It is only normal that you want to create the best home possible for your 4-legged friend. Luckily, you can! Still, making a dog friendly home also means making a home where the dog and you can co-exist so, here are some tips that will help you do just that.
Set your priorities
With all the stress at work it is inevitable to be on needles and pins most of days. Still, your home should be your place of calm, comfort and rest, so make sure you leave all the stress at the door once you get in. Dogs are in tune with human behavior so however you act, the dog is likely to pick up that same vibe and act out. By deciding to be comfortable and calm in your home, you are helping both yourself and your dog to feel nice and calm.
Hana on the Couch (Photo credit: Kazuko Oguma)
Dog friendly Interior and furniture
- Décor – Keep it as simple as possible and out of the tale reach. Naturally, you don’t have to give up everything you like just to make sure your dog is comfortable. What you should do, though is keep vases and such breakable stuff out of the tail height, stick to furniture that is easily cleanable and functional and avoid figurines that can be broken or chewed on.
- Floors – Go with wood! Sure, carpets are an amazing element of interior that gives warmth to your home and compliments the design. But, when you have a pet it is best to opt for sticking to wooden floors that you can clean easily – whether it be for dog’s stains or hairs. If you want to stick with carpets then make sure you vacuum on daily basis. Vacuuming will keep the place odorless and clean. You can always use rugs that are machine-washable.
- Air – Don’t forget to use air refreshers! Yes, your dog is clean and bathed, but still, every pet has their own odor that is different to the human one. So, use air refreshers to prevent your home smelling like a pound.
- Choice of fabric – Choose materials that are not that quick to stain. Spoils and accidents will happen and you not only need to learn to be quick to handle it but you also need furniture that will not give you additional headache. For instance, leather furniture is good choice as anything spilled doesn’t seep into the texture.
Dog Friendly Necessities
Turbo & Cowardly Lion (Photo credit: RaGardner4)
- Chew toys – Provide chew toys for your dog as otherwise you’ll have a problem with almost every piece of furniture being chewed on. Dog’s favorite are certainly table and chair legs as well as pillows, covers and similar.
- Brushing – Brush your dog’s coat regularly. There is this thing called FURminator which gets underneath fur and helps remove all dead skin! And why is removing of dead skin important? Because it’s nothing else but dead skin is why your carpets smell unpleasant. It’s not the fur itself.
- Food and water – Make sure all food and water you have placed for your dog is at the dog’s reach. Also, water bowl needs to have water at all times. As for food, it is best to keep your dog on a regimen to avoid any overeating
- Remove dangerous items – Whether you own a small or a big dog, they’re all drawn to little items they find in the house. So, make sure there aren’t any pins, needles, buttons, marbles and similar that your dog could choke on. Put all those items in drawers or on surfaces that are out of your dog’s reach.
- Home remodeling – If your home hasn’t so far been the safest place to live in, don’t shy away from doing some remodeling to fit both you and your pet. You don’t have to do much – proofing potentially dangerous surfaces by moving furniture around is good enough.
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Andrea Hudson is a devoted mother of two beautiful girls and a proud owner of two german shepards, Tom and Lucy. She recently decorated her home to make home more dog friendly. She found some useful ideas at http://inonehomes.com.au/.
