Terri Ramsey Beavers If you’re an animal lover, there’s nothing more exciting than bringing home a new furry friend.
But once the cuteness overload settles and the reality of owning a pet sets in, you might find your house is far from practical for your new recruit.
That is why, whether your pet is new or old, these tips are bound to bring new excitement into the house and make it a pet-friendly haven.
Artificial grass
Cats love to chase leaves around the garden, and a little lawn is perfect for letting your pooch out for a run-around in the daytime.
What most pet owners don’t realize, however, is that grass can upset their stomachs if they eat too much. If you’re prone to using weedkillers to keep your garden neat, this can also be quite dangerous for your furry family member.
Artificial grass for dogs is a great way to keep that fresh green lawn without harming your pooch. They’ll still be able to run around and catch butterflies but won’t get sick from chewing up too much grass.
Revamp the Garden
There are a lot of things that you can do to make sure your home is more pet-friendly, and one of the best ways of being able to achieve this is to make sure you revamp the garden. You can make plenty of changes to your garden to ensure you make it more pet-friendly, and this is definitely something you need to try to make the most of as much as possible. One of the best things you can do to improve this process is to make sure you do things that will help to make the garden a place your pets will be safer and more comfortable. Whether this is buying an invisible fence, making the perimeter safe, or creating a play area for the animal, this is something you need to improve upon as much as you can. Making the garden better is one of the key things that you need to assess when it comes to improving your home and making it a bit more animal friendly.
Carpet
Hardwood floors seem like a good idea at first, as they last much longer than other floor types. However, wood, laminate, and tiled flooring can be really slippery for your four-legged friends. And while a wobbly whippet is funny at first, it’s much better to use flooring that provides grip for their paws.
Carpet is a great way to make the house a little cozier while also adding safety for your pets. Of course, it might not be possible to suddenly install carpets in every room. However, rugs and runners that cover key areas (the hallway, kitchen, and lounge, for example) will do just the trick.
It’s not just flooring materials that are worth considering, either. Finding pet friendly fabrics for your house – either for upholstery or soft furnishings – can help to keep the home looking neater for longer without restricting your pet’s freedom or comfort.
Pet stairs or ramps
If you’ve adopted a pet that’s not so agile, it might be best to install pet stairs or ramps so that they can get onto the furniture. Dachshunds and smaller dogs often struggle and can damage their spines by trying to jump onto beds or sofas.
Buying a ramp is just the first step, however. Then you need to train them to actually use it.
Nooks, levels, and cozy corners
For your feline friends, they love to have places to hide away when they need alone time. Cats also love to be high up (so they can survey their kingdom). Installing shelving higher up on the wall or leaving space in a bookcase can be a great little cozy spot for your kitty to curl up in.
Cleaning products
Finally, after all your hard work to make your home a little more pet-friendly, you don’t want to ruin it all by cleaning your home with potentially harmful products. Harsh chemicals can cause irritation – for both you and your furry friends – so it’s better to stay well away from strongly scented chemical products. Take a look at this list of pet-friendly cleaning products to guide you.