Dogs and messes can seem to go hand in hand. Despite this fact of life, there are ways we can prevent the worst of them to keep our homes clean and pleasant. Check out the following five tips to help keep your beloved canine from making a mess at home.

First Rule of Thumb: Good Training

A well-trained dog is less likely to go about destroying your home. It’s best to focus on obedience and behavioral training when your canine is a puppy. But if you have recently adopted an older dog, it’s never too late to begin. Behavioral training is the most basic training. Obedience training is a close second and this training will help your pup learn how to live with humans. If your dog has mastered these, look at something called boundary training. This could help your furball to learn to control his or her impulses and to listen to us at all times, no matter the temptation.

Have Adequate Cleaning Supplies

Not all messes are going to be your pup’s fault. Sometimes they happen because of unfortunate circumstances. You can prevent accidents from occurring again (and give yourself peace of mind) by having the right cleaning supplies on hand to ensure you clean up the mess promptly. For potty incidents, have a good enzymatic cleaning solution on hand, which will help with removing smells to prevent your dog from associating the carpet with their bathroom breaks. For issues like fur, have a pet-friendly handheld vacuum cleaner to get into every crevice of your home, including your sofa and under the bed. To keep fur from accumulating in the first place, groom regularly and brush frequently between appointments.

Cannot Overstate this One: Take Walks Consistently

While every breed requires something different, they all need to be walked at least twice a day, and not only to use the bathroom. The reason is simple: A bored, under-stimulated dog is a destructive dog. Again, this isn’t your pet’s fault; instead, it’s a way to entertain themselves as well as get attention or release pent-up nervous energy. If you can’t go for walks yourself, try to have a family member or dog walker give your canine essential exposure to the outside world. Your carpet, backyard, and pillows will thank you.

Invest in Well-Made Enrichment Toys

Similarly, your dog thrives on stimulation and activity. Think about their position, as they may be left at home alone for hours at a time. If you were trapped at home with no entertainment, wouldn’t you become frustrated? This is where enrichment toys can come into play, in a manner of speaking. To discourage your furball from destroying furniture, get him or her a toy or snack that they can chew while you’re gone. When you’re home, make sure you’re engaging with them in some quality play time. After all, a tired dog is less liable to cause a disaster.

Offer Positive Reinforcement

When our pups do something particularly naughty or extra messy, we can be tempted to punish them to prevent the behavior from being repeated. This rarely works, and instead, it teaches our furry friends that they cannot trust us, which may increase negative behavior. Therefore, even when your patience is tested, stick to positive reinforcement. Usually, that involves giving your pooch a snack when they do something good, like get off the couch, or go to their own bed without prompting. So, the next time your dog has an accident on the carpet, instead of shoving their nose in it and telling them they’re bad, wait until they go outside, and then reward that behavior. This way, they associate the act of going outdoors with something nice.

Everyone, including our pets, deserves a happy home environment. That means doing all we can to ensure our houses don’t suffer from messes when we can avoid it. Of course, be patient when they do, but with some effort and preparation, you can avoid jumbles to come.

As always, if you are looking for the best training for your dog, consider an evaluation of your canine here at Pro-Train Innovative Dog Training. We offer a lifetime guarantee on all dogs trained through our programs.