Going for a walk with your dog is fun, but it can also be a lot of work—especially the cleanup upon return. If they have the space, some people create entire doggy mudrooms to clean their dogs before letting them into the house. Other people give up and let their dirty dogs run wild. Thankfully, there’s an easier way: just teach your dog to wipe its paws on the mat! Keep reading to learn how.
Teaching your dog to wipe their paws is the low-fuss way to handle cleaning up after a walk. This way, your dog can enjoy walking through puddles and dirt, and you can still enjoy a clean home. Plus, some dogs don’t like people touching their paws. With this trick, you won’t have to do that.
The first thing you have to do is show your dog the doormat. Let them sniff it, and when they get close, put a treat under the edge of the mat. If your dog tries to lift the side of the mat with their nose, don’t let them—use your hand to press the mat down. If your dog doesn’t get it, you may have to start with a treat at the edge of the mat and then start putting treats under it.
You want to wait for your dog to start pawing at the mat, trying to get the treat. As soon as this happens, praise them and give them the treat. This enforces the behavior. Repeat this little game a few times to hone in on the behavior-reward technique.
The last step in the training process is encouraging your dog to wipe their paws every time you return home. When they start to do so, introduce the command, “Wipe your paws,” and reward them with a treat. After enough repetition, you won’t need to give a treat anymore. Your dog will wipe their paws on command!
We hope you’ve enjoyed learning the easy way to teach your dog to wipe its paws on the mat. Having a doormat-trained dog can help you keep a tidy home free of muddy pawprints. Plus, it’s an excuse to get a new personalized doormat for your home from the Personalized Doormat Company. We carry monogrammed mats, photo doormats, and many other styles, so you can be sure to choose a mat that looks good in your home. Let us know today if you need help getting started!
