A guide on how to keep dogs from peeing on rugs?
Before I answer that question, I will help you understand what smells dogs hate. If you spray products with these smells on rugs, it will deter your dogs from peeing on them.
If you are wondering what are the best rugs for dogs that pee, visit that guide to find the answer.
Additionally, I also wrote a similar guide on how to stop cats from peeing on rugs.
How To Keep Dogs From Peeing On Rugs In Four Ways
Contents
1. Identify The Cause
Knowing why the dog is peeing on the rugs will help you solve the problem more accurately and objectively.
Below are some possible reasons;
A new dog
You might have brought a new puppy or dog home.
Such dogs are not trained or accustomed to your house rules, so they are likely to pee on rugs. They might also be stressed by seeing new people and things.
Peeing on rugs might be a way to get off the tension.
Change of environment
Moving into a new house, and traveling with your dog to a new place can lead to tension expressed through peeing.
New house guests
You might have brought a new dog home, so the old dog will urinate on rugs as a way of marking territories.
Potty problems
The potty might be too dirty or placed in the wrong location such that the dog will avoid using it.
Feuding dogs
If you have several dogs in your home, there might be some who bully smaller ones.
The bullied dog may avoid areas where other dogs go to pee to keep away from the feud.
Dirty rug
Dogs are attracted by the smell of rot, decomposing stuff, and dirt. If your rug is not cleaned regularly, it will always attract the dog to pee on it.
Medical issues
A dog might have urinary problems because of several medical conditions like a urinary tract infection, blockage of the urinary tract, kidney problems, and other metabolic diseases like diabetes.
For example, senior dogs or puppies will always have inconsistence problems if not well-trained.
Poorly trained
If the dog is not well-trained, then it will pee on rugs. Check out this dog training manual to understand how to do it right.
2. Clean Up The Mess Properly
Clean It Immediately
If you do not clean up the spot immediately and get out all the smells, those enzymes will produce odors that will attract the dog to do the peeing once again on the same spot.
If you let those enzymes sit in longer, cleaning them will require chemical products that will break them up and take away the smells completely.
Unlike homemade cleaning products, chemical ones can be harmful to your pets and also trigger allergic reactions in asthmatic people in your home.
Enzymatic cleaners are the most recommended products. Such cleaners will get dog urine or pee smell out of rugs completely.
When putting enzymatic cleaners on the rugs, their catalysts will react with the urine enzymes, speeding up the decomposing process.
Use Enzymatic Cleaners
The most recommended enzymatic cleaners are urine stain and odor removers like the one below;
Rocco & Roxie Stain & Odor Eliminator Enzymatic Cleaner
- It eliminates both stains, and the smell-making is double effective
- Apart from dog pee, it can also remove smells and stains from vomit or feces from crawling babies or organic spills from refinished floors, among other sources.
- It’s an enzyme-based catalyst that will get deep into the rug fibers and remove all the ammonia crystals or any other organic matter.
- It is safe to use with pets, children, and other delicate people or animals.
- It does not leave residue or stains when sprayed on rugs.
- Apart from rugs, it can also be used on carpets, clothes, floors, and furniture, among other surfaces.
3. Use Dog Deterrents & Repellents
A deterrent will discourage the dog from peeing on the rug. It will also instill some fear in the dog since they do not want the consequences.
One example of a deterrent you can use is spraying the rug with smells that dogs hate, such as;
Commercial Pet Repellents
Sprays like this Bodhi Do Not Urinate Here Repellent Spray will discourage your dog from peeing on specific areas when they smell it.
Apart from sprays, you can also use E-collars like this SportDOG Brand 425X E-Collar will vibrate or produce some tone when the dog starts peeing. The fear of that sound will discourage the dog from peeing on any spot in your home.
You can also use motion sensor detectors like this izbie Z1 Animal Repellent, which will produce some solar rays or sound at the dog’s movement.
Natural repellents
Citrus is one of the natural smells which dogs hate.
Lemons, limes, and grapefruit are some of the fruits of Citrus. Add three drops of juice from any of those fruits, then add them to a water bottle. Shake the mixture and spray it on the rug.
You can also use Citrus Essential Oils if you do not have natural fruits. Add 20 drops of the oil into a water bottle. Shake well and spray on the rug.
You can also use Alcohol, Vinegar, or Baking soda if you do not have Citrus.
Physical barrier deterrents
For example, you can close the doors of rooms with rugs the dog likes to pee on.
If the room does not have a door, you can place temporary barriers like a baby gate or a motion-sensing deterrent to keep the dog from accessing the rug area.
4. Use These Sprays
Dog Stop Peeing Spray
Instead of yelling “get out of here,” this Bodhi Dog Not Here Spray will do that for you.
You must clean out any stains or smells left by the dog’s urine or pee before using this spray.
It can be used in both indoor and outdoor spaces.
Apart from rugs, it’s also safe to use them on fabric, furniture, and floors.
They are made from eco-friendly products, making them safe for the environment, children, pets, and other delicate people.
It is very affordable since you get it for less than $15.
It has more than 2,500 customer reviews on Amazon which means it’s a product commonly used in many households in the United States.
Dog Deterrent Spray or a Dog Repellent Spray
You can buy a commercially made one like this Gannicks Bitter taste spray or make one at home using readily available ingredients as explained in this post and the video below.
Potty Training Spray
NaturVet Potty Here Training Aid Spray is the most recommended choice.
Your puppy might be peeing on rugs because it cannot identify the right potty spots.
This spray has an attractive smell that will catch your dog’s attention and encourage it to pee in the right places.
All you have to do is spray this on the dog potty so that they can mark that spot through the scent of the spray.
Great for use in both outdoor and outdoor spaces.
Any Other Spray With These Smells
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- Citrus is found in natural fruits like lime, lemon, oranges, and grapefruits.
- Alcohol has a strong scent that is irritating to both humans and dogs.
- Vinegar has a strong smell that causes discomfort to both humans and dogs.
- Pepper has Capsaicin, a chemical that is irritating to the nose. Cayenne powder is mostly the sour of pepper used to deter dogs.
- Ammonia soaked in cotton balls or rugs has a very irritating smell.
- Mothballs can be poisonous to humans, but it’s one of those smells which dogs hate. If you suspect that your rug has moths, check out this guide on how to get rid of moths in rugs.
- Fresh herbs smell from mint, rosemary, and other aromas keep away dogs.
- Household cleaners, especially those with Ammonia, Chlorine, Vinegar, or Alcohol, will keep away dogs.
- Perfumes or colognes with a powerful scent will keep away dogs.
How To Keep Dogs From Peeing On Rugs
