Dogs can make regular household cleaning chores more difficult or time-consuming, which can be especially problematic if you are already balancing a family and a full-time job. Outsourcing some of the care for your home and pet can free up your time so you better enjoy your life. Even if you know about some of these services, it can help to have a better understanding of exactly how to get the most from them when it comes to a cleaner home.

#1: Pet walking

Hiring a dog walker to take Fido out once a day not only ensures that your dog gets ample exercise and socialization, it can also keep your home cleaner. Regular walks are the key to avoiding accidents. Some dog owners skip this service, either because their dog is pad trained or because they don't think it is necessary. Unfortunately, a bored dog may resort to chewing, piddling, or other behavior that damages your home. Paying for this service is much less stressful than constantly cleaning up carpet stains or having to replace the carpet because of urine odors, and your dog will be happier with the extra exercise or play time.

#2: Grooming

Grooming is another service that can lead to less hair and fuzz in your home, which will make cleaning up much easier. Regular brushes, shampoos, and fur trimming is a vital component for both your dog's health and the cleanliness of your home. You may not realize how much easier it can be to keep your house clean when your dog is well-groomed. A skillful groomer can also thin your dog's fur so that they shed less and create less of a mess in the house. Another trick is to have grooming done outside your home, so you don't have to clean up the extra fur in the bath tub or worry about it clogging drains.

#3: Yard cleanup

No time to scoop the poop in the backyard? Fortunately, there are yard cleanup services that will handle this chore for you. They will come by at the intervals you request, whether weekly or monthly, to relieve your yard of your dog's leavings.

#4: Housekeeping

Regular cleaning is the key to keeping pet odors and stains under control. When hiring a house cleaning service, make sure they offer the level of service necessary for a home with pets. This includes the ability to clean up any bathroom stains and to wrangle the dust bunnies produced by pet hair. Keep in mind, some house cleaning services have strict rules that dictate that pets must be locked up in a room on the days they are cleaning, or that an owner must be present if the pet is present. Some services even specialize in pet owners, which means they may offer additional services such as removing carpet stains, cleaning out dog crates, or even laundering pet bedding.

If possible, consider finding a service that combines a few of the above tasks. For example, you may be able to find a housekeeping service that also offers yard cleanup or a pet walker that can perform grooming tasks. By outsourcing these few tasks you can relieve yourself of some of the less enjoyable responsibilities of pet ownership.