Accidents happen, and they're especially common in puppies who are still learning. Unfortunately, urine odor can penetrate your puppy's coat, leaving stains that are difficult to remove. Luckily, there are techniques for removing the odor and stain, making your puppy feel fresh and you feel more at ease.
Urine Can Soak into Fur Leaving Stains and Odor
There's nothing quite like a new puppy, is there? A cute little bundle of fur and love rolled into one irresistible package. However, there are times when that adorable fluff ball is actually easy to resist: when they smell like pee.
It's a fact of new puppy life. There will be house accidents and your pup is likely to wind up with some of it in their fur. Sometimes, it's just their feet. Other times, they may accidentally sit down in their own puddle. They may even soil their dog bed, giving urine a chance to soak into their fur.
Here lies the problem. Dog fur soaks up urine just like a straw, staining the color and causing a very unpleasant odor. Left unattended, the urine can actually begin to burn your pup's tender skin, so it's best to take action as soon as you notice it's happened.
Tips for Removing Urine Odor From Puppy Fur
The only sure way of removing urine odor from puppy fur is to remove the residual urine. The following are helpful tips to remove the stain and odor.
Give Your Puppy a Bath
The very best method of removing urine odor from puppy fur is by giving your pet a complete bath with a mild dog shampoo. The warm, soapy water will open the hair shafts and allow urine remnants to dissolve, leaving your pup as fresh as a daisy once again.
If you are trying to avoid soap, vinegar and water offer a natural solution to getting rid of urine odor in your puppy's fur. You will want to blot up as much of the urine as possible with a towel or paper towels if the urine in the fur is still wet. Then, mix one part vinegar with two parts water in a spray bottle and spray it over the area.
Allow this solution to sit on the area for 10 minutes before washing off with warm water and soap, then rinse well. If there's still some lingering odor after this process, try using an enzymatic cleaner made specifically for pets.
Sometimes, it's just not convenient to give your puppy a full bath. At these times, you may choose just to spot-bathe them in the areas you are sure were soiled. Soak just their feet or from the rear quarter down if that's where the urine odor happens to be coming from. Then you have less than half a dog to dry.
Pet Wipes to the Rescue
Pet wipes are the next best solution when a full bath isn't possible. They're also a good alternative if your puppy has frequent accidents and their skin is drying out from excessive bathing. Simply wipe down the soiled areas with a fresh wipe. You can even run a clean wipe over the puppy's entire coat to freshen them up.
Self-Rinse and Dry Shampoos
Self-rinsing shampoo can be found in many pet supply stores. The formula is quite thin compared to traditional shampoos and requires no rinsing after use. Simply work it into the urine-soaked fur until a light lather forms, then blot the area with a paper towel and brush. This is usually sufficient in warm weather, but if it's cold, give your puppy a quick blow dry so they won't be chilled. This type of shampoo is extremely convenient, and once you try it, you'll want to keep it on hand.
Dry shampoo powders can also help in a pinch, but they don't work quite as well as the previous methods mentioned. The product should be sprinkled into the soiled coat and worked through it, giving it a few minutes to absorb the urine. Then you brush it back out.
Dry shampoos are actually quite messy, and while they can be a temporary alternative to other ways of bathing, they usually wind up leaving a sticky residue in the coat. At best, they can temporarily mask smells, but they aren't the best solution for removing urine odor from puppy fur. They're like putting a band-aid on a long-term problem. Eventually, the band-aid is going to come off and the smell is going to return.
Cornstarch and Talcum Powder
Much like dry shampoos, both talcum and cornstarch can be used to temporarily soak up urine from your pet's coat. Follow the same method as described for using a dry shampoo, but don't allow your puppy to shake before you've had a chance to brush the powder out or you'll find yourself surrounded by a fine, white fog.
Stinky Puppies are to Be Expected
When you own dogs, stinky puppies are just part of the game. Luckily, this phase passes, and once potty training is complete and your puppy has full control of those wobbly legs, urine odors will be a distant memory. Just hang in there and take the measures necessary to maintain a healthy, happy, clean pup. If you get stumped on their grooming, don't be afraid to reach out to a professional groomer for more help.
