Asked on Jan 15, 2018

What can I put on my rugs to keep my dogs from peeing on them?

Bonnie Leek
by Bonnie Leek
One of my three chihuahuas seems to love using decorative rugs as his bathroom. I can’t seem to get him trained to do otherwise. We adopted him a year ago when he was three years old.
  16 answers
  • Tami Dean Tami Dean on Jan 15, 2018

    Cayenne pepper. Sprinkle it on very lightly. Bet they won't do it again!:-)

  • Debra Debra on Jan 15, 2018

    I mix equal parts white vinegar and water and put in spray bottle and spray on the rug. My dogs don't like the smell plus it also kills any pee odor from previous accidents. This mixture has not hurt the rug at all.

  • Nancy Turner Nancy Turner on Jan 15, 2018

    I use straight vinegar. Just in case, check out a discrete corner or edge of the carpet to make sure it won't change the color or texture. Make sure it goes through in case it went through the carpet so that you get all the scent out. If they can't smell it, they may not use it. Put the potty pads down where he usually pees, when he gets used to using it on the carpet, move it a little and then continue to do this. As he gets used to using the potty pads at least you can put it somewhere he won't hurt, maybe even move it closer to the door each time and will be able to break him.

  • Anne Marie McNeil Anne Marie McNeil on Jan 16, 2018

    Anti-Icky Poo is a great enzyme cleaner for carpets (not wool). I got a Chiweenie from the pound when he was 10 months old, listed as "partially housetrained". He remained partially housetrained until he died at age 14. He knew better but didn't like going out when it was cold or rainy and would sneak off and pee somewhere in the house. I loved him dearly and am now pulling up all the carpet and replacing it with hardwood floors now that I have a dog that is fully housetrained. You may want to try the potty pads as he did start going on them when I got the other dog who uses them when she is left in the house for long periods. I placed them where the little dog was used to going and it helped, some. The suggestion above is a good one for training him.

  • Inetia Inetia on Jan 16, 2018

    I recently had to re-housebreak my dog. I moved the rugs out of the house and neutralized the carpet. That's what the vinegar does. I tied her to my belt loop so she couldn't go potty with out me. I always went out with her to make sure she did the job and after a couple of weeks she consistently went to the door.

  • Panda Panda on Jan 16, 2018

    I got some offcuts of vinyl floor covering (vinyl smells strong) joined them together with strong packaging tape and layed it down where the problem area was which was just outside our bedroom door...clean the carpet/ rug as best you can before laying the vinyl. Bingo she didn't like the hard vinyl nor the smell . I left it down for a few months until I was confident she was going outside for every toilet then I took it up. good luck

  • Cheryl Blackman Cheryl Blackman on Jan 17, 2018

    i put belly bands on my boys since I use them for breeding and I have female so I would have problems with the marking but I use panties for the girls.?i think it would be better yohbcan get a great price on Chewy .com

  • 2dogal 2dogal on Jan 17, 2018

    He is a cutie. Chi's are known to be stubborn. I'd crate him and take him outside every two hours. Praise and give treats when he does his business outside. I know this is bothersome and work - but it will pay off with peace of mind and a dog you can trust.

  • Kim White Kim White on Jan 17, 2018

    There is also a spray at the pet stores that I believe is called NO GO..and you spray it and they don't like the smell and they wont go, I will NOT use pee pads they will NEVER go outside.. the spray works for us.

    • See 1 previous
    • Sue Sue on Feb 26, 2020

      My little 3 pound female chihuahua uses both. She ONLY uses the potty pad when we haven’t been able to let her out and she can’t hold it. Otherwise she holds it and goes outside, always. So yes, they can do both and it’s awesome!

  • Patti Patti on Jan 17, 2018

    Did you ever try to litter train them. I did this with 2 of my Chi's. You use compacted paper pellets in a litter box. I used the kind of box with an opening so they didn't have to step to high to get in. This worked great. When they passed I swore no more dogs. Well I now have a Tea Cup Chi. I rehomed him. Was told he was trained to use pee pee pads. Not! But I tried and tried everything to get him to do his business inside. Nope so out we go. He has so many sweaters, coats and hats. Since it's been so cold he wears a sweater and coat with fur lining. Doesn't take him long to do his busines. Sorry for the long story just love my little one. And I really enjoyed your pics.

  • Debra Debra on Jan 17, 2018

    I loved your lng story. My Chihuahua is my baby

  • Krysten Kelly Krysten Kelly on Jan 17, 2018

    Constant battle. I just reacquired my 9 yr old chihuahua who spent most time with my mom, who recently passed. She is pee pee pad trained, but frequently misses the pad. she decided that she was going to go directly on the carpet in front of my bedroom door. it took me a while to figure out what was happening. And when i did it was a whiff of urine to kill you. I'm now getting tile installed in the bedroom. In response, my Izzy decided that my area rugs are an acceptable pee location. I've tried the sprays. To no avail. I recently purchased that $200 electronic pee pee pad that essentially rolls the soiled pad up after she goes. It seems to be working. Fingers crossed.

  • Mountain Babies Mountain Babies on Jan 17, 2018

    We love Chihuahuas 💗 yours is adorable. We have several rescue dogs including chihuahuas and we have found that using a crate/kennel is the easiest and fastest way to train. Do not spank them or ever put their nose in their pee it doesn’t work and it is just terrible thing to do (of course never implying you would do that, just an fyi, we have come across people whom didn’t realize not to do this to a dog)

    This requires work, consistency, patience and love on your part. If you catch him peeing a firm No and take him straight outside to the same location to pee give him a command like go pee or go potty - maybe put something there for him to pee on a large rock, piece of wood a branch. Then when he pees praise him a lot. Give him a special treat, ours love the Stewart’s freeze dried liver. This way he will associate going outside to something positive.

    Don’t let him just run all over your house unsupervised until he is trained to go outside. If your in the kitchen block him in the kitchen with you etc. You don’t want to just lock him in a kennel all day either only when you cannot keep an eye on him. Take him out frequently to the same place to pee, your other dogs may pee there also and that will help.

    After he has gone outside and pees let him come in and wonder around a bit. That’s what we have done, most likely he won’t pee because he was just outside.


    You have to remove the pee scent from your carpets and white vinegar will do it.


    *One most important thing we did learn is your dog could have a uti infection and that will cause them to pee a lot because they cannot wait to go. This has been the case with several of our rescue dogs. Our latest one is a senior Chihuahua from Mexico we have had a month now. He was in bad condition and every time we put him down he would want to lift his leg, so it seemed to us... We’ll learning from past experiences we took him back to the vet to have a urine test done and sure enough a very bad uti infection. So bad in fact it took 2 rounds of antibiotics to clear it up. We took him back both times after each set of antibiotics were gone to test his urine to make sure it was completely cleared up. Poor little guy, now he goes outside to pee and has not peed in our house once since doing everything we listed, especially clearing up his uti infection.

    Hope this helps, he is just a sweetie 💗



  • Katherine Fox Katherine Fox on Dec 06, 2018

    I have a 10 yr old chihuahua and ever since I got area rugs, he’s peeing on them 😞

    While trying to find a solution I saw your post. Now I’m in a fit if laughter over your “wiff of urine to kill you” comment!



  • Tonya Tonya on Jan 13, 2023

    I am to get my Chihuahua mix to quit peeing on carpet in the living room I tried vinegar, pepper, lemon and nothing has changed.... Please anyone know how to.

  • Redcatcec Redcatcec on Jan 13, 2023

    You may have to crate train you dog and take him out every 2 hours to relieve himself. If you can't do that, you may have to hire a dog walker.