In part 1, we discussed the importance of cleaning your dog. In this article, part 2, it’s time to examine your dog’s stuff. Equally important to the pup, the pup’s items’ cleanliness is critical to a happy, healthy dog life.
Cleaning the (dog’s) Bed
There’s a very good chance that the dirtiest item in your home is your dog’s bed. Sorry. A dog’s bed can be the home to fleas, ticks, germs, and allergens brought in from outside. Bathing your dog 100 times a month won’t make up for a dirty bed. The bed is the key to a dog’s hygiene and cleanliness. Purchasing a dog bed with a removable fabric cover that you can take off and throw in the washer is key. If your dog sheds, you should vacuum the dog’s bed as often as you vacuum the carpet in your living room. Your dog might balk at losing all the smells, but it’s important for your dog (and your) health.
Cleaning Toys
If you think your dog’s bed’s cleanliness is important, then you know that your dog’s toys’ cleanliness is important. The key here is to avoid cleaning a toy with disinfectant or cleaning sprays as those could poison your dog. Instead, using water-diluted bleach for hard toys or use a half water, half vinegar solution. Safe play results in you washing your dog’s toys about once a month.
Cleaning Paws
If you’re worried about what your dog puts in her mouth, think about what your dog steps on outside! Yikes! Your dog can step in so many gross things, we aren’t even going to list them here. Because it makes no sense to bathe your dogs daily, and bathing your dog’s skin is different from cleaning your dog’s paws, it makes sense to scrub those paws down with a wet cloth after soaking them in warm water a few times a month. For the hairier dogs, trim and brush the hairs between their toes. As an added bonus, paw cleaning leads to less paw chewing.
Cleaning Collars
Collars start to smell gross after a while. It’s just part of dog ownership. Why would you give your dog a bath, clean your dog’s bed and toys, and then put your dog’s dirty collar on her? You should not. While washing your dog’s collar doesn’t need to happen very often, it should become a priority anytime the collar smells horribly bad or starts changing colors. An easy way to clean your dog’s collar is to soak it in a bowl of hot water and use dog shampoo on it. Rinse it off in the end with cold water and your dog’s collar should be good to go for the next adventure.