Talk to me about being house proud AND having a dog!

[EndlessUserName]

We are pretty house proud. We have three young boys. We have a robot hoover that runs every night (hard floors). We have a cleaner once a week. I follow the TOMM method. We have a playroom to keep toys out of main living space. House is pretty much always clean and tidy (despite living in a house of 4 boys!)

So, we would love a dog! DP and I grew up with labradors and that is what we'd love but they shed lots of hair! Please talk to me about your tips for a clean house with a hairy dog!

Do you do anything to help dog smell?

Our dog will have to sleep in the laundry room which also bothers me. I'll have to continue to wash clothes in there but maybe I should dry them somewhere else? (We have a rack, no tumble dryer) as I don't want our clothes to smell like dog / get hair on them.

Do you wash dog bed regularly? can you recommend that are easy to wash frequently? Throws on sofas a good idea? (Dog won't be allowed on sofas but I imagine the hair will go everywhere)

Any other tips / things to consider? Thanks so much!

We have a boxer he moulds and smells, however my house smells nice and is always clean.
Our dog has his bed ( where he stays at night) in our kitchen. He isn't allowed upstairs or on furniture, although he was trained like this by his previous owners.
He goes for a bath and blow dry once a month and a full groom every 6 weeks.
I've found the best way to keep the hair down is to brush him outside daily and hoover and mop throughout daily. ( you may want to add robotic mop to your list!)
Just because you have a dog doesn't mean you suddenly have to live with muddy furniture and floors.

Also supervise a robohoover very carefully. Even the best trained dog can't help a bad belly or being sick and the results of the 2 can be pretty devastating. Lots of people think their dog doesn't smell as they go nose blind very quickly. I can't smell my dog but I imagine others can even if only faintly. Dsis cockapoos genuinely don't shed a single hair but she also insists they don't smell. Despite having a ddog myself I can tell you they absolutely do - pretty strongly and she is incredibly house proud so cleaning is as good as it can get. Dpup is like a camel and we still have incidents now where she can hold on for hours outdoors only to pee on the rug when we get home. Getting to know others with pups through her I'm surprised how common this is after all the advice saying they pee so regularly that as long as you take them out every 20 mins you can crack toilet training in no time. Again followed all advice to the letter but the other day dpup managed to actually poo on the wall. Like a normal hard poo that she managed to stick to it.... the joys!

My top tip would be to have a very strict grooming routine. Labradors are double coated and you need to remove the undercoat regularly for their comfort anyway, but to reduce hair in the house I would make sure you are brushing the dog really well every other day with a good de-shedding tool or slicker brush. Teach your dog to enjoy this, do it regularly (20 mins or so every other day) and you will hugely reduce the amount of dog hair in the house.

Thanks so much for all the helpful advice. I'll be making a big list later on

@Maryhadalittlejam

Bloody hell, such negatively I have a chocolate lab, I have cream carpets and my house is spotless, he can wander wherever he likes Just keep to a routine , because I like a clean house I don't find it hard

I know! I had to check a few times that I hadn't posted in AIBU by mistake 😂

Also, you asked about dog beds. There are lots of really lovely dog beds available that look like tiny sofas or lovely fluffy cosy nests etc etc but we just have a rectangular mattress/pad type bed. It doesn't look particularly nice but the cover is waterproof so it doesn't take on a doggy smell and I can just spray and wipe it down when it needs it, the covers can be bought separately so I can replace them when needed (eventually ddog's claws go through it, and it was cheap at about £20). Got it from eBay and really happy with it.

I also meant to ask with washing bedding and throws etc though this will do nothing to help my reputation as the worst dog owner in the world can I use a scented softener or deodorising washing thing? Can anyone recommend? Or will just a windy airing outside do the trick? Thanks

Tumble dry (on low) after washing to remove dog hair from fleece sofa/dog bed blankets.

That sounds great thanks @lmustnotstackmybike is it a particular make?

@chromis thanks! Will I need to dehair the washing machine lots? Easy way to do?

And is fleece best then? I notice lots of dog owners use this. Is there a reason why? I always felt like the hair sticks to it or is that the point?!

Robot hoovers and a dog have real disaster potential.. a) your dog may be terrified of it b) if they are sick or have a poo accident, boy does that hoover spread it around if you aren't there to stop it! (I was contemplating one until a friend had this experience.. the hoover spread it wall to wall!)

Personally I find it a bit sad that a family pet isn't allowed on the sofa etc ..a throw stops any mess (mine usually flops on the floor but will come up now and again) and I dislike crates, but each to their own.
Dogs are grim tho... mine's a very clean and fastidious girl but every so often she WILL roll in something, and last winter it was jsut so wet and muddy that despite our best efforts there were always paw prints, and tail marks on the walls after a walk.
Labs are also usually waste disposal units.. I'd go for a non shedding, non greedy breed for sanity!

You can use fragranced stuff but do be mindful of how sensitive dogs' noses are. White vinegar in the fabric softener compartment is good for stopping smells (doesn't stink once it's dry), zoflora do a pet safe one (and normal stuff is fine used sparingly and allowed to dry before dog goes near it). Proper biological washing powder helps too.

No, don't get a dog. Even a non shedding not sure if they really don't shed dog has poo that needs to be cleaned up, a wee area in the garden that will stink in hot weather, bark, muddy paw marks 9 months of the year, need time to walk, smell of wet dog on a regular basis.

I've just looked at it and it says "easipet" but when I click on it on eBay now it's not working. Will try again later and attach a link.

We use fleece because it's cheap, dries quickly, and stops dampness getting through easily.

Yes, a good roll in fox poo tests even my unwavering love for my dog! That and the 'human vomit' treasure trove discovered in the thicket 3 years ago still haunts me. You will have a handful of these wonderful experiences, OP. But what doesn't kill you and all that...

Op
I posted almost exactly the same a few months ago (only two children and in a single parent).

Very very house proud. Can’t tolerate mess.

Anyway - decided not to And SO pleased. Just not for us!

As for fragrance, I don't use any. Bio powder and a good air dry all day in the garden (when the weather is nice). I don't have a dryer. I have dryer envy. It must make an enormous difference with hair removal.

Oh and also had unnecessarily aggressive responses.

Some people seem to think tidy house proud people = Nazis!

I have a cairn terrier and am houseproud. She barely sheds so hair not an issue and she doesn’t smell. Honestly. I hoover most days and have throws over the sofas which get washed regularly, she doesn’t come upstairs. She’s small enough to bath easily, and gets done every couple of months. We clean her feet on old towels when she comes back from a walk. BUT if you get a puppy then accidents in the house will happen. And they chew things. Your dog may develop a medical problem eg V and D or skin disease which will cause mess and smells. Could you cope with that?

Why not look at non/low shedding breeds?

Poodles have similar traits to labradors (cold water retrieving breed) but don't shed at all.

Border terriers and cairns are wiry and shed but not so much
Bedlingtons don't shed

Have a good think about your lifestyle exercise and time commitments and pick a breed that matches and is low shedding (FYI labradoodles won't be if they get the Labrador coat)

I have a black lab. I have light coloured sofa and carpets. I sold my house last week and the buyers genuinely had no idea i even owned a dog until they went into the garden ( i put him outside when they pulled up as i appreciate some people may be scared of dogs so always conscious of people meeting my boy) my house is very clean and tidy. He isnt allowed on the sofa or upstairs, but has plenty of space to roam downstairs. I hoover twice a day and have the air fresheners that go off every so many hours. I also have a young child. My house has never smelt of dog or have hairs everywhere, as i dont want my son playing with his toys with dog hair. You can absolutely have a lovely home and a dog. I wash his bed regularly and use lint rollers. I was told a short hair maults more but a long hair sheds less ( just need regular trips to doggie salon!) And before anyone asks - yes i also work full time. My husband and i work cross shifts so pooch is never left more than a couple of hours at a time alone. It is doable OP, just need to be organised x

We have a retired greyhound and she doesn't shed much at all. Because she has such a strong prey drive, she's always walked on lead so doesn't get terribly muddy. I do wash her paws with a warm flannel when needed after walks though. She has a few nice dog beds in various places in the house, so doesn't go on the furniture though she's allowed in all the rooms and floors.

Greyhounds are great with kids: ours is a big hit at the school gate and cubs etc. Ours wouldn't tolerate a robot hoover though, as it's too much like something she's bred to chase. I just run the hoover round a couple of times a week and she ignores that happily enough.

I wash her bed covers and duvets regularly and the house doesn't smell (even according to visitors, as I think we wouldn't notice ourselves after a while). She's a great addition to our household and I think might suit your needs.

Oh, and she slept in the kitchen from day 1. She was 4 when she came to us, and the Greyhound Trust suggested that she sleep in a crate to start with as it was what she was used to. She had a crate for about three months (door open) and then we stopped using it as she was well settled. Now she just sleeps in her bed in the kitchen at night (after spending most of the day asleep in her other beds/beanbags).

I have a dog and my house is clean and tidy. It also smells nice 🤷‍♀️