Don’t get me wrong, I love my dog.
Every day, I play with him, fill his bowl with high-quality, nourishing food, and take him out on walks 2-3 times a day. Seriously, I’m a good, loving, respectable dog owner.
But sometimes…well, that furry little dude makes me so mad!
Especially when he pees on the air conditioning unit. It started a few years back. It wasn’t until I had to replace just a 2-year old unit that I realized this needs to stop – like, ASAP!
That ever happened with your pooch? Is it still happening? Then you’re probably keen on knowing how to fix the issue, right?
Besides it looking and smelling bad, your dog’s bad habit could slowly be damaging your AC unit. That’s because most AC units have an outer layer of aluminium that is easily damaged by acidic chemicals, including the urine of dogs. The more your pooch pees on it, the worse and faster the deterioration. Trust me, I know – it happened to me.
Let me show you a few ways I solved my dog peeing on the AC unit situation – and a few tips I picked up on the way.
Materials Needed
- Fencing
- Shrubs
- Odor spray
- Liquid fence
- Citrus peels
Step 1: Build a Small Fence
A fence? Isn’t that a bit dramatic? Absolutely not!
One of the most effective ways to stop your dog peeing on your AC unit is to install a small fence around the unit. This will discourage your dog from going near it and make it more difficult to reach, thus preventing the bad habit.
This step does require the most work, but it is an excellent option for tackling the issue. You can buy a small fence affordably from your local department store. It only needs to be around 1 foot.
Be sure to install the fence close to the base of the unit so your furry friend cannot jump it.
Step 2: Plant Some Shrubs
Keep your dog’s spray from reaching your AC unit by planting a shrub or few around 2-3 feet from the AC unit. In addition to adding some extra greenery to the area, it’ll serve as a distraction for your pup. Instead of marking his territory on your air con unit, he’ll do it on the shrubs instead. And they’re much cheaper to replace!
Avoid planting the shrub/s too close to the unit as it can be a fire hazard.
Step 3: Try Odor Sprays
Using an odor deterrent is an easy and affordable way to stop your dog from urinating on your air conditioner. It doesn’t involve making any changes and yields quick results.
Simply spray the AC unit with the odor spray once a day. Sure enough your dog will quickly stop using it as his own personal toilet.
In fact, it’s so effective that after just one sniff of the odor, he’s unlikely ever to return to that spot for peeing.
This was one of the best tricks for solving the peeing issue with my pooch. It worked right away — and still does to this day! I highly recommend trying it!
Step 4: Train Him to Stop Peeing on Your AC Unit
This is probably one of the more difficult steps — especially if your dog’s no longer a pup.
Still, it’s worth a try if you’re serious about putting an end to this messy (and potentially expensive) habit.
The next time you let your dog outside in the yard, walk outside with him on a leash and show him the area he’s supposed to pee in.
As soon as he veers in the direction of the air conditioning unit, tell me “no” in a stern voice, and then walk him back to the area he can urinate in. Once he pees in that approved area, reward him for it! Give him a pat on the head, a cuddle, a lot of praise, and a nice juicy bone.
Step 5: Try a Liquid Fence
Yep, there’s such a thing and no, it’s not dangerous.
Basically, a liquid fence is a repellent that works well for keeping dogs away from undesired potty spots. Provided that you choose a safe, non-toxic formula it won’t be dangerous to you or your dog.
Best of all, the repellant still lingers after rain, so you don’t need to reapply it all the time.
It doesn’t always work. In some cases, your dog might not be bothered by the strong smell. Still, it’s worth a try if you don’t fancy putting a physical fence up. The liquid fence is favored by many dog owners and people just wanting to keep other dogs out of their garden.
Step 6: Scatter Citrus Peels
Did you know dogs hate the smell of tangy citrus fruits? To stop your precious pooch from urinating all over your AC, scatter the peels of lemon, grapefruit, lime, or orange around the unit and you won’t see Fido hanging out there again.
Plus, it’ll make the area smell nice and fresh! Win-win!
I was actually surprised by how well this method worked. My dog despised that citrusy scent. It really kept him away!
While coffee granules also give off a smell dogs hate, avoid scattering this in your backyard, as coffee is toxic to dogs. Only stick to safe, non-toxic formulas that won’t potentially harm your dog – or any other animals for that matter!
