What Every Dog Owner Should Know

Helpful tips for dog owners.

Whether you have had a dog all your life or you are new to dog ownership, here are some tips for every dog owner:

1. Dogs are not deliberately naughty – A dog will misbehave or disobey if he doesn’t understand what you want, he is suffering from stress or fear or he doesn’t consider you his leader.
2. A dog is simply, a dog – They do not communicate like humans do. To effectively train your dog, put yourself in his shoes and understand his instinctual pack behavior.
3. Aggression happens in any breed – No matter how small or big or how bad of a reputation that breed has, aggression is caused by fear of the unknown. When a dog becomes frightened he will either fight or take flight. Reinforce leadership with your dog so you can avoid any unacceptable or uncontrollable aggression.
4. Teach your dog tricks – Old dogs really can learn new tricks. They are continuous learners and have exceptional memories. Show your dog what you consider good and bad to behavior to help change his behavior for the better.
5. Dogs think of survival – As a dog owner you should model a leader’s characteristics so you can be accepted as the leader and your dog will learn to respect and obey you. Your leadership will help your dog feel safe and eliminate any behavior problems.

Danger – New Carpet Odors

Planning to put in new carpet in your home or office?

New carpet is wonderful because it gives you a fresh, new, clean feeling. Did you know, however, that a caustic chemical lurks in new carpet?

They are called VOCs, Volatile Organic Compounds, and are a substance that contains carbon and that evaporates or “off-gases” at room temperature.

A number of building and household materials may be sources of VOCs. New carpeting, backing, and adhesives; draperies; wood products that use certain glues, finishes, and waxes in the manufacturing process; and vinyl type flooring and wall coverings may all release VOCs into the air.

Studies of animals have shown that breathing some types of VOCs over a long period of time can increase the risk of getting cancer.

These odors can easily be removed with Earth Care’s Clear The Air Odor Eliminators. Simply sprinkling Earth Care Clear The Air granules on the carpet and hanging Earth Care Odor Remover Bags will eliminate the new carpet odors. This unique form of Earth Care Products Mineral does not have to come into contact with the odor producer; it will pull the odors from the entire area.

Clear The Air draws in odors like a powerful magnet. The odors are absorbed, and neutralized without any fragrances. Clear The Air does not cover up odors; it literally “clears the air” leaving the air fresh and clean. Clear The Air is made from an all-natural mineral, is non-toxic and biodegradable and safe for Planet Earth.

Are you planning any type of home improvement project? Make sure to keep our Clear The Air on hand to eliminate harmful chemicals such as VOCs that lurk in paint, glues and carpets.

Does Your Cat’s Litter Box Smell? Eliminate It!

Keep your cat’s litter box odor away.

If it’s obvious you have a cat living in your house because you can smell his litter box, you need Clear The Air! We pride ourselves on our Cat Odor product’s amazing skills to eliminate cat urine odor.

If you have a cat you know that cat urine odor is incredibly strong and can be almost impossible to get rid of. However, our Cat Urine Odor Eliminator works wonders at keeping this odor away.

Check out our helpful tips to ensuring your cat’s litter box goes unnoticed to your nose:

Scooping – The number one rule, and the only thing that will keep litter box odor at bay, is constant cleaning. That means scooping the box out at least twice a day, removing the solids and liquid clumps if you use clumping litter.  If you don’t use clumping litter, you can use a large solid metal spoon to lift out the most urine-soaked areas each time you clean and add litter as needed to replace what is removed.

Washing Your Litter Box – You should also get in the habit of washing the litter box at least every other week if not more.  Use a mild unscented dish detergent and rinse clean.  Remember to clean your scooper too.  When the box is dry, sprinkle a thin layer of our Cat Urine Odor Eliminator in the box first.  Then add two to three inches of litter.  Cats do not like a deep tray of litter and this allows you to add litter as you scoop.

Type of Litter – Some have perfumes and others have additives to only cover the smell.  To a cat, these smells can be overwhelming and make the box unwelcoming.  It is usually a good idea to get unscented litter and sprinkle our Cat Urine Odor Eliminator in the box to eliminate the odor, not cover it up.

Type of Litter Box – Using the largest box your home can accommodate is the best idea.  A good rule of thumb is to get a box that is at least twice as long as your adult cat and wide as the cat is long.  Even though a covered box is nicer to look at, most cats don’t like them and they also trap odors inside making it unpleasant for your pet to enter.

Location – Lastly, location of your cats litter box is very important to keep your pet happy to relieve himself in the correct areas.  The rule is one litter box per cat plus one.  It is important to have the boxes in different locations.  Also make sure the box is in a low traffic area, away from his or her food and in a place that your cat can easily get in and out of.

These suggestions may take a lot of effort but not only with your cat be happier but you will as well, not having to put up with cat urine odors.    Remember to pick up Clear the Air’s Cat Urine Odor Eliminator available at all Petco stores or online.

New Puppy 101 – 5 Tips To Socializing Your New Family Member

New puppy tips.

Congratulations, you’ve brought home your new puppy!  Now it is time to help him learn how to live in his new world and make him comfortable around new things such as the mailman, the vacuum cleaner and the occasional guest.

1. First of all, you want your puppy to meet new people. This means both inside your home and out and about at new places.  When your puppy engages successfully with new people reward him for demonstrating a good behavior.  Initially, it is a good idea to introduce your puppy to new people on his own turf – at home.  When new people come over, suggest they crouch down low and let the puppy approach them on his/her own time.
2. Once your puppy enjoys new adults, introduce him to kids for a short amount of time.  Sometimes children might accidentally play too rough with your pup so make sure you supervise them constantly in the beginning.  As an alternative, if you bring your dog to a park your puppy will likely draw kids to him on his own.
3. Next you will want to socialize your puppy around other dogs.  A great way to do this is to bring your dog to a dog park.  This way you can let your pup decide who to meet and for how long.  It is also helpful to host doggie playdates.  Invite friends to bring their dogs to your garden or backyard for a game of Frisbee or ball chase.
4. If you have other pets, introduce them slowly to the new puppy.  By keeping the new puppy in a kennel, this allows the new pet to visit it through the safety of the bars.  Gradually extend the length of these visits until you allow them to meet face to face.
5. Lastly, you should introduce new experiences to your puppy such as vacuums and other types of loud things around the house.  First let your puppy check out the quieted item, then place your puppy a safe distance away before turning on the object for a second or two.  After you turn it off, stand the object up and call your pup to you.  Reward him with affection.  Lastly, after the noise has been turned on try calling your pup.  After a while loud noises will not bother him.

Putting in extra time when you first get your puppy to socialize him is a labor of love that will pay off later – for both you and your pup.

Eliminate Boat Odors

Time to get the boat out for summer! If you experience foul odors coming from your boat, read this article to find out how to eliminate boat odors. We guarantee it will eliminate your boat odors.

Boats typically are filled with powerful odors such as bilge odors, mold and mildew odors, fuel odors, head and holding tank odors, galley odors, smoke odors and pet odors. Earth Care will eliminate all these odors.

In the past boat owners have had to use caustic chemicals, expensive detailing, air purifiers and caustic ozone machines to rid their boat of odors. Earth Care Odor Remover Bags can simply be hung in your boat and they will completely eliminate all these odors.

Earth Care draws in odors like a powerful magnet. The odors are adsorbed, and neutralized without any fragrances. It is made from an all natural mineral, is non toxic and biodegradable and safe for Planet Earth. It is also safe around children and pets even if eaten. It does not have to come into contact with odor producer to eliminate the odor. Earth Care does not cover up odors it literally “clears the air” leaving the air fresh and clean.

Directions To Eliminate Odors From Your Boat or Yacht:

• Hang one bag in each bilge compartment, the head, the galley, the forward cabin and aft cabins. Some air circulation such as an open hatch is needed. Do not put bag directly in standing water.
• All odors are typically eliminated in 24 hours. The bags will continue to eliminate new odors for up to 3 months. Each bag will cover approximately 100 square feet.
• Do not set bag in direct sun.
• If there are strong odors in your boat you may also want to sprinkle Clear The Air Odor Eliminator for Carpets and Furniture on all upholstery and carpet. Leave down overnight and vacuum. All odors will be completely eliminated.

Why We Love Our Dogs (Sometimes More Than People!)

Dogs bring us so much joy.

We all love our dogs and sometimes it’s a lot easier to get along with them than other people!

Our two dogs bring us so much joy every day. From the goofy acts of our young Rhodesian Ridgeback to the tom-boy performances of our “should be proper” standard poodle, we love our dogs and they are part of our family.

Here are some reasons why dogs are such a special part of peoples’ lives:

• Dogs are great listeners. They look right at you with a look of concern when you tell them about your bad day and the guy that cut you off.
• Dogs never talk back to you. Kids do. So does your husband. 😉
• Dogs always think you look good, no matter what you wear. They never think you look fat in anything and think you look perfect even when you roll out of bed.
• Dogs are fun. They give you something to do and will not ever allow you to be depressed or bored.
• Dogs are always happy to see you. You can leave dogs home alone. You can’t do this with your kids. When you get home they are always happy and excited to see you no matter how you look or feel!
• Dogs need exercise. Lots of it. You end up getting exercise too when you take your dog for a walk or run.

Why do you love dogs? Please comment on our blog.

Don’t Let Your Pets Become Overweight!

Did you know a very large number of pets are overweight?

You may think your cat or dog looks cute with a few extra pounds on him but this can truly affect your pet’s health and happiness.

It is important to keep your pets healthy and avoid medical risks. One important and extremely effective way you can do this is by monitoring what your pet eats. Here are some helpful tips for maintaining your pets’ diet:

• Provide more smaller meals for your pet rather than one or two large meals.
• Take away the self-feeders. Having food set out for your pets all the time is just asking for your pet to overeat and gain weight. Feed your pet at appropriate meal times.
• If your dog is begging for food, pet him instead. All your dog really wants is attention. Avoid the connection between begging and receiving food. Especially from the dinner table!
• Get some exercise! Providing routine exercise for your dog is a great way to keep his health up and stay in shape.
• If your dog acts hungry, provide a small snack for him. For example, instead of filling a cup of his kibbles and pouring it into his bowl, just give him 10-15 kibbles instead.
• Provide your pet with veggies as a treat. If your dog is like ours, he’ll eat anything! Try giving him some baby carrots, broccoli, celery or asparagus.
• Always provide fresh water for your pets. We suggest having multiple bowls and dishes of water throughout the house. If you have cats and dogs, make sure you provide your cats with small bowls on counters or high up places your dogs cannot reach.

Do you have any tips for feeding your pets? Please comment and share with us at our blog!

How To Sell Your Home Faster

Clear The Air’s line of products can be used for pretty much any odor you come across.

We have helped many home owners and realtors sell homes much faster by eliminating pesky pet and cigarette smoke odors in homes.

We would like to share some tips to selling your home faster. Remember to use Clear The Air’s line of products to clear out any odors lingering in your home.

• Empty out your closets when selling. You can never have too much storage. Take half your stuff out of your closets and neatly organize what is left. Buyers will snoop so make sure all your closets and cabinets are clean and tidy.
• Maximize lighting in your home when selling. Take down the drapes, wash the windows and change the lampshades all to create more light in your home. Making your home more bright and cheery will increases the chances of it selling.
• Find a great real estate agent when selling. Having an agent who knows what properties are going on the market and knows the comps in your neighborhood will be key to making sure your home gets sold fast.
• Keep your pets away while showing your home. Not everyone is an animal lover and they don’t want to walk in your home smelling the kitty litter box or seeing pet fur on everything. This gives buyers the impression your home is not clean. If planning an open house, make arrangements to keep your pets somewhere else. Make sure to use Clear The Air on your litter box!
• Make quick fixes before selling, not major upgrades. If you do a huge improvement project before your put your home on the market, you may not get your money back. Small things like new door handles and clean grout are good to do before listing your home.
• De-personalize your home when selling. The more personal stuff in your home the less likely a potential buyer can imagine themselves living there. You may want to hire a home stager to maximize the full potential of your home.
• Sell your kitchen. Fixing up your kitchen will help increase your value tremendously. Anything from new cabinet hardware to new counter tops will make your potential buyer’s eyes light up.
• Be available to show any time when selling. Make sure your home is show ready at all times. You never know when a buyer will walk through the door. Keep dishes in the dishwasher, bathrooms sparkling and eliminate your dust bunnies.
• Make a good first impression when selling. Make a few improvements to your home’s exterior with shrubs and brightly colored flowers. Make the entryway clean and enticing. Stand in front of your house and ask yourself what could be improved so a first time visitor falls in love with the way your house looks.

How To Prevent Refrigerator Odor

Do you ever get something out of the fridge and after you close it your whole kitchen smells like what was inside of your refrigerator?

Clear the Air would like to share some helpful tips to keeping your refrigerator clean and smelling its best. Check out our helpful tips and remember to always have a bag of our Clear the Air Odor Eliminator Bags in your fridge!

• Perform a big fridge cleaning. Take everything out of your fridge and all the items that must stay cold, you can put in a cooler with some ice temporarily. Make sure to throw away any spoiled food and wipe any bottles or canisters that have food leaking out of them.
• Once you’ve taken everything out, turn off your fridge. Take out all your shelves and drawers and wash them in the sink to remove any spilled food particles. Wipe down the inside of your refrigerator with soap and water.
• Now, place one to two of our Clear the Air Odor Eliminator Bags in your fridge towards the back or wherever they won’t get in the way. Turn the refrigerator back on.
• Return the cold food items to the fridge and you are ready to enjoy your refrigerator odor free!

Have questions about using our products? Please call or email our customer service rep. Feel free to comment on our blog with any questions you may have as well!

5 Ways To Save Energy For Pet Owners

Tips for leaving your pet at home during the summer months.

If you leave your pet at home during the day, you may leave your air conditioner on to make sure your pet is comfortable. Clear The Air would like to share some great tips for pet owners when it comes to saving energy:

1. No need for ceiling fans. While they keep us more comfortable, cats and dogs do not have sweat glands like us so the fan has no cooling effect on them.
2. Program your thermostat. Set your thermostat to a different temperature when you are out. Depending on your pets’ breed, your pet may not need as much heat or air conditioning on. In most cases, setting your thermostat a little warmer during the summer months while you are at work will still keep your pet comfortable but won’t break the bank.
3. Turn your lights off. Having lights on during the day is not necessary. Dogs and cats can manage in dim or dark conditions just fine. If you want your lights to come on in the evening, put them on a timer to save electricity.
4. Fix a leaky faucet. While your cat may enjoy drinking out of that leaky faucet, you are driving up your water bill. Leave a couple water dishes around the house for your dog and cat to drink out of.
5. Don’t leave the TV on. Instead of providing company with the noise of the TV, try turning on the radio or buying some inexpensive toys that your pet has to work to get a treat out of it. This will help pass time without upping your electric bill.