Bottom line is they have to be cleaned up after, if they are small dogs and you can at least clean up a couple of times a week then using carbon such as dry grass shavings or sawdust or shavings will help to build a little biological factory that will make the odor go away. The piss and shit is full of nitrogen, carbon will turn it into a composting operation.
Reminding you both, this is not the Pit.
Hey, he passes by them a couple times a day when he walks through his garage! Surely they don’t need more attention than that!?
:rolleyes:
Without meaning to add to the pile-on, which I am dubious will have the desired effect, I will add that it’s unfortunate that both dogs are lapdog-types – mini-poodle and Lhasa Apso – and thus, if they exemplify their breeds’ alleged tendencies, more inclined to crave human contact than, say, livestock guardian dogs would be.
I apologize for creating such a firestorm. My responses to a couple of the questions seem to have created more controversy than the details in my original question, so I’ll try to address some of the incorrect and correct assumptions that followed.
Both dogs are rescues. The Lhasa had been pulled from a dumpster. Apparently it had climbed up some nearby boxes, found stuff to eat, and discovered the garbage he had shifted around would no longer support him in his attempts to get back out. The rescue people guesstimated he had a 2-year accumulation of matted hair, during which they assume he was running wild. [They offered us the shaving as a small carpet or pillow-case; we declined.] The mini-poodle was formerly a professional breeder’s dog that had never had any attention except to be mated, birthed(?), and whelped. [I guess water and food were somehow automatically delivered.]
In our first apartment, the dogs were indoors with us all the time and there were no problems. In our condo, they were constantly wandering off to piss or shit on the carpet. In the house we’re renting, the wood floors would be destroyed by their nails and excrement, so they’re not allowed inside. Instead, we set up a little den for them in the corner of the garage and that section has access to a side-yard that they use as a dog run. They seem to adore each other and the cage they share. It’s got a nice little mattress on it that they seem to think makes them into celebrities when they’re lying on it. We used to let them out to play or lounge around in the grassy area of the yard. They would immediately try to run back to their cage. I think they (especially the poodle) had grown so accustomed to being in a cage that they were freaked out when we put them on more expansive grounds and they just wanted to get back to their safer-seeming shelter as soon as possible. That or they really really like that little mattress.
They are walked on weekends and washed every other weekend. The wife and I don’t just wave as we head in and out of the house; we stop and pet them (and the wife gives them cookies; I don’t because I think the cookies are less nutritious than their kibble and shouldn’t displace their intake of the better food. It’s like I wouldn’t want kids to munch on candy bars and then skip dinner.) I let them out of the cage and into the garage when I’m puttering, unless I’m using power tools that spew sawdust.
I admit it: I didn’t want them and don’t love them and I was very clear in establishing that they would be my wife’s responsibility for care, feeding, cleaning, sanitation, and health. This isn’t to say I hate them; one might even say I like them (provided you don’t actually say that to my wife or friends because that would ruin my grumpy-old-man reputation:dubious:). I care enough to keep them safe, improve the sanitation situation (thus, the OP), participate in the washing, build and improve their quarters, and make sure they have food and water.
My statement earlier seems to have gotten misconstrued: I won’t let us get any more dogs, even a breed I love and grew up with, because the ones we have now aren’t given enough care and I won’t put another animal through this stuff.
Believe me, I share everyone’s opinion that these dogs’ living situation is not ideal. It’s not even as good as I would prefer if I was the grumpy-old-man I pretend to be. Nevertheless, they’re not going to a different home. Aside from the fact that she would never allow it, they’re very old and we wouldn’t trust that anyone who took them wouldn’t redirect them to a shelter; they wouldn’t last a week in a shelter. The situation is that I can keep the dogs and the wife or get rid of the dogs and the wife. Lately I’ve been thinking I love my wife very much (but I don’t like the way she ignores her dogs) so I’ll keep her (and the dogs) around.
So that leaves me with the original question: What can I use to improve their sanitation. I’ll look into that Icky stuff this weekend.
–G!
I can’t explain
the time it takes
to make you understand
…–Robin Zander (Cheap Trick)
…Never Had a Lot to Lose
…Lap of Luxury
No. They are not. Their situation was marginally bettered. Please do not insult people who truly put effort into “rescuing” animals.
Well, of course, clearly that was the only option. Everyone knows that you can’t house-train dogs.
Jesus Christ.
I appreciate the real answers to the main question.
–G
You’ve already gotten it. The real answer is to get rid of animals you aren’t prepared to take care of. If death would be better than their life, which rational actors have admitted it is, then you are failing them every second you don’t do something about it. If your wife won’t realize this, then you need to nut up and do it. Take them to a shelter (preferably in another county so she won’t find them) and make it look like they escaped.
Then dunk her nose in the trail of piss and shit when she brings up her desire to adopt another animal.
So I am as much of a nutso dog-lover as the next guy (although at the moment my dog would disagree, as he is currently recovering from the emotional and physical trauma of a bath), and I would never treat a dog the way these dogs are treated, but . . .
Wasn’t this type of situation considered standard for suburban dogs for many decades in this country? Maybe with an added daily walk? If so, are our increasing standards for dog treatment the result of a better understanding of dog psychology and needs?
And for the simple fact that these dogs have each other, I don’t currently think death would be better than life for them, but I am open to having my mind changed by others with more experience with dog socialization
It seems to me you’d probably have to replace the gravel, or at least move it and treat it, and treat what’s underneath as well.
There’s no way I’d put up with a significant other who ignored their responsibility towards their animals. How old are the dogs? You said they’re old, but they sound pretty healthy. Some work with a trainer and they’re very adoptable-they’re perfect sizes. At the shelter where I volunteer, the poodle would be adopted within a day.
I would suggest being a massive slob around the house. I mean like never flush the toilet, leaving dirty underwear and half eaten food lying around everywhere. When wifey complains it’s ultimatum time. Spend a minimum one hour a week cleaning up dog crap or we live like them. I think that should help the smell problem.
If you already live like that then just let the neighbors complain. You just reply ’ you think them dogs should live better than us?!?!?’.