What to Do When Your Puppy Pees on the Floor

Alright, the deed is done, it's too late to go back, now what? Mr. Fluffykins just peed on the rug, and you've got to act! But swatting him with a newspaper isn't going to solve the issue, in fact you'll probably only make it worse. When the worst happens and your beloved canine friend takes a piddle in your house, here are some tips for handling the aftermath.

First thing is first. Say "No" to the puppy in a stern voice, and then take him outside. Before you do anything else, take the darn puppy outside. The dog needs to associate peeing with the outdoors. If he has a little piddle left, praise him generously when he does. You want praise to outweigh rebukes, because if you rebuke the puppy too often for piddling, he'll start to think you hate seeing him eliminate. This leads to little Fido finding a hiding place for he pee and poo, which is even worse than having it in the middle of the floor because you have to hunt for it. Let him know that potty is good, it just needs to be outside, that's all.

It's very important that you clean the carpet ASAP. If the pee sits for more than a few seconds it will soak into the carpet and reach the foam underlayer, and you can never get it out of there, no matter what you do. If there are two people in the house, assign one to take the puppy outside, and another to clean the mess. If not, take care of it after you get back inside.

First, pat the stain gently to soak up any excess piddle. Then, spray the area with your carpet cleaning agent of choice (I prefer Oxyclean). Let the agent sit for a minute, and then pat the area again. Don't rub, that'll just smear the scent around. If you have multiple pups I really recommend getting an upright steam cleaner, it'll save your carpets. My Bissel cost me about a hundred bucks, but it was one of the best investments I've made. It got so much crud out of the carpets, they looked brand new.

There are also things you can do to prevent another accident. First, learn your puppy's potty habits. Some typical traits include sniffing the ground and circling. Watch your puppy before he pees, and if he is exhibiting these behaviors in the house, take him outside. Don't forget to praise him when he pees!

Another thing that I have found helps is to keep dogs in an area that is not carpeted when you aren't at home. The carpet holds even the slightest traces of prior accidents and attracts more of the same. Since I've kept my dogs on the laminate flooring during the day, they have only had accidents when they have been unwell.

Good luck potty training your puppy! I know it can be frustrating and infuriating sometimes, but the joy you receive from your best friend is more than worth it.