How’s that for a title, eh? When we first got Maximus, I asked my students who have dogs how their moms (‘cause let’s be honest here) keep their houses from smelling like dog. The universal answer? “Yeah, our house just smells like dog.” Nooooooooo!
As much as I did NOT want to take on the responsibility of this 140-pound slobber ball, I knew it would be mine. More importantly, I knew I would be the only one who would really care if my house smells like dog, looks like dog, or tastes like dog.
I’ve been asked (a lot) how I keep up with him. So I’m here to tell ya how I do it. However, prepare yourself. It requires work—and a lot of it.
#1 The towel.
Oh sure…when that cute little snow-covered snout comes to the back door, it’s not that big of a deal.
But when Michigan winter (or spring…or fall) hits, it’s not so cute anymore.
The towel is a mainstay at our back door, and Maximus is trained to walk inside and freeze. He just stands there while we wipe him all down.
#2. I vacuum every day. Yup, every. single. day. And if I miss a day, I feel like dog hair creatures are going to attack me. It’s just my thing. I like to sit on the floor with my kids, and I don’t want that to include a bunch of dog hair. Blech! My saving grace is my BFF below. She changed my life.
#2.5 I have Alice do the hard surface floors with this bad boy every week.
#3 The Furminator. If you haven’t heard of this tool, I can promise you it’s right up there with DVR. That good. None of my dog-owner friends knew about it when we bought it. Now they all have one. It’s pretty awesome, and I make that my kids’ job.
#4. Lots of baths. I’d say at least once a month—more in the summers. I’ve got two words for ya. Junkyard Dog.
While we bathe him at home in the summers (we have a hot water tap on our hose), we otherwise take him to our local Chow Hound which has a pet grooming area. They supply everything, and it’s only $10.00. Totally worth not doing it in our house!
#5. Open windows! Whether I have a dog or not, this is a necessity for me. Nothing grosses me out more than a house that has that “stagnant smell.” You know what I’m talking about? Usually while I’m vacuuming, I’ll crack a window or open the back door a bit. Then my husband will complain about how cold it is. It’s just a no-brainer—even in the winter.
‘Cause you know. That’s my view.
If Maximus were 100 pounds lighter, perhaps we I wouldn’t have to do half of these things. But it is what it is. I’m stuck with all his slobber and dog hair, and he’s stuck with my vacuuming and wiping off his feet. I think we’re gonna make it, buddy.
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I HATE DOG HAIR!!!!!!! I hate my own hair when it sheds, so it is just magnified by this creature that has begun to rule the house. Our pup is only 33 pounds but the amount of hair I find is ASTOUNDING. I can’t possibly vacuum daily, but I do it aLOT. my husand is all- why do you vacuum when you can still see the lines from last itme you vacuumed???? um DUH- dog HAIR!
I’m so glad to know, I am not the only one fighting the battle of hair! Maybe I need to start vacuuming daily- it could be worth it!
I HATE DOG HAIR!!!!!!! I hate my own hair when it sheds, so it is just magnified by this creature that has begun to rule the house. Our pup is only 33 pounds but the amount of hair I find is ASTOUNDING. I can’t possibly vacuum daily, but I do it aLOT. my husand is all- why do you vacuum when you can still see the lines from last itme you vacuumed???? um DUH- dog HAIR!
I’m so glad to know, I am not the only one fighting the battle of hair! Maybe I need to start vacuuming daily- it could be worth it!
I do every one of those things except the Furminator! I have to get one because I have three dogs in the house. Two are border collies and they have to do every thing FAST! Like YESTERDAY! So when they come in I have to start saying wait! BEFORE they get in the house! Then they all stand in the kitchen and wait their turn. My little guy who rarely gets muddy still wants to be wiped down, (he is a rat terrier with hardly any hair) so we just go through the motions.
It’s nice to hear that others do this to! 8^)
Loved this post! We have an 80 lb Goldendoodle that grime sticks to like glue! We do many of the same things you mentioned to keep the house looking decent! But, you better believe I wouldn’t trade that ball of fur for the world! He is the love of our lives 🙂
Okay, first of all I love Maximus! He’s ADORABLE!!! Our family has two Labs… so this post speaks VOLUMES to me! My Dyson and Furminator are two of my best friends. 🙂
Oh my gosh, I can relate to every word of this post!!! I always love your photos of Maximus because I have a very large, very furry, and very drooly St. Bernard. I have that Dyson Animal as well and it’s my BFF. And the towel by the door! So funny – we’ve got one too! Some days I wonder, how did I get here? How did I agree to this?? But of course the funny thing is how much I love that dog.
I am coveting your steamer….dying for one.
I have a St Bernard, too! They are hard to come by with owners that are able to keep them their entire life! I love mine and even though keeping up with mine is like cleaning after a kid I would not trade her for the world! They do not get the name “gentle giant” for nothing!
I, too, can relate to this whole post!! I have a 5 year old and an 11 month old, both chocolate labs. I just said on Facebook the other day about how I actually wish it was colder out and I wouldn’t have to wipe their muddy feet every single time they come in. And we also have (had) a towel! Our big guy loves it and will actually cry and whine if you don’t wipe him down with it. The puppy doesn’t quite get it yet. He also recently ate it. We’ll be ripping out of carpeting by the end of the month and I’m totally digging on your steam cleaner. I’ll have to do some research!
I can so relate to these posts!! My sister makes THE coolest dog towels! They have a tie so they can hang on a hook or over the doorknob and she puts gorgeous fabric at the top by the ribbon/webbing! I love mine! I now have 4; one for the front door and one for the back plus 2 washed and ready!! Still dreaming of owning a Dyson. My 115 lb Rotty is a shedding machine 🙂
I love his face!!! I am right there with you on this one. I have a Great Pryenees and a Pug. Cute combo, but not so much with the hair and smell. My heart dreams of the Dyson Animal day and night. I keep hoping that one Christmas instead of the new X-Playstation-whatever, my MIL will see into my soul and make this our family xmas gift. I can keep dreaming right!?!?
When I first found your blog long ago I feel in love with Maximus pics. I still love them. I have smaller dogs. I got a new one in May. She eats everything. My carpet, chair, table, glasses, etc. I even tried rubbing a habenero pepper on things to prevent her from chewing on them. I think she likes peppers. I love her anyway and dogs are worth all the trouble.
All I need it the Furminator and I’m good to go! Funny how we can’t imagine life without them!
Blessings!
Deborah
Ok maximus reminds me so much of my giant 120lbs great dane mastiff mix. He’s only two and is still growing! Most days he drives me crazy, but this post has given me lots of great ideas. We do the towel by the door thing, but I think I’m going today to get a furminator.he just sheds so darn much. So thanks for the ideas.
We have a dog too, not quite as big as yours but furry-er. And our back yard turns into a MUD PIT/swamp every season except winter when it freezes… which it FINALLY did last night. Hopefully it stays that way. We have to wipe him down every time he comes in as well, and I vacuum all the time… we have LIGHT colored pergo floors, and they are impossible to keep clean!
Oh I big time want a steamer too… have wanted one for a while, I’d use it all the time if I had one!
Maximus is a cutie! I follow every single one of those steps exactly. We have five pets…three dogs and two cats. Combined they don’t even reach 100 lbs but just like you, I like my house a certain way. People who don’t know us have no idea we have pets when they walk in unless they pack starts barking and meowing. It is the only way to keep my sanity with pets in the house. I love them to pieces but I don’t deal with messes well 😉
We have a big furry golden retriever and do all the same things as you. I totally agree with vacuuming everyday. I swear I don’t know how a dog could shed so much sometimes! But it seems to work.
If you love the big Dyson you should try the smaller battery powered Dyson. It’s awesome and great for quick everyday pickups.
Oh, my – Furminators changed my life. I still walk around cursing my cute dog, who is the hairiest thing on four legs (golden retriever)… but that brush has certainly helped a ton. I WISH we had a steamer, but all my wood floors are original from when the house was built in 1960 and they need some major love and refinishing before that would be safe. So mostly I just give my dog the stinkeye when she walks on my floors. Someone needs to invent swiffer-slippers for dogs 😉
Swiffer-slippers for dogs! Brilliant. Let’s get on the the business plan right now!
I love this post so much! I have 2 beasts! I’ve had them for over 11 years now! I have vacuumed every day for over 11 years – sounds crazy right? It’s just a habit now. The boys (as I call my dogs) are 11 and 12 now – they’re old men and I love them! They are a LOT of work but I can’t even imagine not having them.
Love your dog and this post! We also live in Michigan…have the towel by the door for sure! We have an 80 lb. Goldendoodle who thankfully does not really shed at all and is the love of my life. I am going to check out the Furminator…thanks!
Great post, Chris.
We have a 60 lb. English Bulldog, a 70 lb. Olde English Bulldogge and 3 cats. I do just about everything you do–towel by the door, Furminator, daily vaccuuming. I also use those extra-sticky Everclean Lint rollers on my furniture every day. I find the lint rollers are almost as essential as the Furminator.
I left my husband in charge for just one week last summer and when I came home, the house smelled like a kennel for the first time ever so I know my cleaning routine works.
Definitely can relate – I love my dogs so much but HATE it if I think for a second that my house smells like dog! I also have a Tyson and it was my lifesaver when we lived in our previous house with all carpet but now that everything is wood floors – I just sweep or still use the tyson every day! Everyday when I sweep, I am amazed at the hair I find. I just don’t see how it is possible for that much hair everyday. But the hardwoods help a lot b/c I feel like I can ALL the hair up and none are lingering in the crevasses of my house. I also use the glade motion sensors – lavendar vanilla is the least overwhelming smell!
You know I love a Maximus post. 😉
I have that Eureka Steamer (bought one after you blogged about it last year) & I LOVE that thing!!
I’m going to get a Furminator…right now, thanks for sharing. 🙂
Love the Max!
We have Boomer…who also has his own set of towels on a hook inside the back door, his own doggie door in the basement out to the yard, and his freeze-where-you-are-right-now-buddy command is “let me see your feet!”
My yellow Dyson is a daily player in our home drama as well. And Boomsie will bring you his brush anytime you ask 🙂 He ♥s brushing.
Boy can I relate. And mine is only 23 lbs! I can’t imagine having a 140 lb slobber ball (I LMBO at that!)
I have never really been a dog person. So, adjusting to having one did take work at first. Lucy gets wiped down when she comes in from rain or snow too. Otherwise she jumps straight on the couch! She’s learned the wipe down is a must. She gets groomed at least every six weeks. Most people are surprised I have a pug groomed that often. But she sheds like crazy! And like all dogs, even though she doesn’t spend a ton of time outside, she starts to smell like, well, a dog.
But now I wouldn’t trade my little pudge ball for anything…even her bad smells. 🙂
Long time follower, first time commenter.
We have a 80lb Golden and a Chi that shed enough to build a new dog every week.
I had asked for the dang Dyson for Christmas this year, then thought better of it. Not wanting to get something with a cord for Christmas from the spouse, y’know.
I am an idiot 🙁
Bahaha–love this 🙂 Nothing bonds you to others like being dog owners. 😉 Love the furminator and just like everyone else on here, I hate the perpetual foot wipe with the towel when our girls come in the door–but it definitely saves the carpets and hub from complaining about his newly cleaned kitchen floors! We’ve gotten lazy about the vacuuming since we don’t have kiddos, but still do it at least once a month. Hub also once every other month does the baking soda treatment to the carpets prior to vacuuming—does amazing things for that smell!
We just talked again the other day about how as much as we love our German Shep/Belgian Malinois, we definitely prefer that our Aussie Shep mix sheds MUCH less than the GS. These critters sure know how to worm their ways into our hearts though, no?!
He’s such a cutie!! Your list is a good one…dog hair can get out of control. We have a Pomeranian named Emma and we rescued a 3 pound Yorkie off the side of the highway on Christmas night. Her name is Annie (Little Orphan Annie). 🙂 I bet Maximus loves being around your kids!
Maximus is too cute! You inspire me to vacuum everyday!
Oh man can I relate! We have a 90 lb American Bulldogs and a 70 lb lab/pit mix and we live on a farm/vineyard that is very muddy this time of year. I wish I had advice but I will be checking back to see what others say! Best of luck 🙂
I love this post! We have an 88 lb Golden Retriever and we definitely 1) have a towel by the door 2) vacuum every day 3) brush as much as I can remember to. I have to say that the biggest thing we’ve noticed is the quality of food. We had her on a high protein/all natural food and she hardly shed and for a golden that was huge. People used to comment all the time how little she shed. THEN, she put on a few lbs and the vet had us switch her food and POW there is fur everywhere now. And with a crawler in the house it makes for a lot of ‘yucky’ moments. So there is my tip, try different foods I swear if you find the right one it will help the shedding!
I don’t have to contend with snow so I’m lucky there. I follow almost everything you do to a tee but I did invest in the roomba a few years ago and it has saved my life. I still vacume almost every other day but before I go to bed I hit clean on the roomba and I wake up to nice clean fur free wood floors. Worth every penny 🙂
XO
Kristin
Wow, that’s great that you work so hard to keep up with your dog! I didn’t grow up with pets in the house and my husband did. Needless to say, we don’t have a dog right now, because we can’t reach a compromise. I have a hard enough time keeping my house clean with 2 kids and dog hair grosses me out. I wish my in-laws were as diligent as you in cleaning up after their dogs! I love them, but sometimes the thought of visiting their house grosses me out. They have two labs and a small dog and there is dog hair everywhere! You’re a better woman than I am, kids or no kids, I wouldn’t let Maximus in my house! Lol. He’s a sweetie though. 🙂
I love the Furminator. I often tell our son – someone needs to furminate the dog – I invented a new noun. :o)
What a cute post, I love Maximus; he is adorable! We just got a yellow lab this summer and I am finding like you, that I am the one dealing with the 63lb (8mo. old) “slobber ball”! I would love to get her to sit and let me wipe her feet, she just wants to tug on the towel. But!!! I am going to try the furminator, I have wondered how good it is and it looks as though there are several people who have also commented they like it; SOLD!
Take care!
Jodi
oh my word your dog is SO cute!! Our little bugger is only a little over 20 lbs…so the mess isn’t as big, but I’m definitely using these tips!! Thanks!! 🙂
Amen to all of it, we survive with our 100 lb Weimaraner by doing all of that, including the Dyson (and I find that emptying it every day or two and keeping the filter washed up keeps the air from stirring up and smelling doggie) but I need to check out that other fur busting gadget of yours! Happy New Year!
What a great way to begin 2012… with a post about Maximus!!! Love him!!!
I can totally relate – we have a Bernese Mtn dog who is 1.5 years old and already 135 lbs. My husband has always wanted this kind of dog but guess who is handling the caretaking. I too vacuum every single day with my Dyson (need to upgrade to the “animal”) and am constantly telling my boys to “get off the carpet until I can vaccum!” Need to invest in the steamer now. I just consider the vaccuming my workout for the day at this point. Hilarious, thanks for sharing…good to know there are others living amongst fur out there (and equally as grossed out about it).
OMG I could have written this!! We don’t have one 140lb dog, but we do have one 100lb and one 40lb. I too vacuum everyday, and I get so tired of people who tell me that I am way too OCD. Really? Just come sit on my floor, if you are feeling really adventurous, wear black!! I live for the day when we are not renters again, so that I can have less carpet. Also, I too open the windows even in the middle of cold Iowa winters, and have a dog towel by the back door 🙂 (Also a rug, because the geniuses who built this house, thought carpet inside the sliding deck door was a good idea). My added suggestion…don’t allow anyone to wear fleece. I just looked at my 3 year old’s fleece pants…and well it’s pretty gross. I should point out that I just vacuumed (with my Dyson pet) less than 20 hours ago. The things we do for our pets!!
I love this post! I think any one considering a dog should get a manual that explains just what you have. Dog are messy and stinky, even the little ones. I have to give it you though, because Maximus is a big boy, I don’t know what I would do. I currently have two schnauzers, and I make them wear booties inside the house because they would scratch my wood floors every time they did their marathon around the house, which by the way, is always.
Great post! I LOVE the furminator. Best dog “brush” ever!
This post caught my eye. I do not have a dog. I probably will never let my kids have one, mainly because of the co-habitating issue which you addressed here. BUT, what I would LOVE is to see a post about WHY you love your dog enough to do all that? I just do not understand the whole animal/human connection? I guess I have some wiring wrong? I just don’t see how a pet is worth it? In the past we have had dogs, rabbits, gold fish. I never saw them as anything more than another chore to be done. Sure, I liked them, but I never had any sort of connection to them that made me anything but relieved when their time with us was through. I do love animals. I have been known to get teary eyed at a rodeo because I have felt so bad for the animals. I do have compassion. I just don’t have that lovey feeling that makes me want to vaccuum every day and brush their slobbery, fowl smelling mouths. I would love to get to the bottom of the whole idea of a pet and why people feel they need them? I wonder what I am doing wrong to not feel the way about the pets that I do about the people in my life. It really is a mystery to me. Anyway, would just LOVE to see a future post someday:)
Oh, Stephanie! You need to click on the “Maximus” tag on the side of my blog, and you will quickly realize I don’t do this for HIM. Everyone who knows me (including long-time readers) knows that I am NOT happy about having this dog. I will admit that once you have a pet, it’s just human nature to care for them and be affected by their companionship. However, I will never have another one. So to answer your question…to me, having a pet is not necessarily worth all the work. However, having two kids who adore and love on him every day really is. I wish I could give you that post you’re looking for, but I’m SO not qualified. 🙂 While it sounds like your “disconnect” might be a little more severe than mine, I’m the last person on earth to convince you what the reasoning is. I do appreciate your honesty and your inquisitiveness about it! I wonder if some commenters will be able to give you a good answer?
Thanks. I am sure someday I will get to the bottom of it:) I’ll keep on the lookout for more of these types of posts and anything else in blog land. I remember when “Marley and Me” came out in theaters. I thought maybe that would seal the deal for me, help me better understand, but seriously, I felt the same sense of relief for that poor family as I do for myself (even though I was a bit sad) when he died. While others in the theater around me were wiping their tears and sniffling away, the happy, freeing feeling prevailed in me! Reading the book didn’t help much either.
I look forward to reading more about your Maximus!
Your pooch is adorable!
Dog hair is my nemesis! After losing our last dog 3 years ago, we have been “tumbleweed” free! We got a surprise puppy for Christmas and I am already prepping for the onslaught of hair and slobber. Thank goodness that they are as sweet as they are…makes it all worth it!
Happy New Year.
Kerry at HouseTalkN
We have two big dogs too so I know what you mean. Like you, we bath them fairly often and they honestly never have that “doggy” smell. I have more trouble keeping up with the hair. You just hug our mastiff cross and you’re instantly covered.
The Furminator? Oh my gosh, they get so excited when they see it! I think it’s like a trip to the spa for them.
Maximus is adorable! I love his face. You’ve given some good tips – We’ve had to learn how to co-exist with two dogs, one medium and one large. We also have a Dyson like you – well worth the investment, right?? 🙂
This post is perfect timing! You always crack me up…and this post is great! We have a large mix breed that sheds year round and very recently…I’ve lost my mind TOTALLY and added 2 great dane puppies to our household. That makes 3 dogs….3 towels…3 beds…you get the picture. I’m going to have to find the furminator…..and add that to my list. I sweep everyday with my Dyson too….and mop the floors every few days. If you get any other great tips on getting rid of that Dog Smell….pass them along!!!
You’re right, Sharon. You totally lost your mind. 🙂 THREE?! God bless you. Thanks for sharing!
I vacuum daily, too. I am the only one who actually smells the dogs in my house. Every time my sister, mom, or aunts come over (you know, the people who will tell me the truth, no matter what), I ask them if they can smell the dogs. Their answer has never been yes, but sometimes I just have to stop what I’m doing and bathe my dogs. Yuck!
Oh, and the Furminator is a MUST! I’ve had one for a couple of years, and that brush just can’t be beat!
Same here, Katy! My husband tells me I have the nose of a blood hound. I start getting all panicked if I think I can smell anything! So fun…
I LOVE this post! Our first baby was a boxer, and looking at these pictures of Maximus (great name!) reminds me so much of Bogey! Our house didn’t smell so much as just have mud paw prints everywhere. He would come inside wet and muddy then do his happy dance all over the kitchen floor. I love the towel idea. Think it would work for my kids too?
We have a Yorkshire Terrier and fortunately they don’t shed, but our cat sheds cotton balls! I have a small hardware store in my neck because of a back injury, so vacuuming every day for me is difficult and getting my kids to do it is a joke! I LOVE LOVE LOVE my robot vacuum cleaner! No it doesn’t do as good of a job as I do, but it is a good every other day solution.
Then we got a six month old English Bulldog puppy. I never knew imagined anything could be so stubborn or hard to house break!! My saving grace has been my Hoover Steam cleaner! Its taken a year to house break her, and I’m looking forward to getting new carpet this spring.
I work extremely hard to keep my house from smelling like dog. Our other saving grace is the outside shower with the hot and cold water. I wouldn’t take a million bucks for it!
He is just too cute!
I have 2 dogs currently (down from 4 – sadly, 2 have passed away) and I’m always fighting the dog hair. But it’s worth it to me to deal with it because these dogs are family, and I love them so. 🙂
Love your blog….We too have a 150 pound Newfoudland…slobber and fur galore….I do the same maintenance as you do each day….I use the Shark steamer. I wonder if your Eureka is any better? Looks a big bigger anywise….also we used to have wood flooring in our old house and by the time we moved, we had to re-sand and stain the flooring…it was aweful (and cost $5000)….Our current house we made sure to get tile floors throughout hallways, kitchen and entry…..LOVE IT…
Will have to steal your idea with the pegboard in the craft room. Lots of fun stuff here to copy ..Greetings from Olympia WA..
Hi Chris, following you on Pinteret now….here is a link to our home….still in the working….got tons of great ideas and no time….haha…..
http://pinterest.com/christinevd/our-home-olympia-wa/