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The doghouse

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Original poster

If you have a large dog, do you have trouble keeping your floors clean during a wet winter?

27 replies

Nectar · 23/01/2015 15:20

We've had A LOT of rain in the last few weeks, it's eased off the last few days but still very wet and muddy outside.

We have an 18 month old lab, and although we give her a good rub down and wipe all her paws after a walk/toilet break in the garden, dirt still ends up on the floor. We have a light tiled kitchen floor and biscuit coloured living room carpet, and the amount I'm using my steam cleaner is ridiculous! Only to clean up yet again when she next comes in after a wee.

One solution is to just restrict her walks to round the block and back in the winter, but it would get boring for her and she so needs that run-around at the park, otherwise she's climbing the walls by the evening!

I'm not a particularly houseproud person, it's just that we go through phases of having a lot of people in and out, especially weekends, and I'd rather the floors didn't always look filthy, especially when I've already cleaned them that day!

OP posts:
Isthatwhatdemonsdo · 23/01/2015 15:31

I have two large dogs. Golden Retriever and a Black Lab. We have wood floor throughout downstairs. I'm forever hoovering and steaming the floors. It's a pain in the arse I know in winter.

CMOTDibbler · 23/01/2015 15:37

I have karndean all through downstairs, and just running a wet microfibre mop round once a day works. Mats at front door and back doors, and they have to stand on them for a minute before coming in which gets the worst off. But they are short haired lurchers, so less hair to gather mud

ThatBloodyWoman · 23/01/2015 15:43

I have a small dog,2 dc's and usually my floors are pretty dirty.
We walk on them,not eat off them,so I don't get too worried -just do obvious things like shoes off at door etc.

Buttholelane · 23/01/2015 15:50

I have wood floors and a lovely shagpile type floor runner by the door which catches dust and dried muck in summer which I just vacuum out.
In winter I cover it with old towels to catch the mud.
If someone arrives I quickly hide the towels somewhere so voila, nice, clean, shiny wood floor and runner.

I find that keeping the paw fur trimmed short helps, but a Labrador is already short coated.
I try and keep the nails very short also to reduce mud being scraped up and stuck on them.

averylongtimeago · 23/01/2015 15:57

I have 2 Goldens - mud magnets who roll and swim in anything dirty/smelly. Hard floors right through and a mop bucket permanently at the ready! Plus the fur.....everywhere.

You can limit the mess - dirt trapper mats by the door help. Also a bucket of clean water by the door and towel ready for paw cleaning when you get back from a walk. Confine the dog to a blanket while wet...wear dark glasses indoors so you cant see it

No ultimate answer, sorry. The pale carpet must be a nightmare!

WeAllHaveWings · 23/01/2015 16:02

Our black lab sits and waits to be cleaned up when he comes in. Front door goes into hall with black/blue slate effect laminate which is good as he goes off lead in muddy fields twice a day and usually comes back covered in mud and soaking wet. (The walls look worse than the floor Blush). We have around a dozen dog towels which only get one or two uses before they are back in the machine as they get so muddy.

Back patio doors are from carpeted living room to garden which is trickier, but we have a mat, and a couple of towels and dog is trained to come in and sit on towel until paws cleaned and he is rubbed down.

We have more problems with hair moulting absolutely everywhere.

CiderwithBuda · 23/01/2015 16:06

Two labs here. We are lucky that we can keep th m in the utility room till they are dry. We put old towels down on the floor.

They are not allowed in the living room so no issues there. They stay in the kitchen/dining area.

Previous house was completely open plan downstairs and that was a nightmare.

zippyandbungle · 23/01/2015 16:15

Two labs also. They have a bed in the garage so go straight on there after a walk just for half an hour. They know the routine and are quite happy or I would be forever washing the floor.
Also, I have trained them to spin for treats so two or three twirls on the rug at the back door after garden wees takes the thick off.

yongnian · 23/01/2015 16:24

2 greyhounds.
My top tip for endless pawprints just from wee visits is trap them in the kitchen and push them round it with the noodle mop. (they are not keen on this admittedly,but it doesn't actually do them any harm!)This gets most of the wet immediately. I then let them into the rest of the house and follow behind them. By the time they reach their beds their feet are dry and all prints are gone.
Takes a few minutes and it has kept on top of the wet, which has been bad this year.

yongnian · 23/01/2015 16:26

Oh and they wear coats to go out so keeps wet dog syndrome to a minimum.

Fudgeface123 · 23/01/2015 16:43

Yup, wood floors here and we have ex dog show non slip mats down...this is more for her legs so she doesn't slip (elbow and hip dysplasia) but also handy for keeping floors clean :-)

DrElizabethPlimpton · 23/01/2015 16:58

I've got a lab but we have wood and stone floors downstairs so it is easy to keep clean. We have cream carpets upstairs but she isn't allowed up there so no probs

muttynutty · 23/01/2015 17:32

6 Collies, a few labs and a couple of mutts in our house.

I do not restrict their walks in the mud and wet. A quick hose down when they come in and put them into their equafleece coats. They dry off quickly and my house stays perfectly, spotlessly clean ( well apart from the Dc's and DH ruining it!)

muttynutty · 23/01/2015 17:35

Actually ignore my post I have just looked around the kitchen - there is a lamb by the stove being hand reared and leaving footprints on the floor a chicken on the kitchen table apparently my DD is trying to clicker train it to hop onto the top of a marmalade jar - my house is a mess Blush.

But there are no dog foot prints.......

APlaiceInTheSun · 23/01/2015 17:38

I have a flatcoat who loves mud and ponds. Fortunately he doesn't mind being hosed off as well, so he get hosed after every off pavement walk, then mopped down with microfibre towels, and confined to the kitchen until he's dry.
Floor still gets a bit muddy but I do notice the difference between hosed & non-hosed dog.
Helps to brush him daily as well.
God I can't wait until summer.

ThatBloodyWoman · 23/01/2015 17:43

mutty I think your house sounds just perfect.

OllyBJolly · 23/01/2015 17:47

If you have a large dog, do you have trouble keeping your floors clean during a wet winter?

Ha - if only! I have an Old English Sheepdog and the challenge is keeping walls, floors, furniture and even ceilings clean when it's wet outside! Love the cold frosty days - that's the only time the house stays clean for any length of time.

Takver · 23/01/2015 18:10

We have a giant bath-towel laid out on the floor in each room that ddog is allowed in, and he knows he has to sit on it. Towels then get changed regularly. It's not a perfect solution (especially as he likes to roll the towel into a ball and use it as a pillow . . .) but it helps.

GwenaelleLaGourmande · 23/01/2015 18:16

Yes. It is awful. We have wooden and tiled floors which are pretty much permanently dirty. I reassure myself it is good for the DCs' immune systems. My goldie is a mud magnet. To be honest on really rainy days I regret ever getting a dog.

Fortunately his good nature more than makes up for it.

Pippioddstocking · 23/01/2015 18:21

Mutty I want to live at yours ??

elastamum · 23/01/2015 18:25

My house has wooden floors and only carpeted in living room and upstairs. In winter I bring wet dogs in and shut them downstairs, but it is pretty grubby. Am used to it Blush

CMOTDibbler · 23/01/2015 18:51

I like the sound of Muttys house too - just like my parents house when I was growing up. My chicken was trained to sit on the handlebars of my bike and walked on a collar and lead Smile

Original poster
Nectar · 30/01/2015 09:33

I like the sound of your house, Mutty!Grin

Thanks for the tips everyone, it's good to know I'm not the only one with this problem! Yes I think a bucket of water by the door is a good idea, a quick rub-down just doesn't get her clean enough!

OP posts:
TheCunnyFunt · 30/01/2015 10:15

I don't think it's the size of the dog that matters, my MIL has 2 spaniels (so not large) and the cocker is always filthy in winter, MIL cleans constantly, you should see her kitchen floor after the dogs been on it with muddy paws!

I have a Greyhound (so huge) and he just doesn't get dirty. Any mud he collects on our walks has gone by the time we get home! I have a towel on the floor by the back door, when he comes in from the garden he walks across the towel and by the time he's all the way across his paws are clean again!

Floralnomad · 30/01/2015 11:18

I use a dog bag after walks , it drys him and wicks off most of the mud so he just needs a quick brush , then shake it outside to get the mud out . He lays in it like a big slug - it's brilliant and he still gets to run around in mud and puddles . For the garden we have a patio area fenced off so he only gets damp feet at worst - no dirt .