Why is My Pet Marking My Persian Rug?
Pet Fascination with Rugs
What is the reason for your pet’s fascination with rugs? Have you ever asked yourself, “So why is my pet marking my Persian Rug?” If you’re reading this blog, chances are you have a cat or dog that just won’t stop marking your rug. Rest assured you are not alone.
Behnam Rugs is hosting an event on June 8 to address this common issue among pet owners and especially dog owners. If you attend, you will find out why Spot marks your rugs. You will find out what you can do to reduce pet urination on your precious oriental rug. This is actually a fairly common issue among many rug owners.
Although we mainly see inappropriate marking occurring among puppies and kittens, adult dogs and cats can also be frequent markers themselves. Let’s find out why. Please read our Press Release “Rug, Dog, Wine” and how to understand you dog’s behavior toward your handmade rugs.
Why is my Pet Peeing on my Rug?
Sometimes, the answer to this question is simply the type of rug that you have. Is your rug a tufted rug? Tufted rugs are rugs with a glued on backing to them. They are quite popular due to being less expensive options than hand-knotted or hand-woven Persian and Oriental rug.
Tufted rugs have a few common issues, though, and one of them is that the glue used to attach the backing to the rug causes many pets to pee on the rug. The glue on tufted rugs can come from a variety of sources. It could be a natural or organic type of glue, or it could be a chemical-based glue. Both types of glue give off a distinct odor. Although this odor may not be detectable by humans, pets can definitely smell it.
Dogs are especially sensitive to the odor that a tufted rug’s glue gives off. The scent confuses them and they may urinate on your rug out of confusion. Although puppies are the main offender here, this behavior occurs in dogs of all ages, not just puppies.
Cats can also be confused by this odor. If your pet is constantly urinating on your tufted rug, it might be time to replace the rug. Although tufted rugs may seem like an inexpensive option when you purchase them, the amount of cleaning you will end up needing is simply not worth it in the end.
But My Rug Isn’t Tufted!
Your pet may still mark your rug, even if it is not tufted. There are a few reasons for this:
If your pet has marked your rug for quite some time and it has not stopped this behavior, it might be because your pet believes that this is allowed. Your dog or cat cannot tell the difference between a fine rug and “its spot.” They are one and the same to your pet.
It is important to stop your pet from marking your rug as soon as you see signs of this behavior. All pets are different, so there is no universal approach to stopping the behavior. We suggest taking the approach that you normally do when you are teaching your pet right from wrong.
If your pet is normally well trained and has suddenly started marking your rug for no reason at all, there could be a few different causes.
Is your pet marking many surfaces and not just your rug? Your pet could have digestive or urinary tract issues. This is especially common in older dogs and cats. Call your vet and explain what is going on. Let them know that your pet does not normally do this, and this behavior is recent. They will be able to provide you with the proper knowledge on how to approach this situation.
If your pet is only urinating on your Persian rug, you must approach the situation differently. This is likely not an issue with your pet’s health but with your pet’s behavior. There is a very good chance that your dog or cat was marking the rug without you noticing, and they have been conditioned to believe that is okay.
Keep a close eye on your pet and stop them from marking the rug as soon as you see them trying to do so. Alternatively, you can stop your pet from being on your rug at all. Another reason that your pet might only be marking your rug is that there is some sort of odor attached to it that your pet does not agree with, such as the smell of another animal or, as mentioned above, the smell of your pet’s own urine. At Behnam Rugs we wash rugs with live enzymes and organic shampoos.
How to Get Rid of the Odor
Behnam Rugs strongly suggests having your rug cleaned and opting for an enzyme wash. An enzyme wash will break down the odors in your rug, including the odors that make your pet feel that it is okay to mark your rug. You can read more about this process on our odor removal page, or you can call us for more information. There is no obligation to purchase a service if you call us. We understand that you might want to shop around, and sometimes you just want to know how rugs are cleaned in the first place.
For information on how to minimize odors and prevent stains after an accident, check out our blog post, Baking Soda and Persian Rugs: Taking Steps to Minimize Pet Damage to Your Rug. To schedule professional rug cleaning, call 972-733-0400.