Families that share their homes with dogs or cats are always on the lookout for ways to make their dwellings more convenient for them and their pets. Owning a dog or a cat can mean additional work and cleaning for pet owners. Items such as hair repelling carpets, stain resistant furniture, and flooring that can take a beating from the pounding of dog nails are only a few things that can make sharing a home with pets easier. However, when it comes to life with a dog or cat, families don’t just want convenience and durability, they also want a place that feels like home for their fave furry friend. What are some things you can do to make your house more pet-friendly?
Out with carpet and in with flooring
Though carpet can be comfortable and attractive, it is not always practical for people that share their homes with pets. Today, there are many different types of carpet available, and some are even protected by stainguard materials to prevent spills from becoming a permanent addition to the landscape of the fabric. However, carpeting can become soiled quite easily, marring its appearance. In addition to this, many dogs get their nails caught in carpet loops or fibers, causing unsightly snags when they pull to wrench their paw free.
But carpet is also a poor choice for a pet-friendly home as it is a known harborer or dirt, debris, germs, and bacteria. This does not only mean that it requires more frequent cleaning but also that it could pose a potential health hazard for the whole family.
Flooring such as laminate, tile, or hardwood is easy to keep clean and less likely to succumb to scratches or damage. Care must be taken to keep these surfaces dry, but the smooth even surfaces of these materials do not permit the accumulation of excess dirt or harmful bacteria, making them an excellent choice for families with pets.
To prevent scratches in hardwood flooring, maintaining excellent canine and feline foot care is important. Regular nail trims will keep hardwood floors in tip top shape.
Come over to the dark side
Light colored fabrics, flooring, and carpeting lend a refreshing air to a room…until they are the bearer of muddy pawprints that can be difficult to obliterate from delicate fabrics. To save on time, effort, and frustration, it is an excellent decision to purchase furniture and flooring in dark hues that hide and/or repel dirt well.
One of the best materials for furniture upholstery is leather since hair will not stick to it. It is durable enough to withstand some abuse from nails and rough play, and it is easy to clean if it becomes dirty.
Put those cords away
Dogs and cats, and puppies and kittens in particular, are drawn to electrical cords like magnets. Errant cords strewn throughout the home make a room look dishevelled. But more than this, they pose a great hazard for dogs or cats that decide to sink their chompers or their claws into them.
Families can improve the look of their room as well as provide important safety measures by installing cable protectors. Cable protectors are made of thick vinyl and simply slip over top of any cords to keep them from succumbing to damage from pets. Most of these cable protectors can be mounted against baseboards or trim to keep them out of sight as well.
Alternatively, wires and cables can be hidden behind furniture to keep them protected from pets that enjoy playing with them.
Keep the trash in the can
Dogs and cats are drawn to anything that smells like fun, particularly food. Trash cans can pose too great a temptation for man pets to resist.
Though a dog or cat nosing through the trash will make a big mess, it is more than simply a lot of unnecessary cleanup that owners need to be concerned about when it comes to household dumpster diving. Trash cans can contain items that could be hazardous or even toxic to dogs and cats.
There is a simple solution to cats and dogs cohabiting peacefully with household trash: always purchase bins with secure lids. If this is not possible, it is a good idea to place trash cans in cupboards or behind doors that can be closed then locked to prevent access.
Create a room with a view
Dogs and cats love to have a perch from which to observe the goings on around them. Creating their own little window seat is a great way to indulge their natural curiosity while ensuring couches and window treatments don’t take a beating from a persistent pet determined to see outdoors.
Crafting a window seat for a dog or cat to enjoy is an inexpensive project. Storage benches can be purchased from building supply stores or even department store chains. Simply find the ideal spot to place it, and Fido and Fifi have the perfect vantage point from which to view their world. Best of all, these units have open space beneath them where a pet bed can be inserted, providing the perfect den for cats and dogs to catch some shut eye in privacy.
Craft the perfect pet relaxation zone
Pets love to lounge around the house as much as we do. To help them accomplish their goal, building a pet hammock is the way to go.
To create the perfect pet hammock, very few supplies are needed, ensuring this project is easy to complete and doesn’t impact the wallet too deeply. To build a pet hammock, all that is required is a table with four legs that is of sturdy construction and either heavy duty canvas fabric with grommets in it or a ready-made pet-sized hammock from the store. Make use of large eye bolts to attach the fabric to the inside of the table legs.
Design a cat wall
Cats love to scratch, but cat posts can be quite expensive to purchase. Since most cats find great pleasure in simple things like cardboard boxes, owners can take inspiration from these inexpensive materials to create a section of their wall that is ideally designed to keep their cats’ brains occupied. Anything can be used to create the wall from cardboard boxes to wooden ledges, apple crates, and even old dresser drawers; the sky is the limit when it comes to creativity. As an added benefit, providing cats with their own unique wall to climb and enjoy will keep them off bookshelves and the tops of furniture such as fridges and tables where they could get hurt or cause damage.
Share your house with pets and want the place you live to feel like home for the furry friends in your life? Consider our top seven tips to make your house a more pet-friendly space. Your dog or cat will thank you for it!
