Being a pet owner comes with many responsibilities. You must ensure their safety and security at home; they need to be comfortable with their environment. This means taking care of their every need, making sure they’re healthy and fit, and making everything fun for them. It’s all part of the process for any owner.
We love our furry friends, so the first thing that you must take care of is that they feel at home. They must feel your loved and cared. And how to show them that? Showing affection is one thing: loving, caring, feeding. But ensuring that they’re comfortable, and having fun and happy times is of importance, too.
And to really do that they must perceive the warmth of home; their home. Create an environment in the home that can make them feel it’s theirs as well.
So how do you create a pet-friendly home?
The answer is simple. The way we create a home for ourselves we have to do the same for them. One thing to keep in mind is that you are designing a home for animals.
Let’s see what we can do for our furry buds to make them feel at home.
1. Have a Pet Room and Mud Room
Pets are part of our family and many folks are welcoming these furry members into their families. So just like any other family member they can have their own room.
What will they do with their room? They’ll roam throughout the house anyway. They’d be watching TV with you, playing outdoor games, eating, hanging out with you.
Still, they need a space that they can call their own; a place they can sleep, eat or do anything they like just like you. So it’s a great idea for them to have their personal room. In their room, they can have their “me” time and they can also invite their friends for fun.
If you have a spare room or small space in your home, turn it into a pet room. Or you can get them a pet house. Decorate their room with pet-friendly things like their bed, throw, pillows, pet toys, pet food or drink bowl, pet playing machines, climbing tower, pet portraits, etc. The options are endless.
Portraits make a good decoration in their room because you can customize the colors and size.
2. Install Pet Doors
In a pet-friendly home, you must install pet doors. They keep your pet from going to unwanted and unsafe spaces. Pet doors also help them with behavioral training and they can freely explore the outdoors as well as indoors.
3. Place Beds in Rooms They Spend the Most Time
Even if they have their own room and bed or not; they should have extra beds in other rooms. That’s because they enjoy hanging around in every room and spending time with others. It’s good to have a spot for them to sit and rest.
4. Designate a Dining Area
Build their dining area with stylish feeding bowls. They can have their food in their room but it’s better if they have their dining area near yours. It’ll make them feel included and loved.
5. Keep the House Clean
When you have pets or toddlers it becomes utmost to keep your home clean; especially the floor. Pets spent most of their time playing, sleeping on the floor. So if it’s dirty they’ll have infections and allergies because of bacteria. They can have rashes and other skin conditions.
Apart from that, our furry friends shed dander, which is a risk for those with lung conditions; which can, in turn, infect them. So deep clean your home with a vacuum or Roomba every day for a pet-friendly environment.
6. Have Storage for Their Things
Store their things separately from yours. Best if they have their own room, so you can build storage for their stuff: food, toys, grooming necessities and medicines. Or you can keep their things in other distinct cabinets in the house.
Don’t forget to store their toys as well because if you leave them on the floor for long they will be infectious.
And similarly, their food and snacks should be kept safe from them and bacteria. Some pet food has to be stored in a cool place; consider getting a mini-fridge for them, too.
7. Keep Rugs, Carpets to a Minimum
Try to avoid rugs and carpets if you have pets. Because you’re not going to wash them frequently and they’ll just accumulate all the dust, fur, dander; that can cause allergies to pets. If you want to have carpet or rugs, try to thoroughly clean them regularly and use a cover.
For upholstery, always use a material that is easily washable and does not accrue their fur and odor; like faux leather. Dark color cushioning is preferred in a pet-friendly home, but you can use the light color as well but keep them cautiously; cover them or wash them often.
8. Create a Play Area
Pets like playing and having fun. Therefore, creating a playing area for them is a great idea. It can be an indoor or outdoor play zone, with climbing towers and lots of plushies.
9. Follow Safety Precautions
Keep your pet safe inside and outside the house. Keep them away from fertilizer, medicines, toxic foods, etc. Store these things out of your pet’s reach.
Keep away pet toxic plants from your dog. Many plants are not pet-friendly; either avoid them or keep them from the pet’s reach. Do your research before bringing any plant home.
10. Limit Access to the Outdoors
If you allow your pet outdoors make sure they are safe. Install fences around your backyard, and roof. Also, make sure there is no sharp object out there; that they can get hurt from. Sharp objects must be neglected even from indoors.
Doing all these things for your pet will be only fruitful if they like it. So do what they like and enjoy most. Work according to their needs and they’ll feel loved.
