Cleaning Out the Doghouse

If you have trained your dog to live outdoors, then you most likely have a dog house. Hopefully, you've provided adequate living quarters for your pet, affording a doghouse with two rooms; a sleeping quarter and a hallway. If you're a responsible pet owner, you're well aware of how important it is to keep your dog's house clean. For easier cleaning, make sure that the roof of your dog's house can be removed. Follow these guidelines to properly clean the doghouse:

• Clean the doghouse at least once a month. During wet seasons, humid summers, and cold weather, clean the doghouse more often.
• Always wear rubber gloves when you clean the doghouse, as you most likely will remove feces and urine from bedding. Make sure that your doghouse has a removable roof to gain easy access to the structure.
• First, remove all feces around the doghouse, including from the roof, steps, and surrounding yard. It is counterproductive to clean the inside of the doghouse if you leave feces around the structure, since your pet will track it into the doghouse later.
• Remove all of your pet's toys and place them into a container of warm, soapy water and allow them to soak.
• Next, remove all of the bedding. You should always use disposable bedding inside your doghouse, as it may become wet with urine or feces, and water or mud. Remove all of the bedding and dispose of it.
• Sweep the structure of twigs, branches, leaves, and debris.
• Fill a large bucket with hot, soapy water. Using a stout brush, thoroughly scour the entire doghouse, inside and out. Pay special attention to the inside corners, as debris, feces, and urine easily collect in corners.
• Completely rinse the structure with water from your garden hose, using a hard spray.
• Disinfect the doghouse with a household disinfectant. Or, purchase a specially-formulated doghouse disinfectant from your local pet store. Follow the directions on the product.
• While the doghouse air dries, clean your pet's toys.

Inspect the doghouse to determine if you need to make any repairs. Always make sure that nails do not protrude into the frame of the structure, since they could poke into the skin of your pet. Replace fresh bedding once the doghouse is completely dry and free of the scent of the disinfectant. Place your pet's toys on the porch of the doghouse. Never place food inside of your dog's house. Food draws rodents and pests.