Your furry friends are a part of the family, so they should feel comfortable in your home, too. Implementing pet-friendly upgrades in your home could also help with resale value—interested buyers are often pet owners!
Flooring
Sadly, not all flooring is pet friendly. Certain types of hardwood floors are prone to being scratched up by pets, namely dogs. If you are going to go with hardwood, make sure to pick a strong varnish that can stand up to being scratched by your pet.
Vinyl, laminate, and tile flooring all hold up well with pets. Many pets enjoy carpet flooring, though it is prone to staining. Keep in mind if you have older pets that some flooring is more slippery than others—you don’t want them to slip and hurt themselves on your floor!
Gates & Doors
Doggy doors can be built into the doors that lead outside so that your pets can go in and out as they please.
For inside the house, a baby gate can help keep your pets out of areas that they shouldn’t be in.
Fence
A fence serves many purposes, but it can be absolutely essential when you own pets (especially run-away dogs!). If your pet is prone to wandering or bolting away from you, the last thing you want to have to do is chase them through your neighbours’ yards.
Having a sturdy fence will ensure that your dog (or cat!) can play in the yard safely.
Thoughtful Landscaping
Speaking of playing in the yard safely, you’ll want to ensure your landscaping can’t hurt your furry friends. Some plants are toxic to certain animals, so you’ll want to avoid planting those in your yard.
Here is a list of toxic and irritant plants for dogs.
Built-in cat walls
Most cats enjoy climbing and having secret places to hide, but big cat towers can take up a lot of space. Many people have started building cat walls; essentially, you drill climbing pieces right into the wall so your cat can climb them. Some people even put beds on the wall!
If your cat loves to climb, a cat wall may be for purrfect for them.
Walk-in Shower (AKA the Dog Bath)
If you’ve ever owned a big dog, you know how difficult it can be to lift them in and out of the bath. Walk-in showers make bathing your dog easy on both you and the dog.
Mudroom
Mudrooms aren’t just for pets, but they certainly come in handy when you’re dragging a wet and muddy dog in from outside! Having a separate room where you can towel off your messy pet can help reduce the amount of dirt that’s brought into the rest of the house.
Smart Technology
We’ve mentioned smart technology before—it can be helpful to save you money by regulating your home’s temperature, but it can also help keep your pets comfortable during the day.
You can also install cameras to check in on your pets while out of the house. That way, you won’t stress about knowing if your pet is comfortable and safe while you aren’t home.
Cable Management
Some animals have a habit of chewing up cables (we’re looking at you, rabbits), making it difficult to leave your electronics plugged in around the house. There are a variety of cable managers that you can stick to your walls or under surfaces that can lift your cables off the ground. For the exposed part of the cable, you can get plastic cable protectors that wrap around the cord.
Build Ramps
As our pets get older, jumping can become a strain on their bodies. Place a ramp next to sizeable jumps so that your pet doesn’t have to make the leap.
Making your home more pet-friendly can make things more comfortable for both you and your pet!
