“Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links.”

Spring is here! For dog parents, the new season brings muddy paws. While a quick wipe with a towel might dry wet feet, that often isn’t enough when it comes to spring mud and pollen.

As a dog trainer in the Pacific Northwest with a large, long-coated Newfoundland dog, I grapple with wet, muddy dogs a lot. I know from experience that with really muddy paws, especially for long-coated dogs, a towel alone doesn’t cut it, which means your pet can easily track in dirt and mud throughout your home.

Enter: the MudBuster!

When I first saw the portable MudBuster paw washer, I was skeptical that it could actually make a difference in my battle against mud indoors, but I was happily proved wrong. The MudBuster might look like just a plastic cup, but it’s a truly efficient paw washer. It’s my spring secret weapon for keeping mud off my floors and furniture without preventing my dogs from playing outside as often as they want.

How the MudBuster works

Instead of just wiping away mud, the MudBuster uses soft silicone bristles inside its cylinder to quickly wash your dog’s feet without having to give them a full bath.

To use it, all you need to do is put water into the MudBuster cup and gently guide your dog’s paw into the canister. Then gently twist the cup back and forth, allowing the soft bristles to clean the dirt, pollen, and mud off of your dog’s paws. Remove the paw, dry it with a clean towel, and repeat with the remaining feet. When you’re all finished, dump the dirty water from the MudBuster and rinse the cup so it’s clean for your dog’s next outing.

The portability of the MudBuster makes it easy to bring it into the car when taking your dog to the park or out hiking, preventing mud from getting into your vehicle. The MudBuster comes in small, medium, and large sizes to accommodate dogs of all sizes. (For size reference, the large comfortably washes my Newfoundland’s giant paws.)

“I grew up in a household full of pets,” says Noah Pinsonnault, a cleaning expert in the Good Housekeeping Institute Home Care & Cleaning Lab. “When the ground began to thaw in spring, it was imperative to clean the dogs’ paws one by one as they came inside.”

When paws aren’t cleaned properly, the resulting mess is often too large for handheld carpet cleaner units or stain-removing sprays to be a practical clean-up solution, he adds. “On the few occasions that someone skipped this step, the dogs tracked in so much mud that the entire kitchen floor needed to be mopped, and the carpet had to be cleaned with a full-size carpet cleaner,” said Pinsonnault.

The best solution is preventing the mess before it happens.

Training your dog to use the MudBuster

As a dog trainer, it’s important to note that before you start using the MudBuster to wash your dog’s feet, they should be comfortable with their paws being handled. Some dogs can initially be sensitive about having their feet touched.

To help your dog get used to paw handling, find a time when they are calm and relaxed, then gently touch their feet, praise them, and reward them with a treat. Repeat this regularly when you are cuddling and spending time with your dog to help build a positive association with their paws being handled.

Once your dog is familiar with you touching their feet, you’ll be ready to start using the MudBuster to wash muddy paws.

If you have a dog that’s great at tricks, you can also impress your family and friends by teaching your dog to wipe their own feet on an absorbent microfiber mat or towel. This is a fun way to get small amounts of mud off your dog’s feet before using the MudBuster or to teach your dog to dry their own feet after using it.

To start teaching your dog to wipe their own feet, put a microfiber towel or mat down. Then fold it up and put a treat under the folded-over part of the towel. When your dog paws or digs at the towel to get the treat, praise your dog.

After several repetitions, you can add a verbal cue, such as “dig” or “wipe,” as your dog digs. As your dog gains experience, you can phase out having a treat under the towel or mat and instead ask your dog to wipe their paws. Then praise and treat your dog when they paw at the mat to wipe their paws. Remember, this is only for small amounts of mud or before using the MudBuster; for bigger jobs, leave it entirely to the MudBuster to get your pup’s paws sparkling clean.

You Might Also Like