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By Elite Carpet Cleaning 4-8-2021

Tips for Protecting Your Carpet from Puppy Damage

So you just brought home your new furry little bundle of joy! Congratulations! Dogs make some of the best companions. They can be fantastic playmates for the kids, wonderful company for adults who work from home, and can even offer great protection when properly trained and cared for. But there is a lot of work to do when first bringing a puppy into the home. Some of the larger challenges include potty training and teething. And an added dilemma is how to go about this training with patience and love while still protecting your carpets from permanent damage. We hope the tips below will help.

Potty Training

When it comes to a puppy, prevention is the best way to train your four-legged friend where they can and can’t “go”. Use a gate to keep your puppy contained in a carpet-free environment until they are housebroken. As they learn the rules they can then earn the freedom to roam your house.
Animals do not wish to pee where they sleep, of course, so keeping the pup in a crate at night is important. This way they will have to make noise to let you know they need out, thus training them to tell you when they have to go. This will give you the opportunity to show them where the right place is for them to potty.

In the daytime, pups will need the opportunity to go potty every two hours, sometimes more. Remember to take them out 20 minutes after they consume food or water and after they have begun to relax after play. Consistency is key. Understanding that puppies, just like children, have not yet learned to control their bladder will help you to have patience and care during the potty training process.

Teething

Similar to human babies, puppies are going to go through a teething period that lasts until they are about 8 months old. The must-have something to chew on and if you don’t provide him with options, your furry friend will find his own, often in the form of table legs, shoes, carpet, or even electrical cords; yikes!! Teething can be very uncomfortable so make sure to provide plenty of options like hard or rubbery chew toys and bones. You may find that your pup prefers certain textures or shapes of items to ease his teething so offering a variety of items is best.

Remember, your puppy hasn’t learned the difference between your nice pair of shoes and a chew toy so it will be up to you to watch him very carefully during this time and be ready to redirect him when he latches onto something that is not ok for him to chew on, replacing it with a bone or hard toy. It has been found that praise is significantly more effective than reprimanding a dog so try to correct them mildly and then praise them liberally when they switch their attention to an appropriate chew toy. After all, one thing we love about our canine friends is how much they just want to make us happy!
We hope these few tips will help your family make it through these tough situations and avoid any damage to your carpets and furniture. If you do find that some damage has been done then don’t fret, just contact our expert cleaning technicians at Elite Carpet Cleaning and Repair!