Dirty, dirty dogs! (shepherd, golden retriever, clean, paws)
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My two rather large pups (50-ish lbs each) have managed to destroy whatever grass I had in their play area and, coupled with the lack of rain, it's now one large dirt pile. They, of course, think it's great fun to lie in the dirt, dig in the dirt, roll in the dirt, and generally do whatever they can to get themselves dirty.
Then they come inside and shake, with the result being a Pigpen-like cloud of dust, and a layer of schmutz on everything in the house.
I've tried brushing, but it just doesn't do the job. I've tried a Zoom Groomâ„¢ kind of thing, also with limited success. I'd like to just hose 'em down, but I simply can't do that every time they go in and out.
Any suggestions? One pup is a medium-curly-haired Golden-ish looking mutt while the other is a shorter-haired-with-a-thick-undercoat shepherd-ish looking mutt.
Location: Montreal -> CT -> MA -> Montreal -> Ottawa
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I know this shmutz that you speak of. I know it well.
Actually, I only have your problem when it's hot outside and Artie digs a hole in the dirt so that he can lie in the "fresh" cool soil underneath.
My real problem is when it rains and the non-grassy areas turn to mud. Those areas are like magnets to Artie. He gallops through those areas as if to taunt me. Then he comes inside with wet shmutz on his feet, up his legs. And because those legs are short, there's mud on his crotch and belly.
At each door, I have an Artie towel. Whenever he's dirty, I give him a rub down with his towel so that he doesn't track it in. Do you think a towel -- just to release the dirt into that one area of your house -- would do the trick? That way, you'd only have to sweep or vacuum that one area, rather than wherever the pups go.
I was googling yesterday and found a product called the "Water-Less Towel" (As Seen on TV! ) that supposedly removes dirt. It's a microfiber towel, and there are other similar products online, also purporting to help remove schmutz.
I'll start with a regular cotton towel, and if that doesn't do the job, I might try one of the microfiber ones.
Dark, I feel your pain - with 7 it's impressive. In and out all day long - the good news is that I think I'll be able to garden in the house soon.
Post again if that towel thing works. I have regular towels for all the dogs, but Max the Mastiff has a thing for laundry. Sigh.
To Cittic - I don't know about Dark, but I have almost 3/4 acre under privacy fencing and 7 dogs from 10-160 lbs. How is it you would like for me to fix the problem? Can't grow grass. Can't gravel it all. Can't dig a big pond. Dogs gotta go out.
I'm all about someone giving me a solution, too! If you have a suggestion, I'm all ears...absolutely ALL ears!
Wish I had some suggestions for you but since mine ride in the car to go to places most of the dirt and grass ends up on the dog bed in the back of the Subaru so all I have to do is shake it out.
That said Chaos wants you to keep in mind that Dirty dogs have more fun. She tends to push her boyfriend Jordy down at the dog park then grab his collar and drag him through the dirt , he is on his back or side. Jordy is a white golden retriever he comes to the park white but leaves as a brown dog as he is so covered in dirt from Chaos dragging him and silly thing is he loves it!
Actually, Dark, I'd already considered a big old piece of artificial turf to go on the back deck...hoping that would grab the stuff off their feet. I can't find any, and Max the Mastiff/Laundry Thief carries off any doormats. I was looking for a big chunk. I live in a rural area with exactly 1 big box home improvement store - I guess I'll have to import a piece. Yes, it's ugly, but not as ugly as my white kitchen floor is right now (as I play on CD and ignore it).
That's all I can think of, to put something washable/plastic and textured down to catch the excess from their paws that can be sprayed off. Just a hint - don't even bother with the 3 x 5 low pile doormats that are backed by rubber. Once the dirt is in them you can never get it out and they are pretty expensive to just throw away. The solution to that is to donate your used ones to my Museum of Dead Doormats, though. I have a fine collection.
You could fence off a smaller area and use pea gravel or the astro turf kind of stuff they have at doggie day care, and let them in that smaller area most times to go potty. They could play in the big area once or twice a day (or not at all on days when you finally get a big storm and it's a sea of mud) and that would cut down on the cleanup. It would be a big project but long-term it would be worth it. If they weren't in the larger area as much you might actually get grass to grow.
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) that supposedly removes dirt. It's a microfiber towel, and there are other similar products online, also purporting to help remove schmutz.
