Winter is the time we truly notice how frequently our dogs go outside each day. They remind us of this fact every time they come back into the house, along with the mud or snow they just tracked in! Here are a couple of tips on how to cope with these problems. 1. Lukewarm water washing – this works great for mud as well as ice. Leave a small shallow bucket of water in your mud room, just inside your back door, or in your garage. When your pup returns with ice balls between his toes or muddy feet, dunk each foot into the bucket then dry with an old towel. If your dog objects to this at first, repetition and persistence will win out. Be sure to have you dog on leash or have a helper when “dunking” at first to minimize mess. 2. Dry towel wiping – this is simply an easier version of the first suggestion – use an old bath towel to wipe your dog’s feet when he returns with snow on his feet or wet feet. Practice makes perfect – keep training foot handling and the house will stay clean!