by Megan As Well

Created on: May 04, 2008   Last Updated: July 08, 2008

For a few months after we first got her, our Jack Russell Terrier puppy proved tricky to housebreak. She was stubborn, and it did not help that we lived in a second floor apartment with little place for long walks. Though she eventually got the hang of it, she had many accidents inside. These accidents became stains and awful smells. They were difficult to get out of my light beige apartment carpets. But like the rest of us dog lovers, it is something that must be dealt with.

If you catch your pet piddling on the carpet, blot the spot with a thick bunch of paper towels, and step on it (with your shoe on, of course) to be sure your Bounty soaked the whole wet mess up. (If you would prefer, set a stack of heavy books on top of the mess.) The sooner you clean it up, the less chance of a stain you will have!

A great way to get out darker stains is to mix two tablespoons of ammonia to one cup of water. With a rag, blot the stain with the liquid mixture and rinse with clean cold water. You may have to repeat these simple steps to completely remove the stain. Be aware though, if you use ammonia, be sure to have your pets in their crates or surely away from the ammonia, since it tends to smell like urine to dogs. Some pet owners prefer not to even keep ammonia in the house. If this is a problem, try using baking soda. Completely cover the stain with it, then leave it to sit overnight. In the morning, vacuum the spot and your carpet

Cleaning up after your pet does not have to be painful or even time consuming. In fact, it can be even easier than this. There are many products on the grocery store and pet store shelves that can be sprayed on stains, then usually left to sit and vacuumed out. Of course, always follow the instructions on the backs of cleaning products, and take into account and warnings on the backs of the packages. Though they can sometimes be pricey, I have personally always found them to be the simplest method for busy pet owners.

A last resort step would be steam cleaning, but this can be expensive and can be a lot of work. If you do not own a steam cleaner, you can hire companies to do it for you.

You can reduce the chance of any accidents drastically by working hard to housebreak your new pet. Some pets take longer to housebreak, but be consistent and do not give up! Dogs of every breed and age have the capability to be trained. It is even easier to train your cat to use a litter box. But with a housebroken pet, you will be a much happier owner, and your pet will thank you for it.

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