Our pets are important and loved members of our families.
Here are five tips on how to design a pet-friendly home you and your pets will love:
1. Create a Dog (Mud) Room
There are few things more satisfying than witnessing the pure joy of a dog enjoying the great outdoors. But with this satisfaction comes a price, and re-entering your home without creating a mess can be difficult.
Incorporating a “Dog Room” into your home can make a clean re-entry easier. Use existing laundry rooms or mudrooms to be a place to keep your dog supplies, leashes, etc. or can be outfitted with custom features such as a dog shower.
2. Choose pet-specific items that blend into your design theme
With a little creativity, you can work these necessary pet-specific products and items seamlessly into your décor.
Cat litter boxes are the main offender, but a litter box cabinet hides it from view and can cut down on odor and mess. There are also plenty of DIY tutorials on how to modify an existing piece of furniture to hide a litter box.
3. Combat destructive cat behavior by accommodating their instincts
Many indoor cats don’t get enough exercise and suffer from boredom. A few simple tweaks to the design of your home can help eliminate the problem!
Many cats will instinctively seek out higher ground, so you can encourage your cat to be more active by arranging your furniture in a way that gives them access to the taller pieces. You can also purchase them a cat tree that will give them that high-up feeling they are looking for.
4. Choose pet-friendly materials
Some of the most impactful decisions you will make when designing your pet-friendly home is your choice in flooring. Flooring represents a large investment in your home and choosing the wrong kind of flooring can be a costly mistake.
Ceramic tile or laminate floor is a logical choice in terms of durability, and also comes in wood-look design to offer the timeless look of wood floors but with increased durability and easy maintenance.
For those who prefer the warmth of carpet underfoot, a darker or patterned carpet is preferable for hiding stains. Choose a low-pile for easier cleaning and avoid continuous loop since claws or nails can snag on the loops and tear a whole run.
5. Promote the health and wellness of your pets within the home
You want your furry friends to be comfortable in your home, and that means using products that won’t harm their health. Find out what plants are safe for animals before you begin landscaping; use eco-friendly products that are good for the environment and your pooches; make sure that there is plenty of space and light for your pets so they don’t feel cooped up in the house while you’re gone and also be sure to pet-proof any dangerous areas.
