The mud. Please help me with the mud!!

[Rockbird]

Got a rescue pup back at Halloween. All good. But one of us has to leave this house and I'm the one who pays for it 😉

The issue is mud. Everywhere. We don't have a neat little utility room or nice area for muddy boots/paws. Back door straight into the kitchen, front door straight up the stairs. So please for the love of all that's holy, tell me how you deal with muddy paws. Yes we wipe them, yes we clean them (although DH sucks at washing anything throughly) and I'm on the verge of painting the house brown just to disguise it.

Are those paw scrubby brush or cup things any good?

I love winter, detest the spring and summer but for the first time ever this year I'm looking forward to it!

We have 3 very hairy big dogs. I spend most of the time battling mud!

We fenced an area of garden off and paved it, now when they go outside they can stay clean unless I open the gate to the rest of the garden (only when it’s dry!). Really helps with the constant dragging of mud in and out every time they go to the toilet.

Other things we have are a hot tap and a blaster dryer. Quick hose off and dry takes most of the mud off and they lie on towels in the kitchen if they are really bad.

We also have 0 carpets downstairs, only one solitary rug that no dogs are allowed to sit on 😄

My house is full of the stuff. Five dogs and a muddy garden. I picked vinyl that was mud coloured too. I was mopping the walls yesterday as there's so much of the stuff!

dh gave ddog a bath yesterday but forget to wash her really muddy harness!
bit pointless when i took her out again in the evening.

I'm grateful for so many suggestions but slightly dismayed that so many are needed. I was hoping it was a puppy thing and the mud would just slide off them outside the door as they grew 😀.

No such luck😁
Reading all these posts about mud everywhere is making me feel very thankful that mine's a toy breed I can just carry into the bathroom and place in the shower to rinse the mud off!

Have to say I'm finding a whole new appreciation for how precious my DDog is about keeping her paws dry and clean!

A Hug Rug or Dirt Trapper. Google it - you are not the only person who hates mud. Lots of ones. I have a couple, one each side, and they are brilliant - totally collect the dirt and mine pick up and go in the washing machine.

We put a wet room in!
And Karndean flooring downstairs.
In through the front door, towelled off if she's just a little muddy, if it's a really bad day (or she's found fox poo) it's straight in for a shower and shampoo!

My walls are skirting boards are still a disgrace tho (Double coated Eurasier who likes to dig for bunnies)

Hot and Cold tap outside.
Dry before coming in
Job done

Plus one for Mud Daddy.

https://www.muddaddy.co.uk/collections/the-mud-daddy-family

Dirt catcher mat by the door.
Ddog trained from day 1 to wait on the mat while I get his towel.

Wipe feet, legs and underbelly, he has a biscuit for being good.

Our old beach towels get given to the dog, I have a stack of them in the airing cupboard for him.

One of those spray mops to whizz over the tiles when especially muddy/wet.

Tiles and grout that doesn't scream at the first sign of dirt.

We have installed a hot water tap outside for when he is really bad.

We have an outdoor hot tap and our labs know they sit and wait to get paws washed then dried before they get in. They also know to shake on command. Mud Daddy’s are good if you don’t want the expense or bother of an outdoor tap and great for taking in the car. I use Equafleeces on our old boy and girl occasionally if it’s pouring down, they work to an extent but labs are filthy articles a lot of the time and it’s easier to wash the dog than the fleeces sometimes! We also have [[https://www.turtlemat.co.uk/ turtle mats] at the kitchen door which are a godsend for wet paws. Our kitchen floor is flagstone which is easy to clean.

I feel your pain OP. We have white walls and white kitchen floor in our open plan room. We have replaced the carpet by front door with the entrance matting (thick ribbed carpet that's like a massive doormat). We just rub down with towel so he doesn't trash the rest of the carpets then just let it dry and brush him. Luckily his coat is pretty efficient due to his breed.

Lakeland do a great scrubber that is rechargeable - really good for walls and skirting.

Er, no

This is what I use. A hozelock one. Then I take it with me in the boot and do it before she gets back in the car. She sits on a towel in the boot and when I get home she's pretty much dry.

Mine is crate trained so if we come in from a wet/muddy walk he goes straight in his crate to dry off for a little bit - if he's particularly muddy it's then easy to brush the mud out once he is dry. Although I work outdoors (my dog comes with me) and we live quite muddy life so when I was looking to rescue I was hoping for a short coated dog (which I ended up with) and it does help 😂

https://www.tooled-up.com/hozelock-portashower-muddy-dog-water-shower/prod/122160/?varId=122160&Referrer=affwin&source=affwin&awc=49616799332900_2ec8b9645adef6e49efdbc5c679bada0

I used to keep a big milk carton and fill it with warm water and leave it and a towel outside the front door for when we came back. Slosh over feet and tummy (shortarse terrier) and towel off then biscuit for being good!

then biscuit for being good!

Hope you gave the poor dog a corner of it.

Oh the mud

I do have a utility and whatnot to provide a bit of an air gap for the filth but I still prefer minimal mud in the house in the first place. Unfortunately I have a lab so ‘no mud’ isn’t an option. If he’s utterly filthy he gets a hosing before coming in. Hose is solely cold water fed and absolutely no issue as aforementioned mud magnet swims in rivers in all seasons and is young and fit with a double coat. I’m buggered if I’m going to feel guilty about a 3 min body and leg rinse on low pressure. Unless you’ve got an elderly, ill or shivery breed, a cold fed hose is fine.

Oh you're all wonderful!!!

I badly want a dig & can't have one st the moment, it's good to be reminded of the downsides!!!

After years of having dogs I only have one room with a carpet now.
I got rid of my backdoor doormat ages ago as it was constantly minging thanks to the dog coming in from the back garden several times a day...
I now buy puppy pads and use them as door mats. Takes the initial first-step rubbish off the paws.... It really helps and then you can just throw it away!