL. I thought that you were just getting frustrated with your dogs being dirty/furry, which is well, the natural state of being a dog

[BetterOffRed]

Apart from endlessly repeating the serenity prayer? Or hiring a maid?

Maybe get one of those shock mats too keep the dogs off the furniture. My sister had to get one of those to keep her lab off of her new leather couch. Now she doesn’t even turn it on, she just puts it on the furniture when she leaves the house and the dog knows not to get on the furniture.

[Touchwhip]

I feel your pain, we live in an area that has this horrible red mud, almost like clay and I’ve had to resort to keeping the dogs in their own room (laminate floors and zero upholstered furniture. We are fortunate enough to have a room we can designate to the dogs, not everyone is a lucky. I suggest bathing once a week and putting muddy dogs in an area that they can’t soil everything.

As for the jumping on couches. We had this problem with our white dog at night, he would sneak downstairs and sleep on the couch. (White heavy shedding dog + dark green couch = tattle tale) So we took an old floor mat, one of those plastic ones that you use under a computer that has the little spikies to keep it in place, we put it spiky side up and covered it with a thin blanket, he learned really quickly not to jump on the couch.

We also splurged and got a Roomba with out tax returns. I love this thing! I set it to run twice a day and it really keeps the hair levels down. With a German Shepard, a Husky and a collie mix I was sweeping 3-4 times a day just to keep up. The Roomba has saved my life!

[glfprncs]

I had my dog hair on the furniture epiphany the day I realized it was called "FUR"niture for a reason.

[jetsmom]

Leather furniture is a godsend with dogs. Easy to clean, easy to vacuum hair off, and pretty sturdy. I have 2 leather couches that are about 8 yrs old and still look great. During that time I’ve had 3 dogs averaging 50 lbs each that are allowed on furniture.

[wendy]

potty in the house is unacceptable- if a dog is going in the house, the dog needs to be re-trained as if never housebroken, which is the case here, because a truly housebroken dog tries very hard to not-go in the house.

Fur in the house, is, however, simply part of having dogs. Brushing them regularly (try a furminator) is your best bet to cut down on the fur. Dog towels in the entry-way are a must for cutting down on mud/wet being tracked into the house.

They get on the furniture because your BF taught them it was ok to do so. Unless he’s on-board with re-training them he won’t help you re-train them and will probably not-enforce it when you aren’t around. Re-training is always more difficult than training-from-scratch. I don’t mind dogs on furniture- I just put a cover over it which gets washed regularly and removed when more fastidious persons come over.

[Bicoastal]

You’ve gotten lots of great advice: train the bf :winkgrin:, brush the dogs, use a slipcover.

Definitely sounds like there are inconsistent rules about the furniture, which means the dogs’ behavior will continue through no fault of their own.

When I lived on a ranch, after a rain or if conditions were yucky, I would ex-pen an area just inside the door. Dogs stayed there until they were dry/wiped off. Cheap and easy solution to at least contain the mess.

Currently, I sticky roll the couch, don’t pet Shedder while on the couch or you’ll create a pile of loose hairs, brush Shedder weekly, vacuum weekly, dogs only allowed on furniture by invitation. I offer all guests a turn with the sticky roller before they leave :lol:.

[casper324]

I tell my German Shedder daily that she is lucky I love her so much because she alone is more work then the other 2 put together. My husband LOVES to complain about the condition of my house when he’s angry. I stopped taking it to heart and finally asked, OK which of the 3 dogs do I get rid of? Shut him up! Farming/horses is a life style and a lot of hard work. Pick your battles and keeping the floor spotless on a farm with dogs is impossible. I have found that designating my laundry room/muck room for wet dogs is good as long as I’ve put up the laundry. I also buy my shoes/boots based on the soles and tread and take them off when ever I enter the house. Not an advertisement but I LOVE MY NEW SHARK LIFT AWAY vaccume which also came with a free steam mop!

However the best ssolution is a good friend…I have a friend with OCD, luckily for me her thing is cleaning. When it gets bad all I do is call her over and tell her to leave her medicated patch off. G

[Bounceback]

Thanks for the advice, Bf is off and on which I don’t think is helping, He’ll get into playing Xbox and the dogs will “sneak up” on the couch… I told him once we move the new one in… We’re got to crack down on it…

I’d love to have a leather couch, but don’t their nails put holes in it? I mean I do the dogs nails weekly but I would think they would put holes in it…

There is a blanket on it now, but the old one is so beat there’s no point in trying anymore… I’m just hoping once the new one goes in maybe, just maybe he’ll help me out a little…

we’ll see…

FYI - I have OCD, it drives me nuts I can’t keep up… I mean I have OCD bad!

thanks for the input everyone!

[jetsmom]

No their nails don’t put holes in it. They don’t even scratch it. Once you own a leather couch with dogs, you’ll never go back to fabric.

[li_l_bit]

When our ten year old dobie became incontinent due to diabetes, which is under control now, I was ready to throw her and the couch outside permanently.

I found a economical solution to keeping her and all the rest of them off the couch, though. I bought two 2’X8’ pieces of white plastic lattice board, and had husband cut it to fit on the couch. Ours is a sectional so we had to cut into 3 or 4 foot pieces. But with a straight, long couch it would be even easier. It works great. I provide plenty of pads and beds on the floor for them to choose from to lie down. The lattice also makes great doggie gates with a couple of hooks and snaps installed on the doorways.

[RacetrackReject]

I just dry my dogs and wipe their feet before they come in the house, and if they smell, I bathe them. I also stay vigilant in washing the dog beds and crate comfort pads. It works well doing it this way so far.
I let my Jack Russell get on the couch because he’s a cuddle bug and likes to sit in your lap when you watch television. =)

[Simkie]

@jetsmom;5809830

No their nails don’t put holes in it. They don’t even scratch it. Once you own a leather couch with dogs, you’ll never go back to fabric.

CATS, however, will totally destroy a leather couch

[wendy]

[I’m just hoping once the new one goes in maybe, just maybe he’ll help me out a little…

[/quote]

if you want them to stay off the new couch (another vote for leather) you might want to start now training them to stay off all couches…