Being a new dog owner can be fun. It can also stink (in more ways than one). A combination of the right habits and products can make the process of introducing a dog to your home a lot easier.

Reasons why you got a dog:

• You wanted your kids to have a pet to play with.
• You have a heart for animals with no home.
• You wanted to get more exercise and thought dog-walking was a good idea.
• You were excited about having a canine companion to love.

You did NOT get a dog to:

• Give your young kids the thrilling experience of tasting dog poop and urine!
• Have great stories to tell about hair all over your furniture and mud tracked in all over your carpets!
• Be judged when out in public when your dog poops on public property!
• Smell the exotic smells of dog breath, wet dog, and excrement!

But you will experience all of the above if you don’t take the proper precautions. The first step is basic obedience training. If you’re like us and you’re motivated by cleanliness in your home, think of each command this way:

“Sit.” Translation: “I’m perfectly fine smelling you AFTER dinner, not during.”

“Come.” Translation: “You will poop OUTSIDE, not on my pillow. Again.”

“Stay.” Translation: “I’d really rather you not come into the baby’s room. Or his crib. Thanks.”

“Down.” Translation: “The face-licking is just really not my favorite thing about you.”

“Heel.” Translation: “If I have to pick up your poop on our walk you’re going to do it right where I can see you, not in the neighbor’s roses. K?”

Despite your best efforts, things are not going to go well at first. Even once you feel like you’ve trained your dog, you’re still going to have to bathe him, deal with his hair and smell … and yeah, pick up some poop. Here are a few basic supplies:

1. Poop baggies. Don’t let what they’re called gross you out, but snack bags are just the right size for small to medium dogs. Maybe go bigger for your St. Bernard.
2. Odor control. If you want to really eliminate odor rather than just mask it, Husky uric acid eradicator is the solution. On occasion, setting off an odor control fogger before you leave the house will do wonders for any scent lingering on other surfaces as well.
3. Accident management. Clorox makes a urine remover that can be used on both hard and soft surfaces. (Good for accidents while potty training little humans, too.)
4. Carpet brush. For cleaning up canine hair from your dog’s favorite nap spots, a hard carpet nap brush will do the trick.

That’s a good start for your new dog survival kit, especially since these cleaning supplies can be used for so much more. Good luck, and congrats on your new furry friend!