If you’ve followed us for a while, then you know that we’re big fans of rescue pups. We’re basically big dog dorks in general. As in, we can barely stay focused when we’re at someone else’s house, and they have a dog. I swear our endorphins kick in while we go into really high voices and try to carry on a normal convo at the same time. The struggle is real, y’all. So life would only dictate that we always have furry friends in our own home. We love big mutts and we cannot lie… and we totally think that everyone should have a shelter dog. The world would be a better place if everyone adopted a dog. Or cat. Or furry friend, and gave them a home, and opened up their hearts to something wonderful. We actually call our fur babies our therapy dogs. They’re real game changers as companions and friends, and have so many benefits that rock our world.
But we also know it’s a big decision. From researching which pet will be the best for you and your family, to making sure you have enough time for walks, and snuggles… the list goes on and on. Which we know, can be intimidating.
The number one complaint we hear from friends who are new to the game, is the whole idea of clean up after their new friend. I still remember what a wakeup call it was to bring our first fur baby, Chloe, home. It was a lot to take on at first, in the fur department. A huge adjustment, to say the least.
We enjoyed Chloe for thirteen years before we sadly lost her to lymphoma – we’d been through the entire chemo thing to give her the best shot at life with us. The loss of her left such a void in our lives, that we knew we wanted to adopt two more. So, we literally lasted only a month before we found our little Pyreheelers who needed a home. Enter Rigby and Fitz. That’s our own made-up phrase for White Pyrenees / Red Heeler mixes. These two girls were liter mates, and are the softest things you’ve ever put your hands on in need of a home. They’ve been a challenge, but they’re a part of our family and we adore them. The pros by far outweigh the cons.
Also, enter wake-up call. If we thought Chloe was a bit of a mess, Rigby and Fitz were like that, times ten. There’s something about going from a well-behaved, senior dog to puppies again. Because softness comes with a little bit of a challenge in the shed happens department.
We call it fur shock – Friends who are new to the pup ownership/shelterdog rescue game are always a bit shocked at first. And they’re not alone. Because when you fall in love with your shelter dog, #shedhappens. 58% of Americans are already pet owners and keeping pet hair under control in the home, is a top concern. But we’re always more than thrilled to hold our friend’s hands, walk them through it, and tell them all about our love affair with Swiffer.
Because our dogs have wriggled their way into our hearts, and Swiffer has helped every step of the way. Game. Changer.
We’ve said this before, but the first thing people notice when walking into our house, is that it doesn’t smell like Rigby and Fitz. Winning. And that’s because we’re able to keep it all under control, with Swiffer.
What we love about Swiffer is how quick and easy they make it to clean, so we can focus on the things that really matter. Using Swiffer to clean is so easy and quick – the kids fight over their chores in the clean-up department.
I think they’re doing something right if our kids are having fun.
Hello Summer chores – totally doable with Swiffer. And two of our secret weapons are the Swiffer Duster and Swiffer Sweeper.
While a traditional vacuum cleaner can just blow stuff around, in a house with surfaces and tile/wood floors, these are the winning combo.
With the Swiffer Sweeper, we have a 2-in-1 sweeping and mopping tool. The dry cloth has deep ridges and grooves that conform to the surface of your floor to trap and lock dirt, dust and hair. Honestly, this way we don’t grow resentful of our fur babies.
In the meantime, the Swiffer Duster is also our fave. It has 50% more fibers than regular dusters, which gets deep into grooves to trap and lock up to 3x more dust than a feather duster. – That’s nerd for I’m not going crazy with pet hair anymore.
And we always follow up with the Swiffer Wet Jet, because holy paw prints, Batman.
Oh, and because we wouldn’t be sharing this with you if safety wasn’t our top concern: Swiffer products have been extensively evaluated for safety. In fact, their products have been safely used in millions of homes, many with pets, for more than fifteen years.
You can learn more about them here.
#shedhappens, but it doesn’t mean you have to be miserable in the meantime.
Now if only we could teach these pups to clean up after themselves… Or at the very least, fetch the mail.
I think Rigby is content with all the belly rubs. It’s definitely more her speed.
And those are our very favorite tips for keeping our home clean with this crazy crew in tow.
Fellow fur baby parents out there know that they’re worth every clean-up moment ;}
As always, let us know if you have any questions. Especially if you’re thinking about adding a fur baby to your family. We’d love to help with more of our own favorite tips and tricks. And we’d love to hear more of yours! The more the merrier, for sure!
Have an inspired day!
:: This post was brought to you in partnership with Swiffer. All opinions are 100% ours. Please read our full disclosure pertaining to partnerships here ::
Shelly says
I am going to pass this information on to my sister. They have 1 big dog and moved into a new house recently. Good gosh the hair all over those dark hardwood floors, drove us crazeeeeee! I vacuumed every day and yes that hair just flew all over, ha! I think that Swiffer might do the trick, I am going to gift her some of these products. Cute dogs and cute kids. Thanks
ashley @ the handmade home says
Awe thanks so much! Yes – pass it on! We swear by our swiffer products. True game changers in the world of fluff love ❤️❤️❤️
Tricia says
Ahh! Love how much you love your furry babies : )
ashley @ the handmade home says
Awe thank you Tricia! It hasn’t always been easy but they are so worth it! Now that they’re three we’re Finally coasting down the other side 😂😂😂