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Having a dog or cat, like having a child, means your flooring stands to see increased traffic and possibly some stains over time. You can take steps to prevent stains, like house-training your animals from the time they arrive home, but even that is not a foolproof plan. So when accidents happen — and they will — you need to know how to remove the stain quickly and efficiently before it irreparably harms the flooring. Here are some tips on getting stains out of common flooring types:

#1 Fabrics (carpets and upholstery)
If you can catch the accident early on (while it’s warm), start by using towels that can absorb liquid from the fabric. Replace them with dry ones, if needed, to get as much of the stain out as possible. Once you’ve done that, start using a commercial pet stain cleaner with enzymes. Enzymes are good at removing the bacteria that causes stain to give off a bad odor. Enzyme-based cleaners also have detergents that help to get the stain out without hurting the coloring of the fabric.
If you don’t want to use a commercial cleaner, you can make your own with:
● 1 ⅓ cup water
● 1 cup vinegar
Pour cleaner over the stain, just enough to get the surface wet without oversaturating it. Then place a waterproof material over it to give the cleaner time to sit and get into the carpet to remove the stain completely. If you don’t get to the stain before it settles, you can always have a carpet cleaning professional get it out for $100 to $250.

#2 Laminate flooring
If you happen to find a pet stain on your laminate flooring — old or new — there are ways to remove the stain from the flooring. It depends on whether your flooring still has the protective coating. With older stains, you’ll need to take extra steps to remove the stain in addition to cleaning it off with a solution. Follow these steps:
1. Wipe with a damp cloth until dry.
2. Sprinkle baking soda and gently scrub with a stiff-bristled brush. Let sit for a few minutes.
3. Spray with white vinegar and watch it foam.
4. Wipe the area with a cold cloth to remove remaining vinegar.
5. Blow dry to dry floor and subfloor.
6. Refinish the floor to avoid letting the stain destroy the laminate.

If you don’t have a protective coating over your laminate floor, you will need to apply one after cleaning off the stain. You can hire a flooring professional to re-stain your laminate floor which will help protect against future stains.

#3 Hardwood floors
With hardwood floors, you’ll need to treat pet stains with a specialized wood bleach. Make sure the bleach you use is specially designed for wood flooring. If you don’t want to invest in wood bleach, you can also use two-part peroxide bleach.
When treating your hardwood flooring with bleach, be sure to keep pets away and use rubber gloves and goggles to protect yourself because it can cause serious injury. However, it shouldn’t harm your hardwood flooring if used correctly. If you’re worried about the potential damage, you can use a mixture of vinegar and baking soda.

#4 Wall cleaning
Cleaning pet stains off your walls depends on whether you catch it early or late. If you see it happen, you can use a wet cloth to wipe it off the wall.
For older stains, you might need to use a mixture of bleach and warm water. You’ll need to keep the pets away to prevent them from licking the wall. However bleach can damage paint or wallpaper, so try the enzyme-based cleaner for stains in such cases. Just read the label to make sure ahead of time.

How to prevent future accidents
Once you know how to handle accidents, how do you prevent future ones? It comes down to figuring out the why, really. There are a few reasons your pet could be having accidents:
1. They can smell past accidents, which makes it comfortable to continue having accidents.
2. They don’t have a personal space.
3. They’re left alone for too long or get nervous.
4. With older dogs, sometimes their bladders are not functioning as well as they used to.

You should do the best you can to keep an eye on your dogs and take them out for potty breaks regularly to avoid accidents. You can even install a doggy door and train them how to use it. Get your backyard fenced in so they can come in and out as they please. Clean up past accidents thoroughly so they don’t develop bad habits. And of course, the more you train them to know where to go and where not to go, the less likely accidents will happen.

Written contribution by Andrea Davis, Home Advisor

Everyone loves a good game of Jenga – especially this cat who has proven himself to have superior Jenga skills than every one of us! Watch the video below:

 

No one is going to argue about the exponential cute factor of a puppy and kitten together! As illustrated in the photo above, the combination has amazing “aweeeeee” power. That’s is me holding one of my foster kittens and a foster puppy. What you can’t see is my happy but very tired face! Puppies and kittens are babies and like human babies they take a lot of time, energy, and cleanup.  If you’re thinking about adopting or fostering puppies and kittens together, I’ll share my experience and Top 4 Tips so that you can be prepared with lots of paper towels for the poopy moments and your camera for all the adorable moments too.

So, should you adopt a puppy and a kitten at the same time? My advice, after fostering both at the same time, is you should know it is a lot easier to only have one baby in the house at a time. The advantages are if you have the time, energy, and setup, your puppy and kitten(s) will grow up used to each other. “Older” puppies and kittens (like 6 months to 1 year old) are a lot easier than tiny baby kittens, and still young enough to grow up together. Plus many adult cats and dogs can not only learn to get along but love each other too.

I didn’t set out to be fostering both puppies and kittens at the same time, but springtime in many parts of the world means baby animals. Also in many places, like here in Los Angeles, too many babies means not enough cages and foster homes for them all. When a shelter volunteer asked a local rescue to  save two baby kittens that only had until the end of the day, I turned my bedroom into a foster isolation area so they could say yes. That way I could foster them separated from my other pets for a few weeks until everyone was vaccinated and healthy. The kittens got their vet check and kitten treatments and were a happy and healthy little pair.

Then a friend who works long hours was unexpected given this baby puppy at work. First thing puppy went straight to the vet, to make sure the she didn’t have any illnesses or parasites the kittens could catch or vice versa.  She was so tiny — only 1 and a half pounds — just a tiny bit smaller than the kittens! Not knowing how they’d get along, we set up the puppy in a crate in the corner of the kitten room. The kittens were fearless and curious about their new visitor. They spent a day getting to know each other through the crate door, then were fully introduced.

Puppy and kitten introduction tips:

1. If puppy is bigger than kittens, you may want to hold puppy on a leash so kittens can run away and get out or range if puppy is starts playing too rough.
2. Monitor when together! You need to be the “mom” dog/cat and intervene SEE VIDEO BELOW if playing gets too rough. Listen for meows or puppy squeals. Most puppies and kittens can learn to play with each other without biting too hard, but they have to learn to control the force of their bite — that’s called bite inhibition.
3. Introduce slowly by letting puppy and kitten(s) play together as long as they both seem happy. You may need to do many short sessions building up their time together.
4. Keep litter box and kitten food away from puppy. This can require some inventive thinking! If you have a tiny puppy and bigger kittens, a high-sided litterbox that the kittens can get in and out of easily but puppy can’t can work for when you’re there supervising. Use non-clumping litter— ask your vet for a recommendation of the type that is the most safe if puppy accidentally eats some of it, like if kitten jumps out of the box with some stuck to her foot and puppy then eats it.

VIDEO: Video of puppy rough play kitten intervention redirection to toy. Watch this video below to see how to gently intervene and redirect a mouthy puppy on to a toy when puppy is playing too rough with a kitten.

Enjoy your adopted puppies and kittens!

You can download our free puppy help guide The Puppy Manual here.

Click the image to see the Pit Bull Dogs and Puppies infographic at full size! Then you can find Pit Bull Dogs & Puppies for adoption on Adopt-a-Pet.com.

Long distance love… get ready for today’s Happy Beginnings story! Nothing makes us want to take a road trip like a story of how Adopt-a-Pet.com helped a homeless pet find a new loving home from far away. We’d love to hear how Adopt-a-Pet.com helped you adopt your pet too! Please send your Happy Beginnings story to info@cms.adoptapet.com with a photo or two.)  This week’s story is from Robin in Pennsylvania. Robin writes…

We found Polly (now Pollyanna) on Adopt-a-Pet.com last summer. We live in PA and she was in Kentucky. I couldn’t stop thinking about her and did the application. We were approved and she was transported to MD were we picked her up. The rescue organization kept in touch for the two weeks before we got her. She is now a member of the family and we love her so much!

 

Adding new family members to your home means changing up its design and making adjustments for the health and happiness of your new additions. Just like you would make improvements for a new child, you’ll need to make a few changes for the benefit of your new pets too. While you don’t have to design a nursery or playroom like you would for a kid, there are some remodels and renovations you can perform around your home to make your new furry friends feel more at home. Here are some quick renovations you can do without changing your entire home:

 

#1 Mudroom for Storage and Organization

While a “mudroom” may sound fancy, this design is really about an entryway with hooks and some storage, along with a mat where dirty paws can tread without hurting the floor underneath. You’ll also need a wall that can handle wet fur splashing onto it, so consider your paint choices carefully — as well as any decor. You’ll want towels on-hand to dry the dog before he proceeds into the rest of the house. Consider drilling holes into beadboard or stock lumber for hooks for leashes, jackets and other dog-walking necessities.

#2 Pet-Proof Flooring

You need easy-to-clean surfaces when owning a dog or cat. Carpet is not your friend in this situation because it’s hard to keep clean. If you really want carpet, consider removable, washable carpet tiles. Tile, hardwood flooring and bamboo are good, but dogs can scratch soft wood.  Woven vinyl mats are also easy to clean and are almost indestructible. Linoleum is also easy to clean after a pet has an accident, and it’s relatively easy to maintain on a regular basis too. If you decide to invest in this flooring material, it would cost between $800 and $1,400.

#3 Specialty Furniture

When you get a new pet, you’re likely going to deal with an excessive amount of fur everywhere. To protect your furniture from grabbing too much of it, you should get slipcovers that are easily washable. You can also consider covering furniture with painter’s drop cloths that are easily affordable and a quick solution. If you want to reupholster your furniture, be sure to check for any VOC in the fabric before you hire a professional to do the work. Some options for pet furniture include:

• Window seat
• Top-of-the-stairs lookout
• Cat ramps & trees

 

#4 Bathtub for the Pets

If you have one, utilizing a laundry sink is your best option for keeping the dog and cat clean. You don’t have to get your bathtub dirty and it’s easier than bending over the tub to clean them on a semi-regular basis. It’s also easier to clean than a bathtub because a laundry sink has less square footage than a tub. You can also invest a little more money to install a dog shower in your laundry room.

 

#5 Safety Gates

To protect your dog from some of the dangerous foods in the kitchen or keep him away from the dinner table during meal time, use a gate to set boundaries and protect him from injury. You don’t have to use a chain-link fence design if you don’t want to. Dog gates come in various styles and shapes at pet stores, and there are different heights so even your Great Dane can’t get over the boundary. These don’t work as well for cats so it’s probably best to just put your cat in a room and close the door to protect it in certain situations.

 

#6 Dog Doors

When you leave home during the day for work or school, your animal is going to want to explore and do their business. Instead of trapping them in the house, you can install a dog door in the bottom of the back door for easy access to the backyard. The best solution will depend on your situation and the design of your home. Installing a dog door will involve cutting out a piece of your existing door to install it. If you’re uncertain about how to install a dog door, you can talk to a door contractor about the best way to proceed.

 

Written contribution by Andrea Davis, Home Advisor.

There’s no denying keeping cats indoors keeps cats and wildlife safer and healthier. Transitioning a cat from outdoors to indoors can be as easy as closing a door. Sometimes, cats are very happy staying inside your home. Other times, you and they need a little more help! Cats are amazingly adaptable. Each cat is also incredibly unique depending on their biological and environmental background. This article is here to help you if you’re wondering about or struggling with how to transition an outdoor cat to indoors.

Let’s say you have a cat you adopted from a neighbor too elderly to care for the cat any longer. The neighbor used to let him go in and out, but you’re rightly worried about the neighborhood coyotes/hawks/mean cats/cars/etc so you want to keep him safely inside. You bring him home and how he meows and scratches nonstop at the door or window to be let outside, even dashes out the front door the second you open it. How can you help him to be happy staying inside?

1. Make sure he’s spayed or neutered and healthy. If you’re getting him fixed, take advantage of the fact that they often are groggy afterwards to show him how nice and cozy it is on his special bed inside the closet or on top of the cat tree.

2. Move and take the cat with you. Only half-joking about this! This is why when you adopt a cat from the shelter, it can be easier to make them an indoor-only pet. Especially if you use tip #3 below.

3. Use all of our 5 tips for keeping an indoor cat happy. That means tons of playing, exercise and other enrichment like fun to climb and scratch cat condos placed in front of windows for “cat tv” watching the out of doors, shelving, new cardboard boxes left open sideways on the floor, closets and cabinets left open for exploring and hiding places… get creative!

4. Build a catio for him.

5. Keep him from doordashing.

6. Hang a bird feeder near a window to make for easy bird watching.

7. Use calming cat pheromone plugins in every room.

You may wonder wouldn’t it be easier to reduce his time outside gradually? What we’ve heard from many adopters who try this, it doesn’t seem to work well in most cases – perhaps it keeps reminding them how much fun it is outside, and what you want to do is make him realize how much fun it is to be inside!

We hope these tips help you transition your outdoor cat to be a happy healthy and safe indoor kitty!

Solitary confinement in a windowless room  punishes the occupant by a lack of interaction with the outside world. Caring cat people often worry that confining a cat to be an indoor-only pet is a similar type of punishment, but it doesn’t have to be! If you’re reading this article, we likely don’t have to tell you about the numerous health, behavior, and safety benefits of keeping your cat always inside your home. So we’re here to help you with five helpful tips for keeping an indoor cat happy which will help keep him healthy too.

Five things you can provide to keep your indoor cat happy:

1. Room with a view: In the photo above, my two foster cats are enjoying bird-watching from their fully-screened-in “catio” porch. In my new house, I haven’t built a catio (yet!) and my windows don’t have cat-width sills. So I arranged my furniture in front of the windows that to provide the best cat-viewing possibilities of the trees, birds, squirrels, and neighbors walking by.  Think of it as cat TV – live! A great view helps keep their mind entertained.

2. Room with a breeze: Cats love to sniff the outside air, but make sure to secure your screens! If you can push on your screen and it pops out, a cat could do that too! My screens were old so I replaced them with stronger “pet-proof” screens and also added screws to make the frames extra secure.

3.  Grass under their paws:  My catio had a grass dirt floor so I was able to put down some sod. Even indoors you can give them a mini grass lawn using a planter! Place it next to your biggest securely-screened in window with the best view using a planter on a table. If sod isn’t a possibility, provide other cat-friendly cat-sized surfaces for lounging at different heights.

4. Sunbathing: Outside cats will spend hours lounging in the sun. Cats can get skin cancer from too much sun and especially if they have light-colored fur or skin, so allow sunbathing in moderation, especially in warmer climates.

5. Exercise: Outside cats get to climb trees, hunt bugs and other creatures, and stalk through bushes and grass. Kittens and younger cats need lots of exercise to take care of this need and stay happy indoors! Older cats may need less, but they still need daily exercise too. Give them plenty of places to climb, hide, run, and jump inside (like by adding cat shelving, carpeted cat trees, cardboard boxes, etc) and encourage them to use them by playing on them with a laser toy and then their favorite toys on a string – make sure you let them catch the toy at the end so they finish satisfied.  Jackson Galaxy has some great articles on playing with your cat and figuring out what games you and she prefer.

We hope these tips help you give your indoor-cat a long happy and healthy life! Come back to our blog next week as we’ll post tips for transitioning an outdoor or outdoor/indoor cat to indoors-only too.

There are so many different styles of dogs leashes, how do you know what is best and safest for you and your dog? A nylon 4′ leash or a 16′ cord retractable leash like a Flexileash? A 6-foot leather leash or a rope slip-leash? You’re a good pet parent and want to keep your pet safe, but the choices can be overwhelming, and you might not be aware of the dangers lurking behind the choice of which leash you use on your dog. Here are ten dog leash tips to help get your walk started on the right foot, er, paw.

1. Leash training: Any type of leash won’t do you much good if your dog isn’t trained to walk well on a leash. If your dog is pulling, try this training article. If you have a puppy or dog unfamiliar with being walked on a leash, try our Teach Your Dog or Puppy to Walk on a Leash article.

2. Leash Material: 1/2″ to 1″ flat nylon is my favorite. Even for tiny 5-pound dogs, I prefer the 1/2″ thickness, as the thinner leashes are just too likely to slip from hand. If you have a bigger or strong dog, don’t skimp on leash quality.

3. Clasp style: Quick snap. The most common kind of dog leash clasp is the bolt snap aka snap hook. That’s the kind that looks like this:

Some heavier-duty leashes use trigger snap hooks, but they pose the same risk in my experience as the bolt snap: the release can get triggered if it gets caught on the dog’s collar or harness and come undone! The safest kind of clasp I’ve seen on a dog leash locks like a mountain climber’s carabiner, like those on the Tuenne leash seen below:

4. Leash length: Depends on the environment and height of your dog. If you’ll be walking your dog along the edge of the road or on a crowded sidewalk, shorter is better. While you can always wrap a longer leash around your hand, having the handle be at a short length makes it much easier to keep your dog right at your side, the safest place to be. For small to medium height dogs, a 4-foot leash works well. For taller dogs, a 2-foot “traffic length” leash may be ideal. If you’re walking on wide sidewalks with or in the country, 6-foot nylon leashes give your dog plenty of sniffing radius.

5. Leash style: Flat nylon – not retractable. I have to confess, I used to be a retractable leash walker. I would walk my two big dogs everywhere on the longest Flexi leashes they made! When the first squirrel incident sent me to urgent care for the rope burn wound on my leg, even then I only switched from the rope-style to the tape-style… until I watched in horror as a neighbor, walking his dog across the street from us on a retractable leash, had his dog dart unexpectedly towards us to say hello, and was hit and killed by a car.

Retractable leashescan be used safely. If you’re walking to a park or other traffic and pedestrian-free area, please keep the lock securely locked from the moment before your open your front door until you get there. Don’t rely on being able to press the lock with your finger in time.

We hope you find these 5 best dog leash tips helpful in your dog leash selection!

We Love a Good Adoption Story! Don’t You? One of our favorite classic tales of adoption might also be one of your favorites. ANNIE, which made its stage premiere back in 1976, went on to be a Broadway hit the following year, with a movie version following soon after in 1982. Now, all these years later, the inspiring adoption tale is back with a twist. In the new version, little orphan Annie is now a foster child, but one important thing remains the same: Sandy, the adorable homeless dog who stars alongside Annie, is adopted by Annie in all versions! You’ve got to just love that! For more on the Blu-ray™ release of the film or to enter to win a trip (with your dog!) to NYC where ANNIE was filmed, visit www.Annie-Movie.com.