Works great for dogs! How to dilute; and Tips for indoor potty-training
Works great This is a review for Thornell Cat-odor-off concentrate. I live in a high rise and have potty-trained my little dog to use pads. She rarely has an accident. But recently she used a spot near a window several times before I caught on. It had soaked the carpet and then dried, and my usual method to clean pet spots and remove the odor did not work. So I bought Cat-odor-off and was amazed that it worked completely the first time! If stain is still wet, do this first: Put a dog pad or folded towel over the stain and press hard to soak up the liquid. Use several pads or towels until no more liquid comes up. (If you use dog pads you can actually stand on the dog pad to push the liquid to the surface.) How to dilute and use It is really concentrated. I would guess this one container will last for years. The formula for dilution is: "Dilute ½ oz. of Cat Odor-Off Concentrate to 16 oz. of water". This translates to one US Tablespoon concentrate to 2 US Cups water. I put this in a bowl and stirred. Then slowly poured it onto the carpet stain, pressing down with my hand. Soak thoroughly because you want to soak the carpet pad too. I used the whole bowl, pouring and pressing several times. (Use over a slightly wider area than the stain, because the carpet pad is probably stained over a wider area.) Note on the product's smell The container itself smells so strongly (like men's cologne) that the scent filled up the kitchen. So after use I put it in the storage shed. But diluted it is not a strong smell, though it takes a few days for the smell to completely dissipate. (The smell level is low, not bothersome.) Followup Update after six months: Since Thornell was applied, my dog has shown no further interest in the spot she had been using. Further, she has not had another accident since then. An alternative method if accident found immediately If an accident happens that you know about right away, here is my regular routine: Use the method given above to soak up the stain - keep working till no more will come up. Then pour a certain version of Nature's Miracle over the stain until the carpet is soaked, as above. Until recently "Nature's Miracle Stain & Odor Remover" had a single formula. So buyers always knew what they were getting. Now there are several formulas for the same-name product, and only the original formula works well! So here is the "good" formula: Water, Nature's Bio-Enzymatic blend, oxygen boosters (optional), isopropyl alcohol, etc. The important thing to look for is that the Bio-Enzymatic blend is listed next to water. In other words it must be present in a greater amount than alcohol and other ingredients. It is this blend that gets out the smell. As I write, the good original fornula of Nature's Miracle can now be found in the Orchard Lemon scent product. If this ceases to be available, check the website to see each product's formula. For me it has worked 100% if used immediately. Shake well before using. (Fyi the "good" Nature's Miracle also does an outstanding job removing blood, wine, & food stains.) But if there is any smell remaining, use Cat-odor-off. How to do indoor potty-training My first rescue dog figured this out in days. My second rescue dog, who had been badly abused, took three months to get it! The main points are: The training must be positive not negative, the pads must be placed strategically, and extra steps are needed for a dog who raises his/her leg. Here are some tips - I hope they will be be helpful. Regarding positive training, when you find an accident express surprise and disappointment, saying the dog's name, e.g. "Oh Fido, you had an accident! Nooo nooo" (quietly). Look solemn. That's it, no spanking, no pushing their nose onto the accident, no drama, no raising your voice, and absolutely no spankings at any time. Doggie will watch quietly while you clean the stain. Afterward take doggie to where the pads are and brush them with your fingers, saying "Here potty, here potty". Keep doggie off the couch or bed for 5-10 minutes. Then have a quiet "reconciliation" cuddle, saying, "I know, I know, you didn't mean to do it - it was an accident - you'll do better next time." (Be careful though not to say the word "good".) Dogs need a lot of love and positive reinforcement. Especially if your dog is a rescue dog it will take awhile (possibly months) for him/her to trust you, to understand that the new (quiet) way of doing things is permanent. Whenever doggie uses the pads, it is time for a great celebration: express surprise and excitement, stroke the dog saying "Potty! Potty! Good girl/boy", and give them a treat. Be sure to use the word "potty" several times so he/she learns what that means. Remove the pad immediately, replacing it with a clean pad, so doggie appreciates that "home" is a clean non-smelly place. (Keep the used pads in a small sealed diaper pail, lined with a scented Glad bag, and throw out the bag once per day.) Btw there should be several pads overlapping each other in the designated area - give your pet a wide area to be successful in. Place the pads where doggie is most likely to have an accident, even if inconvenient (such as the living room). But also place pads where convenient to yourself, e.g. bathroom or hallway. Once doggie is using the "convenient" pads regularly, try removing the inconveniently-placed pads. With my second little dog, who was so slow to catch on, I actually papered the living room carpet for weeks, then slowly removed one pad a day. Finally got it down to just a few, and let some more time go by before slowly removing the remaining ones. There were times when I thought it would never end, but right about the 3-month mark she finally figured it out. Even now if six or more hours go by without a potty break, I gate-off the living room so that she's not tempted! A lot of times I'll be in the kitchen, and she comes to me so proud that she's done the right thing! Celebrate! Leg-lifting Some dogs of either sex like to lift their leg, and that is why they are so prone to accidents around furniture legs. Here are two things which may help: "Nature's Miracle No More Marking Stain & Odor Remover" is a repellant. (Fyi, identical ingredients are in "No More Spraying" for cats.) While training, I used it on the bottom of furniture legs, applying a small amount daily. It removed the furniture's finish slightly, but it was worth it. Avoid getting it on the carpet in case it stains. This product is different from the one mentioned earlier. It should not be used to remove smells or carpet stains - it won't work and might stain the carpet. My dog loves to mark, even if she doesn't need to go potty. We have a long vigorous walk every day, during which she can mark bushes etc as much as she likes. She finally figured out that walks include unlimited opportunities to mark, but indoors is only for going potty every few hours. (Btw in the case of a new dog, be sure to have doggie checked at the vet's to rule out a urinary tract infection.) The other tip for leg-lifting is to create a "fire hydrant" for doggie. I use a small lunch bag with a weight inside, such as a plastic glass. Place the "hydrant" on a dog pad. My bathroom and hallway have several hydrants, protecting areas where doggie used to have accidents. She loves these! PS- my favorite brand pet pads is "OUT! Odor Control Extra Large Puppy and Dog Pads, 26 x 24 inches". They are scent-free and have beige edging rather than the typical blue. Read more