As a dog lover, you know that having a dog means having to deal with doggy odor on a daily basis. Young dogs, sick dogs and even old dogs can make mistakes. It is not uncommon for some older dogs to accidentally urinate in the house, or to have an episode of vomiting or diarrhea.

I talk about doggy odor a lot – mostly because it’s a big problem for dog owners. Doggy odor from drool or from your dog’s wet coat can make everything smell like dog – your furniture, your bed, your pillows … even your car.

Sometimes younger dogs can get sick or have house training problems. Older dogs can become confused. Sometimes they just can’t hold their urine as well as they used to. They can have accidents or leak urine in their bedding. It happens all the time.

Once they urinate in the house, it seem like the smell never goes away. And if you’ve had problems with your dog urinating in the house, you know that this is a smell that can be especially strong.

What can you do? Here are some tips:

1. Make sure to give your dog PLENTY of opportunities to urinate. Don’t test your dog. Take him out even before you think he needs to go.

2. Wash your dog’s bedding and blankets every week. Some older dogs will have trouble with leaking urine or anal glands … and their bedding stinks. That musty “wet dog smell”, dirt, drool and other odors can also get sealed in to your dog’s bedding, so wash it weekly.

3. Wash your dog. Some dogs need to be bathed every week while others only need to be bathed every few weeks to a month. If you can smell your dog, he definitely needs a bath! Make sure to bathe your dog on a regular basis.

4. Promptly clean all odors. If your dog vomits, has diarrhea or if he has an “accident”, quickly clean up the mess. Use white paper towels and clean/dry the mess as best you can. You can also use water.

5. Neutralize odors. Yes, doggy odors can be neutralized. A product called Zero Odor works very well to do just that. This product bonds with the odor molecule and changes it so it doesn’t stink. It is the only product we’ve found that will actually take away pet odor – for good. You can spray the floor, bedding, furniture, carpets and any areas where your dog (or any dog) may have urinated in the house.

6. We make sacrifices for the dogs we love, but living with daily doggy odor can be a real challenge. When your house smells like dog, life can get pretty miserable. And who wants to expose “outsiders” to that smell? It’s enough to make you cringe every time someone comes to the door.

Thanks to Dr. Jon