Help Needed! several questions in one thread...sorry

[SuggieMama]

Ok guys,so my questions are....I saw the thread on keeping bully off couches. i notice most owners allow theirs on. i personally dont like the dogs on my couch (tank sneaks when we leave),I have micro fiber suede couches.So the nails of a 74LB dog and not to mention the drool marks when they dry, DONT look like water marks.. So question #1 is how do i clean these slob marks since water stains leave marks as well.My #2 question is, is there a homemade recipe other than water and vinegar for cleaning urine on carpet,tile,whatever .other than spending so much mony on Simple solutions that i have been using. Then question #3 is how much of a difference on Tanks growth (head,chest width) will it be to have him neutered now at 18 months vs 2 yrs old.I keep being told to wait til hes 2 since hes still a growing boy,but my living circumstances may change and i may be needing to move to an aprtmnt and am trying to eliminate dominance behavior,marking,humping,desire to roam,for when i move. Or are my reasons for neutering now not really going to change cus of surgery? sorry for all the babbling, but didnt know if i should have posted different threads so i put all in one...thank you

 

[cali~jenn]

Well, no help on all the questions but neutering at 18 months vs 2 years wont make much difference, Cutty was neutered just after he turned 1 for same reasons actually (dominance and bad attitude) and he filled in great I think. Also the neutering did fix his attitude problem I would say 95% almost instantly. If you are having problems there are of course MANY things you can do to work on it but neutering does help. Back then I had no knowledge as to the training and how to work with him so I didnt try the other things on him first. This site has taught me a LOT! As for the couches and pee I have no idea. My pups run the couches and they are a mess. lol I would think ammonia would be a good cleaner as well tho for carpet and pee but no idea on how much per water etc.

 

[bulldogs4me]

1. If the rule is going to be "off the furniture" you need to make sure Tank understands its all the time which involves a lot of watching and correcting the behavior when it happens so he understands even if that means pretending to leave then waiting to catch him jumping on the sofa or chair, consistency is key. If it's going to be a "sometimes rule" then I would put a blanket/sheet over the sofa or chair when you leave to prevent the slobber stains.

2. Don't have any recipes to offer I use Natures Miracle and Fabreeze when needed

3. I'm not an expert but honestly I had no idea you were suppose to wait to neuter because of head, chest etc. I was under the understanding you neuter around 8 months before the testosterone becomes a strong force giving a male the need/desire to mate. I had Diesel neutered at a year old and the only reason I waited so long was because he had one testicle that had not dropped which ended up being a case of a "find it surgery" but it in no way stunted his development he has a nice head and broad bulldog shoulders.

I hope this helps, but I am in no way an expert so I may be way off base

 

[Baconator]

For question 1 I agree with bulldogs4me, just keep being consistent and hopefully he eventually learns no couch. We have a carpet cleaner in the house so whenever there are accidents, usually Bacon knocking over my drink while I'm watching tv we just hit it with the carpet cleaner. As far as neutering, we got Bacon snipped at around 9 months and he has continued to fill out since then. It also calmed him down tremendously.

 

[linwhite]

I'm quoting this one because it breaks down the questions in a way that makes it easier to deal with them.

1. If the rule is going to be "off the furniture" you need to make sure Tank understands its all the time which involves a lot of watching and correcting the behavior when it happens so he understands even if that means pretending to leave then waiting to catch him jumping on the sofa or chair, consistency is key. If it's going to be a "sometimes rule" then I would put a blanket/sheet over the sofa or chair when you leave to prevent the slobber stains.

They sell equipment to put on the furniture that will help keep them off when you're not around. I cover mine with an old quilt that can easily be washed just in case they decide to jump up.

2. Don't have any recipes to offer I use Natures Miracle and Fabreeze when needed ​I use Nature's Miracle. They also have a no Marking solution that I use. It seems stronger.

3. I'm not an expert but honestly I had no idea you were suppose to wait to neuter because of head, chest etc. I was under the understanding you neuter around 8 months before the testosterone becomes a strong force giving a male the need/desire to mate. I had Diesel neutered at a year old and the only reason I waited so long was because he had one testicle that had not dropped which ended up being a case of a "find it surgery" but it in no way stunted his development he has a nice head and broad bulldog shoulders. Bulldogs don't stop getting wider until they are 3 in many cases. It really depends on how much you care about his about adding bulk to his frame and how much his macho behaviors bother you. I know I want to wait with Zam but if he starts marking in the house, all bets are off. On a positive note, Zoltan would mark in the house all the time and was male dog aggressive. I had him "fixed" at 3. It took awhile but the marking is pretty much gone and the aggression is much less frequest. I will never let him off leash in public however, just to be sure.

I hope this helps, but I am in no way an expert so I may be way off base

 

[SuggieMama]

Yeah I have the couch protectors as well. He doesn't get on til we LEAVE the house. Reason I know, couch protectors are all over the place. As far as aggression it's not what I see now cus I live in a house w a yard, but if I move to an apartment complex I don't want issues,.. And the marking thing, mostly he's great about only outside but am thinking if I move he will mark inside AGAIN like he did when I first got him. And that would also b the fear of destroying carpet. Complexes want anywhere from 500-600$ for having 2 dogs. Crazy.

 

[elearn]

I have a somewhat micro suede/fiber couch thing and I just wipe it with a wet rag with water using a little elbow grease. It seems to have some kind of scotchgard on it (funny I'm not able to find scotchgard anywhere in the store). It's mostly drool that gets on it. I just keep wiping with a damp (not wet) cloth with no solution on it, but mine is a dark color. I also keep my Little Green Clean Machine handy. I tried that once with the Bissell pet cleaner and it seemed to work (but I also felt it got the couch much wetter than my damp rag).

Depending on the material, you might be able to use water and ammonia - but that might smell like urine, so keep that in mind. I was using that Lysol ammonia cleaner and the who place smelled like a toilet after I cleaned up LOL

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

We used to have microfiber sofas ..and dogs were never allowed on our furniture! WERE..I said! Along comes Jake and now BOTH my dogs have joined the cats and love the sofa...OHHHH and chair too! We recently went to leather and its soo much easier! As far as the covers, we had them..until Jake ate a big chunk and all the binding off! So..now its Bully and Buddies on nekked sofa and chair!!!

Now..the age old neutering question. It is a myth. My vet told me it will make absolutely NO difference, but she said as long as Jake was behaving, she was fine with it!! We did wait to neuter Jake until he was 11 months.. [MENTION=900]KMARINO[/MENTION] has Vegas, who was neutered at 4 months and I don't think his head or body could've gotten any bigger!

 

[kazzy220]

We used to have the microfibre furniture. Worst decision I ever made ... not beause of the bulldogs but the miniature schnauzers and the two poodle mixes I have used to just lick them constantly. So that was the kind of slobbery stain I had to deal with. To clean them I just used a damp cloth and went over the entire seat, not just the stain. Seemed to work out really well. The constant licking of the furniture however made me get rid of them very quickly!!

As for neutering. We waited until Linus got over 50lb and then did it. The male posturing wasn"t worth waiting any longer!!!

 

[SuggieMama]

Yeah. i wanted leather back when we bought them ,but the boyfriend didnt.....Y DID I LISTEN TO HIM!!!!!! yeah w tank being on the tall side,his slob marks are on actual seat (from standing and leaning) and it drives me NUTS!!!!and thos stupid couch covers DONT stay in place...