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Peeing on our $3000 leather sofa


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My DH is raving mad at Cody. Every few months, we forget to turn up the cushions at night before we go to bed. And every few months, Cody obviously makes himself at home on the center cushion. He is NEVER allowed on any of our furniture. EVER. Always four paws on the ground in our house (that's my DH's rule, that I've had to agree to in order to have a dog).

 

Well once again, Cody peed on that center cushion. Must have been early Sunday morning since we normally are up and out with him for a walk about 6 am but it was about 7:30 am when I finally woke up to get him outside.

 

So, several questions:

1. How do you permanently remove pee smell/stain from LEATHER?

2. What is causing this? We had gone to bed pretty late the night before so he really had been "holding" it all night for about the same time as a regular weeknight.

 

Uggh.

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2. What is causing this? We had gone to bed pretty late the night before so he really had been "holding" it all night for about the same time as a regular weeknight.

I have found that routine is more important than length of time. If my dogs are used to going for their last potty break at 10, they aren't likely to go again if I stay up much later and put them out again right before bed. Likewise, they are used to going potty first thing in the morning, say, by 7 a.m. and aren't likely to hold it longer even if let out at midnight the night before (when they probably didn't potty anyway). So their potty times are 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., and putting them out at midnight, for example, won't automatically translate into a new morning potty time of 9 a.m. Make sense?

 

J.

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To remove urine stains and odor from leather, use a mild dish detergent and water. If you can, first remove the cushion and the stuffing. Using a clean, absorbent cloth, blot up any excess urine. Mix 1/2 teaspoon liquid dish detergent in a quart of warm water. Beat with a mixer. Clean the furniture using only the suds. Do not overwet the leather. Using a new sponge, soak the sponge and wring it out as much as you can. Then using only the suds, wash the entire area. Wipe, do not scrub. If you were able to remove the stuffing, you can scrub the underside of the leather and then use a towel to help dry the area. Using another new sponge and clean water, wipe the entire surface of the leather while it is still damp to remove as much of the detergent as possible. Wash the stuffing if you can, then place it back in the cushion, leaving a dry towel between the stuffing and the leather until it is all thoroughly dry. Condition the leather with Tannery Vintage Leather Cleaner & Conditioner or Fiebing's Saddle Soap.

 

He is NEVER allowed on any of our furniture. EVER.

The operative word here is "allowed". The fact that a dog is not allowed to do something does not mean that he/she will not do it anyway, most often when your back is turned. You might consider blocking access to the couch with furniture or other items when you are not around.

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I use Nature's Miracle for dog messes on carpet and hard floors--I'm not sure if you can use it on leather, but I'm not sure dish soap would remove the odor enough so the dog still wouldn't smell it. I've heard that only enzyme cleaners do a really good job.

 

I agree with blocking access to the area until you are sure the odor is removed and until the habit is broken. My dog recently learned how to go down stairs (he's almost 3, but has been scared of them since I adopted him almost a year ago) and decided that the basement was an acceptable place to poop. I think I've probably cleaned up poop six times in the basement in the past two weeks. I figure this is either because he doesn't view the basement as actually part of "the house" or else I failed to adequately clean up the mess a foster dog left down there and that attracted him to the spot. In any case, I washed the entire floor and thoroughly soaked it with Nature's Miracle, and I block his access to the basement with a chair anytime I can't watch him. So far, this has worked well and there have been no accidents in other places.

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I've also had the best luck with Nature's Miracle, but I do not own any leather so I can't really help you there. I would be inclined to follow Bustophers advice, it seems most logical or talking to someone at a pet store, they may know just the thing!

 

I would imagine Cody is going on the middle cusion for that exact reason, you've never removed the odour propertly so it smells like the perfect spot to him. I would suggest crating the dog at night, it's not cruel and it will save the two of you many arguments in the long run!

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Just took a look (at an extreme distance since I don't know where my reading glasses are :rolleyes: ) at the instructions on Nature's Miracle. It says that it is "safe on all water-safe surfaces." So I would presume if you'd use some water on leather (cow's get rained on all the time, right?) this product would be ok. They suggest putting some aluminum foil with their food dish over top in the place where they're relieving themself to keep them from doing it again. But I've found that something as simple as an unfolded newspaper on the sofa keeps Skye off! But other dogs may not be deathly afraid of the news in printed form ...

Ailsa

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Murphy's oil soap, or saddle soap. All my furniture is leather, and my dogs are 'allowed' (well like I have a choice LOL) on the furniture ;-) anyway, I don't get a lot (if any) urine on the sofa, but we do get the occasional hurl ;-( and my old guy would on occasion lose a poop ;-( on it...but it all cleans up pretty good ;-) thats the beauty of leather LOL Anyway, I just treat it like I would my saddle, and little warm water, saddle soap, sponge, its all good.

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I don't know much about cleaning leather unless it involves a saddle, so I can't help you there. Sorry :rolleyes:

 

I can help you keep him off the couch though. Mouse traps work great. Especially if you have a jumpy dog. Set the trap and slide it into a paper lunch bag (it needs to be the lighter bags, not the heavy duty grocery style ones). This will keep the dog from getting pinched when he springs the trap. Put at least one trap on every cushion. He'll related the bad experience with the couch, not you. It should make it a self correcting lesson. It worked wonders for my friends GSD. It also works on counter surfing and other nosey habits. DON'T forget to use the paper bag or you could end up with a vet visit.

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Hmmmm..why always the center cushion? :D If you moved the center cushion to the end, would he pee on it anyway? :D Just a thought. :rolleyes: My mind goes to mysterious places sometimes.... Does he or has he ever peed on the couch when the cushions are up? Maybe he's going back to whats under the cushion. Are you trying to keep him off the couch, or just stop him from using it as a urinal?

 

My brother has had good results with the newspaper spread out on the cushions, but then you're still having to physically do something to keep him off, like when you put the cushions up, and if you forget, as we are all prone to do, you have a mess on your hands...well...so to speak....But then again, the newspaper (or foil as was also mentioned I believe) might be enough to make him think twice before lifting those four paws off the floor. Not much help, I know.

 

You've had some good advice about cleaning your leather furniture. I would also suggest just Googling "cleaning urine smells from leather furniture." Ya never know what might come up.

 

Good luck! I know it must be frustrating.

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I don't know much about cleaning leather unless it involves a saddle, so I can't help you there. Sorry :rolleyes:

 

I can help you keep him off the couch though. Mouse traps work great. Especially if you have a jumpy dog. Set the trap and slide it into a paper lunch bag (it needs to be the lighter bags, not the heavy duty grocery style ones). This will keep the dog from getting pinched when he springs the trap. Put at least one trap on every cushion. He'll related the bad experience with the couch, not you. It should make it a self correcting lesson. It worked wonders for my friends GSD. It also works on counter surfing and other nosey habits. DON'T forget to use the paper bag or you could end up with a vet visit.

 

Also, never let your dog see you placing or removing the traps, or he'll figure out how to remove them safely on his own.

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The OP said that they normally raise the cushions so that the dog won't get on the couch (or presumably pee on it). If they're occasionally forgetting to do that, then I'd guess that the other barrier methods wouldn't be effective as well, since they, too, can be forgotten.

 

I would consider putting a walk-through gate on the doorway to that room (there are attractive wooden ones available) so you don't have to remember putting it in place each night, or I'd simply start crating him at night. Either would effectively solve the couch problem.

 

With saddle soap or any other cleaner on the couch, test a hidden area first. Leather dyes can and do bleed, even from tack, and you don't want an expensive sofa with a lighter spot where you've cleaned it.

 

J.

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I've got no expertise on cleaning leather, but I would rethink letting your dog roam the house at night. I prefer to have my dogs crated or in my bedroom or both. If they're in my bedroom they're more likely to let me know if they urgently need to go outside. (Plus there's the added advantage that I can usually catch those early hours throwing-up episodes in time to get them to a tiled floor.)

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(Plus there's the added advantage that I can usually catch those early hours throwing-up episodes in time to get them to a tiled floor.)

 

What's your secret?? I have ONE carpet in my whole apartment, and anytime anyone needs to upchuck, they head straight for the wool carpet.

 

I agree that keeping him out of the room is the best bet. Also, if he has peed there before, he can probably still smell it and that's why he goes again. And maybe he's just whizzing on it to claim it as his own ;-)

 

My dogs don't pee on furniture, but they sure know how to destroy a couch just be co-existing with it. I've given up, and buy cheapo leather furniture from Ikea now.

 

RDM

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What's your secret?? I have ONE carpet in my whole apartment, and anytime anyone needs to upchuck, they head straight for the wool carpet.

 

My secret? Somehow the sound of pre-vomiting retching can wake me up out of even the deepest sleep, and then I and the dog go flying to the bathroom. By the time I really wake up we're already in the bathroom and I have no idea how we actually got there. Did I push the dog? Carry him or her? And how did we get past the door?

 

There have been a few times I haven't made it, but my record is good enough that my husband believes I have superhuman powers.

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My dog recently learned how to go down stairs (he's almost 3, but has been scared of them since I adopted him almost a year ago) and decided that the basement was an acceptable place to poop.

 

It's my theory that dogs think cement (as in basement floors) smell like dirt and therefore are acceptable to pee and poop on. That's my theory and I'm stickin' to it! (I won't go into all the sordid details of how I came to formulate that theory....)

L

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3K...would not be spent on a couch here either :rolleyes:

 

Regarding the vomiting. Crate the dogs at night. When hearing the urga-urga say in your nastiest tone "you better eat that before I get up". Then put the pillow over your head to avoid hearing the disgusting noises that follow and go back to sleep.

 

Works everytime :D

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My favourite? Is when Piper pukes? And then guards it from the other dogs.

 

Even better (I think) was when Zia would guard a snowball I'd been throwing for her from other dogs who wandered by. She'd snarl and her hackles would rise as she stood over over a brownish-white chunk utterly indistinguishable from all the other dirty snow beneath and around, and the other dog would look extremely puzzled.

 

Sorry, tangent.

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Does anyone else have a Stealth Urper? Both Sam and Shonie make the usual gagging, retching, ohmygodcanIgetthemtoatowelorthelinoleumintime noises.

 

Buzz just urps. No warning noises, no pacing, no heaving of the tummy. He just lowers his head and out comes whatever he ate last. He's done it a couple times on my bed in the middle of the night. It's so quiet, the only reason I wake up is the smell.

 

Had to share.

 

Ruth n the BC3

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