Phoebe's Tails

Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best. This is a great way to drastically reduce (or eliminate) muddy paw prints during the rainy season.

I have gotten very used to Phoebe going outside and coming inside as she pleased. When it was warm, I left the patio door open. When it started getting cold, I installed a patio doggie door. When it rained, I almost croaked.

Phoebe went traipsing around in the mud and then came bouncing through the doggie door. Ahhhhhh!

I walked in the room and there was a trail of muddy paw prints – enough that I was able to map out the path she took – she came in the door, took a hard right, veered left, made a straight line to the kitchen where she made another left turn and headed down the hallway.

I wracked my brain on how to prevent the muddy messes. Maybe a bristle door mat, or control her entry and exit so I could wipe her feet.

Doggie mentor to the rescue!

The instant-fix was simple and free!

• Get a few old towels
• Wet them and then wring them out as much as possible
• Place one damp towel on each side of the entry point (if you wring it out really well, your carpet will not get wet)
• Let the damp towels grab the grub (mud).

I tried it and man! it works! Lots of muddy prints on the towels, and none on my carpet.(I have posted some pics below). So easy!

When Phoebe and I both went outside, I went back in via the patio door and left her to come in via the doggie door. She just stared at me through the glass as if saying, “Why mom? Why are you making me go through the doggie door when it would be so easy for me to just follow you in?” The answer in my mind was, “If I let you follow me in, you would bypass the towels and I would have your mud crud everywhere!”

If you don’t have a doggie door, the trick still works; the towels just need to cover a larger area.

Try it! It really works!