Does your house smell like pet odor? If so, how can you effectively remove the offending smells without removing your pets?

A clean, fresh-smelling house without the overbearing chemical scents of many cleaners is possible. It does, however, require some preplanning, the right supplies, and a bit of elbow grease!

The First Step in Removing Pet Odors from Your Home

This is the surprise step that few pet owners think about when discussing removing pet odor from their surroundings: the health of their pet. If your pet has a medical condition that is causing the smell, how can you expect to get your house to smell clean and fresh?

Conditions like incontinence, urinary tract infections, infected anal glands, chronic diarrhea, ear infections, lip fold dermatitis, leaking lumps, and blocked male cats all have one thing in common—they all create unpleasant odors. Before you spend your valuable time and hard-earned money cleaning the house, ensure that your pet doesn’t have a treatable medical condition causing the malodors. Otherwise, it will be all for naught!

The Easy Clean-Ups!

One of the simplest ways to remove pet odor from your house is to regularly wash your pet’s bedding and anything else they may sleep on. If your pet has a favorite spot on the couch or your bed, cover it with a sheet or washable blanket to make cleanup easier. Bedding, your bedding, curtains, pillows, slipcovers, throw rugs, and your pet’s bed are all washable—take advantage of the washing machine and keep the fabrics in your house clean and fur-free.

Secrets to clean, odor-free fabrics? Add baking soda to the wash, avoid machine drying the fabrics, and if an offensive odor lingers, use a pet waste enzyme neutralizer available at most pet stores.

Dirty kitty litter is another easy-to-remove stench. Cats prefer a clean litter box, so use clumping litter and clean it daily. If the litter box is old and scratched, consider replacing it and cleaning the old one for recycling. Protect the new box by ensuring the litter is deep enough and the box is cleaned regularly.

Removing Pet Odors from Carpet

Pets and carpets are like kids and playgrounds: all about serious play and covering as much ground as possible! Both dogs and cats love to explore, learning the feel of new carpet and sniffing out all the new smells. Along with these smells, sometimes comes “marking” behavior. While this is normal, it’s no longer socially acceptable in our modern, often antiseptic world.

To clean the smell, you first need to locate it. Feces are easy to find, but dried urine can hide in dark carpets. Your options? Get on your hands and knees for a serious nose workout, or purchase a black light from your local hardware store. Black lights make bodily fluids fluoresce, making it easier to spot stains. A word of caution: black lights show every bodily fluid stain, so be prepared for “too much information”—an old carpet can tell quite a story, possibly one better left unheard!

If the accident is fresh and your carpet has a stain-resistant coating, gently place a paper towel over the wet spot and allow moisture to soak up without applying too much pressure. Excess pressure will push the liquid deeper into the carpet fibers. Once the pooling liquid is absorbed, apply pressure to clean up the remaining dregs.

To Shampoo or Not to Shampoo

The jury is still out on how effective regular steam cleaning is for your carpet. Harsh chemicals can break down carpet fibers, shortening their lifespan. However, unpleasant stains and odors will also reduce the lifespan of your carpet. Spot cleaning with a high-quality carpet cleaner and pet odor neutralizer should be the first step in maintaining your carpet’s freshness.

If spot cleaning doesn’t help combat pet odors, hire a professional carpet cleaner to tackle the problem. Experts in this field know how to remove pet stains and odors without over-cleaning and damaging fibers. Replacing wall-to-wall carpet is a huge investment, so it’s worth protecting by hiring professionals to help maintain it.

Is one area of the carpet worse than the rest? Sections of carpet can often be replaced if they are too worn or stained. Have a private carpet layer come into your home to offer suggestions on how to replace damaged areas and provide an estimate for the work.

Paint – The Last Resort to Removing Pet Odor

As surprising as it sounds, long-term, strong odors can be absorbed by paint. This is especially true for urine, whether from a tomcat spraying the walls or a stinky kitty litter box sitting in a small room for too long.

The easiest solution? Repaint. Paint can help seal in bad odors, giving your house a new, cleaner scent. Odorless and odor-removing paints are now available, making them perfect for homes with multiple pets and kids!

Removing pet odors from your home takes some effort. The most important step, however, is ensuring that your pet is healthy and happy, followed by removing the scent and possibly retraining.

A clean, fresh, pet-odor-free house is possible—even if your home sometimes feels like a zoo!

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Considering that neither the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) nor the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has ever issued a report or press release naming the types of dogs most likely to bite, it seems breed bans are a knee-jerk reaction to what experts say is not actually the cause of the problem.

The AVMA report, published from research collected by the AVMA Task Force on Canine Aggression, states:

“There are several reasons why it is not possible to calculate a bite rate for a breed or to compare rates between breeds. First, the breed of the biting dog may not be accurately recorded, and mixed-breed dogs are commonly described as if they were purebreds. Second, the actual number of bites that occur in a community is not known, especially if they did not result in serious injury. Third, the number of dogs of a particular breed or combination of breeds in a community is not known, because it is rare for all dogs in a community to be licensed, and existing licensing data is then incomplete.”

If This Is True, Do Breed Bans Work?

It seems every decade or so, a new breed must be demonized. In the 1970s, it was the German Shepherd. In the 1980s, it was the Doberman Pinscher, with the hype somewhat fueled by the TV show Magnum P.I., where two male Dobermans, Apollo and Zeus, kept Tom Selleck on his toes. In the 1990s, it was the pit bull and bull breeds. Breed-specific legislation (BSL) quickly followed, but do breed bans actually work?

BSL ranges from requiring certain breeds to be spayed or neutered to outright banning the breed entirely. Many countries have added breeds to the list of those to be banned, including Rottweilers, Japanese Tosa Inu, American Bulldogs, Cane Corso, Fila Brasileiro, Dogo Argentino, Presa Canario, and Presa Mallorquin.

Since the implementation of breed bans, many countries have repealed these laws after realizing that they did not actually reduce the incidents of dog bites or attacks. In fact, in the United Kingdom, one of the first adopters of BSL in 1991 with the strictest rules, reported in 2008 that dog attacks had increased by 50% in the previous decade. If anything, this proves that breed bans do not work and may actually lower public safety. Considering that the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is nicknamed the ‘nanny dog’ in the UK for being particularly good with children, one would think they would reconsider their stance based on the breed’s history, not the hype created by a single incident.

A 2006 study in Australia titled Breed-Specific Legislation and the Pit Bull Terrier: Are the Laws Justified? concluded that “the evidence does not sustain the view that pit bulls are a uniquely dangerous breed, and breed-specific laws aimed to control it have not been demonstrated by authorities to be justified by its attack record.”

Unfortunately, breed bans paint every member of the breed with the same brush while ignoring the actual problem: irresponsible ownership. The majority of pit bulls and other banned breeds are perfect members of canine society—loving, playful, well-behaved, and endearing pets much loved by their owners.

Owned by an irresponsible owner, any dog can become dangerous. Just ask the Californian family of the two-month-old baby who was killed by their 5lb Pomeranian, or the Canadian mail carrier who was seriously mauled by a pack of Chihuahuas. Conscientious pet owners understand what it takes to keep their pets happy, healthy, socialized, and safe.

Thankfully, many countries have repealed their breed ban laws and adopted responsible pet ownership models. Educating pet owners is one side of the coin, but the other is working with parents to educate their children on how to behave around dogs. On average, 70% of reported dog bites occur in children aged 12 and under. Never leave a child alone with any pet, and teaching children how to approach and behave around dogs is the most effective way to lower dog bite incidents in any community.

Do breed bans work? No. Responsible pet ownership is the only solution to preventing dog bites and attacks.

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Figuring out how to conquer pet odors is mostly common sense. A clean pet sleeping in clean bedding in a clean house is not going to smell.

Conquering Pet Odors at the Source

A clean smelling dog is more then just clean fur. Dirty ears, eyes, mouths, feet, fur and bottoms all contribute to the dog smell in a home.

Clean Ears for a Pet Odor Free Home

Dog ears are a lovely haven for several types of smelly bacteria. They are warm, wet and cozy caves that are often not part of a cleaning regime. That is, until there is a problem and once a problem arises, it is off to the vet.

Why not save yourself some money and keep your dog’s ears clean? Weekly cleanings help keep ears free of black goo, sweet smelling and healthy. It also helps you to be aware of a potential problem at the earliest stage, speeding up the recovery time as well as the cost of medicine. Speak with the staff at your veterinary clinic to see which ear cleaner they recommend and more information on how to clean your dog’s ears.

Clean Eyes for a Pet Odor Free Home

Eye boogers smell bad. It is an odd thing to say but it is true. Even healthy eyes produce eye boogers and depending on how and on what your pet removes them, over time they can affect the air quality in your home.

They are also a good way of monitoring your pet’s overall health. Eye boogers should be a slightly grey to brown color with a moist consistency. Green or yellow eye boogers or excessive quantities can indicate an eye infection or that something else is going on with the eye.

Wash your pet’s face each morning with a damp paper towel and carefully remove any excess eye boogers. Not only are you monitoring your pet’s health, but you are also making sure that any stinky eye boogers end up in the garbage and not all over your carpet.

A Clean Mouth for a Pet Odor Free Home

Humans brush their teeth once or twice daily to maintain a healthy and fresh smelling mouth. We also chew gum, suck on mints, floss and who knows what all else in order to remain socially acceptable.

Pets lick their bottoms. Dogs chew on bones and stinky rawhides. After eating their dinner, many pets wipe their faces on the carpet or furniture and when they sleep, they drool onto their pillows.

As pets age, their mouths become hot beds of bacteria and decay if left unchecked. The majority of older pet odor comes from a their mouth and before long, that smell is now throughout your house.

Why not prevent your pet the discomfort of gingivitis and tooth decay while keeping your house smelling fresh and clean? It is easy. Brush your pet’s teeth once a day and offer them breath freshening treats throughout the day. Not only will it save your pet the pain and discomfort of dental cleanings and tooth removal, it will help keep your house clean and smelling pet-free.

Clean Feet for a Pet Odor Free Home

Healthy pet feet are not a large contributor to pet odor in the house but they can track in some pretty stinky smells. When your pets come in from the great outdoors, wipe their paws to ensure they did not step in anything grim and that any mud and dirt stays off the carpet.

Handling your pet’s feet in this way when they are young also has the added benefit – they become used to it and do not fuss over being touched. Throughout their long healthy life, it will help you trim toenails and discover any potential conditions developing early that could cause problems later on.

Clean Fur and a Fur Free House for a Pet Odor Free Home

Clean fur that is free of dead coat is a vital part of your pet’s overall health.

Cats normally look after this for us and all we need to do to keep the house smelling fresh is to vacuum regularly. Longhaired cats do need to be brushed regularly but very few actually need to be bathed.

Dogs on the other hand need us to intervene now and then for a good shampoo to stay clean and healthy. Over-shampooing is not good either as it can make the skin produce more oils so moderation is the key. How often does your pet need to be bathed? Let your nose be the decision maker. Once they start to smell a bit doggy, its time.

Brushing is another secret weapon to conquering pet odor. Dead fur smells and although it takes a lot of dead fur to really stink up a house, by brushing the dead coat out and regularly vacuuming to suck up what fur is naturally shed, you will find your house stays cleaner and much fresher.

Clean Bottoms for a Pet Odor Free Home

Most of us avoid looking at our pet’s bottom and for good reason. However, that can be a sight for many bad pet odors.

Longhaired cats and dogs can have a hard time keeping the area clean, especially if they are suffering from a bout of diarrhea. If you know they have just gone the bathroom, save yourself some work and give them a quick inspection to make sure they are not going to leave behind anything stinky when they then sit on the wall-to-wall carpet.

The other concern is anal glands in dogs. Anal glands are natural lubricators to help ease the stool along that should release only when the dog defecates. Many breeds however are prone to infections and abscesses of the anal glands and that is a stink that will make any house uninhabitable.

Have your vet check their anal glands as part of your dog’s bi-yearly physical – a healthy bottom is a stink-free bottom.

The Common Sense Part of a Pet Odor Free Home

• If you have bathed your dog, why not wash his bedding? In fact, why not wash his bedding every week when you wash your own? Is his bed looking at little rough and the stuffing starting to smell? Why not buy him a new one and lower the stink level?
• Kitty litters are a chore – no doubt about it. Giving them a twice daily cleaning, however, keeps the work to a 30 second scooping. Your cat will love you for it and so will your nose!
• Vacuum cleaners suck up a lot of stink from your pet so what if you were to replace the bag or empty the canister after each time you vacuum? Done more regularly, it becomes a quick job instead of a major process and helps keep the old, dead fur smell out of your closets.
• Do you have furnace with a filter in your house? Why not change that as instructed or even more frequently? Keep the house smelling fresh by circulating clean air.
• Has your dog rolled in something gross? Take them to a you-bathe dog washing facility and keep the smell out of your house.

Owning a pet does not have to mean your house smells like them. Common sense and staying on top of the smell will help keep the work to a minimum.

Another bonus? You do not need to shampoo your carpets, guaranteeing they will last longer while looking better!

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A few months and a few car payments later, when the new car shine has worn off a little, there’s another feeling you get from your brand-new vehicle—and it doesn’t feel quite as nice. A nagging thought sets in that maybe your purchase wasn’t quite such a smart idea. You try to convince yourself that your new car couldn’t possibly depreciate as fast as others. After all, it’s European.

The truth is, how much a new car depreciates after it is driven off the lot depends more on supply and demand than it does on what kind of engineering it has under its hood.

The Truth About New Car Depreciation

The moment you sign your name on the sales agreement and the salesman hands you the keys to your new ride, its value takes a nosedive right off a cliff. New cars lose approximately 20% of their value in their first year. How much is that in dollars? Well, a $40,000 car loses around $8,000 the moment you drive it off the lot. Is this really how you want to spend your hard-earned money?

The good news is that the rate of depreciation levels out over the next few years, meaning your three-year-old car is worth about the same as your one-day-old car. Around year five, the rate of depreciation begins to speed up again. Once you hit 150,000 kilometers on the odometer, you’re now driving something worth about thirty percent of the original sticker price. Do the math: your $40,000 car is now worth about $13,000. From there, it will stay at that value for a while.

How to Keep Your New Car From Depreciating

Make and model play a significant role in how much a vehicle will depreciate. Luxury and high-end vehicles often depreciate faster because the people who can afford them tend to replace their cars more frequently. They want the latest and greatest, and they can afford to lose a few dollars on the deal.

More budget-conscious buyers tend to keep cars for longer and do their research beforehand to learn about the reliability and resale value of their new ride. Read your consumer reports before purchasing, and don’t let the powerful engine and smooth handling sway your good sense if resale value is important to you.

Another consideration with make and model is how many rental car companies use those particular vehicles. Want an inexpensive, economy-sized car? Have a look through a few car rental websites to see which makes and models are the most popular—and don’t buy any of those. Buy something that no rental company would touch. Every year, car rental agencies flood the market when they replace their fleets, and what does that do to the value of those models? Remember that big nosedive? Now imagine it with jetpacks and aimed straight down. Avoid the cheap and the common.

You can also slow down depreciation by treating your new car with a little TLC once you get it home. Body damage, marks on the interior or paint, and a heavy right foot all contribute to how much a new car depreciates after it is driven off the lot. You might not think that little bump or spilling French fries all over the backseat really makes a difference, but guess what? Nothing says “give a low-ball offer” for a vehicle like pulling greasy fried potatoes out from under the front seat of even the most luxurious of luxury rides. If you don’t care about it, then you won’t care about how much you get for it in the end. Protect it, treat it gently, and keep it clean—just like you would if you had $40,000 worth of gold bullion sitting in the middle of your garage. Really, what’s the difference?

Not everyone will experience the feeling of buying a brand-new car in their lifetime, and that’s really too bad for them. For those of us who do? Do your research and look after your investment. You won’t feel as much pain when you go to sell it and find out how much your new car depreciated after you drove it off the lot.

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Although many people and organizations believe that selective breeding to develop purebred dogs is wrong, there is a good reason why dog breeding took, and continues to take, place. For example, let’s look at one of the most uniquely developed breeds on Earth – the Lundehund.

The Norwegian Lundehund developed as far back as 1600 AD to hunt puffins, an almost impossible task for their human masters. Lundefugl, or puffins, nest in caves and hollows on the craggy cliffs along the Norwegian coast. To help them navigate these cliffs, Lundehunds have extra, fully functioning toes with complete musculature and joints. On average, instead of the four functioning toes of other breeds, Lundehunds can have over six toes per foot. Additionally, to aid in maneuvering through the tight passages preferred by puffins, Lundehunds are extremely flexible. Their forelegs can stretch backward until they are perpendicular to their bodies, and their necks allow their heads to bend back along their spines. Furthermore, their ears can close over to prevent dirt and contaminants from entering the ear canals, and some Lundehunds even have missing teeth so that more puffins can fit in their mouths without damaging the valuable meat.

Was the Norwegian Lundehund vital to the survival of the rural folks eking out a living on the harsh coasts of Norway? It’s hard to say for certain, but it is difficult to imagine that the care and attention required to breed such a unique set of genetic traits was done on a whim.

Why Do You Want a Purebred Dog?

The difference between purchasing a purebred puppy and a mixed breed is that there are predictable physical and temperament traits in the purebred puppy. Although there are exceptions, if you are able to view a pedigree and generational photographs, along with meeting the parents of the pup, you can be relatively certain of what your dog will be like as an adult. This consistency is attractive on many levels—size, coat type, behavior, health, and temperament are all within moderately known parameters.

The ability to predict traits is highly desirable. For example, what if you have allergies to dogs but really want to share your life with one? Knowing that your dog will be non-shedding and most likely hypoallergenic is vital to your life together. There are also solid arguments for knowing what size your pet will be when they are full-grown. What if you live in an apartment building that only allows dogs up to twenty pounds? Or you don’t want a dog that you can’t lift into the back of your car? Purebred dogs generally are similar in size to their parents, whereas a mixed breed dog can be nearly any size depending on what breeds are in the mix!

Is it vital to know your dog is hypoallergenic or that it is a specific size? Yes. Is it wrong to want a purebred dog? No, not at all.

The Cons of Purebred Dogs

Along with the positive aspects of owning a purebred dog, there are also some drawbacks. The positive hereditary traits are only one side of the coin. There are negative traits that can be passed along as well, and they are often overlooked by excited puppy buyers. Health concerns, aggressive or other unacceptable behaviors, and musculoskeletal or growth issues are all common amongst purebred breeds.

Many of the negative traits are avoidable, and proper health screening of breeding stock by the breeder is necessary to limit these problems in the offspring. Unfortunately, not all breeders are in it for the betterment of the breed and are anything but reputable. Reputable dog breeders not only health-screen the breeding stock but also guarantee their puppies to be free of genetic defects and undesirable behaviors.

What to Avoid When Buying a Purebred Dog

There is nothing wrong with wanting a purebred dog—just be aware of what you are buying. Poor breeding practices not only affect the overall health and well-being of the dog, but they can also contribute to ‘puppy mill’ breeding and pet store puppies.

A puppy mill is a breeding facility that caters to buyers who do not understand or care about how or in what conditions the adult dogs are kept or where their new puppy was born. These dogs are often sold in pet stores without kennel club papers proving their pedigree and are often less-than-ideal examples of their supposed breed. They are frequently sickly or suffer from avoidable genetic conditions that will affect them—and you—their entire lives.

Is it wrong to want a purebred dog? No, wanting a purebred dog makes perfect sense for many people. Just be aware of what you are buying, from whom, and why you want a purebred dog versus a mixed breed.

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