The wind has set in, and the days are getting colder and colder. With the weather change comes the rain. For dog owners everywhere, rain means mucky pups!!
On every single walk now, I find that I am having to clean the dogs afterwards. It doesn’t rain every day thankfully, but the lack of sunshine means that mud and puddles linger for much longer than they did previously.
Like many owners, I don’t like washing my dogs every day so use various other strategies to keep my 3 dogs clean and my apartment free of muddy footprints and wet dogs
By my front door, I have a set of hanging rods designed for coats but that I have modified as my dog area.
I have their leads and collars hanging up ready for any walk. But I also store the dogs jumpers and coats here so that they are all in one place.
I have a bag filled with Kleen Pet dog mitts. I use these for cleaning the underside of each dog (which gets super dirty with small dogs) and cleaning all 4 paws. What this does is reduces the dirt coming into the apartment and also cleans the dogs naturally. I then turn the mitt inside out and do a quick once over on the tops of the dogs and their tail.
I like the Kleen Pet Waterless cleaning glove because it stands up to any grubby dog (even fox poo), and also uses natural ingredients with minimal fragrance.
If you have a wrinkly faced dog (frenchie, bulldog, shar pei), these are perfect to get inside those spaces where the mud and grim collect in a nice easy manner
Jester rolling in mud (and fox poo) Alan Wright Phorography
As silly as it sounds, we sometimes don’t notice where Fido is walking while out on a walk. Often what we think is just a tiny puddle, ends up being the largest (and deepest) Bog of Eternal Stench we have ever come across. Keeping Fido nice and close while on lead prevents him being able to dive into the puddles while out on a walk.
If your dog is off lead and you see him heading towards a nasty puddle, use it as an opportunity to practise your recall and get him back as fast as you can.
If looks could kill!! Alan Wright Photography
In the city, most drivers don’t care if they drive through a puddle at record speed spraying mud and water on whoever walks by. By getting into the habit of keeping your dog closest to the buildings while walking, you can avoid the “overspray” from the cars on the street.
Dry Houdini after a well timed walk
Download a weather app on your phone that gives you hourly breakdowns. If it is due to rain at 9am, take Fido out an hour earlier for his walk. Sometimes avoidance is the best policy. We have been known to condense our walks into smaller breaks in order to avoid bad weather. Sometimes it is just easier to give two, 15 minute walks and avoid the rain rather than one 30 minute walk.
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Great tips! When it (rarely) rains here in winter, we do definitely plan around the weather to avoid muddy paws. But if we can’t, we do keep a towel by the door.
lucky you. No rain
Oh dear – what a mucky pup. LOL One of my cats loves to ‘get dirty’ when we go outside – if there’s mud or a pile of dirt, he’ll find it.
glad to see it is not just the dogs
oh the struggle of a muddy pup… i know this all to well I always have towels on hand cause I know one of my pups will always find the biggest muddiest puddle.
the bigger and muddier the better
Yep, that’s what Jack looks like when he comes back from his walk. I keep towels right near the door, and he gets put straight into the sink.
hahahahah poor Jack
Layla hates the wet grass so never have a problem there, she is a Diva BOL, but what I do when bringing her in from a wet walk I dry her off with a towel especially her paws.
we never found that towels got rid of the smell though
The bog of eternal stench – that’s hysterical. I know this challenge – especially challenging with light colored dogs.
having one white dog is not fun!! lol
Clean? Our dogs don’t do clean LOL
lol
Rainy fall weather can make such a mess! Thankfully, my kitties are indoors-only and there isn’t much clean up. I have had dogs in the past, though, and you are right about those deceptive little mud puddles! Dogs always find a way to get as much mud on them as possible.
our cat liked mud also. weird cat lol
Kilo the Pug usually dislikes getting his paws wet and walking in rain or mud. He denies he needs to pee until the last minute and we definitely cut the time short. He rushes in afterwards and rubs off on the nice white couches so I keep some super absorbent towels I like by the back and front doors and reduce the mess a little. Lucky he has short hair and doesn’t roll or anything.
you are lucky
Wow! I clicked on the link for the Kleen Pet Dog Mits and I love them! I have used wipes before which were nothing more than ultra thin baby wipe like things, but these look awesome and love that they are actually mits not just wipes.
Also great tips !
We absolutely love them. Complete game changer for us
My sister’s Australian Shepherd looked like the muddy pup this afternoon on the farm, but he was having a great time.
oh they absolutely love it at the time…. but not the bath afterwards!! lol
Haha That looked like Dexter. We try to get out and about every day unless the weather is really bad. And, yup, he looks like that in his yellow rain coat. Great tips!
it’s that time of year 🙁
OH boy, that first picture is too funny! Mom always wishes that she could teach us how to wipe our paws, she just uses some smelly wipes. BOL!
You should try the Kleen Pet ones. They are amazing
Oh, some puppy looks like they had some fun in the mud! My Huskies do not like the rain, but they sure do love playing in mud puddles! I like Golden Daily Scoops thought – if only our pups could wipe their own paws! Wouldn’t that be so helpful?! 🙂
that would be a game changer 🙂
Good tips! I feel like it’s impossible to keep Gracie clean. Dirt just sticks to her. Luckily Echo doesn’t seem to have that problem
In think Huskies just have that kinda coat. Dirt magnets
Such a great post. Always looking for better ways to keep my guys clean. I have an Aussie pup now and he is always rolling in the dirt/mud! I am used to my small, smooth coated dogs!
Oh the joys of a smelly dog roll!! lol
Mr. N usually wears a coat which keeps some of the muck off and he needs his paws washed at the very least.
We never find a coat helps….but maybe we just havent found the right one yet
Great tips! Our winters are so full of snow, the main thing we have to worry about is when it gets all balled up in their fur.
Oh yes, those hateful Bogs of Eternal Stench! The mud is the worst, my Husky often traipses mud into our house from the backyard. I’m so grateful we have a tile floor in the kitchen! I love pet wipes, they’ve saved me many times.
Love & Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
LOL, glad to see my dogs aren’t the only ones who are pig pens. Fortunately, there are a couple self-groom locations near me so I can give them nice warm baths in the winter.