How to Make a Dog-Friendly Home
Years ago, it was commonplace for dogs to live outdoors in dog kennels. Nowadays our pet dogs live ‘as a family’ sharing the same indoor space with us, in an environment where the human-canine bond can flourish. Making dog-friendly homes that look nice, however, can sometimes be a challenge. If you want to know how to make your home dog-friendly and look lovely too! – Read our Holidays4Dogs article for tips.
It is probably quite common for many dog-loving homes to show a few signs that a four-legged being lives in the midst. While many of us want our dogs to feel at home, we don’t always relish the traces that little furry housemates leave behind. Puppies are often one of life’s chief canine challenges on the housekeeping front and are often more than capable of trashing a home in no time.
This may be why some people adopt the ‘no-dogs-on-the-furniture’ rule. But, is it possible to have things looking nice, while keeping that close bond with the furry pals we delight in sharing our homes with? We think it is – take a look at some of our solutions to help keep your home relatively free of the by-products of having a hairy pooch in the home – namely, dog slobber, hair and mud.
Doors
The practical application of a convenient way in and out of the house isn’t always that easy, because it depends on the layout of your house and the size of dog, (or dog’s) you have.
In many modern houses, for instance, there is no back door. Instead, the houses have a sliding patio door, which leads straight into the house from the garden. During wet weather, this can cause no end of headaches bringing wet dogs into the house.
Laminate flooring can help as well as dirt trapper rugs. You could also consider placing a covered crate near the door, to place the dog in while he, or she, dries off. For smaller dogs, they can be carried to another room and larger dogs can have their feet wiped at the door.
If you are lucky enough to have a boot room or utility room with access to the outside, this is an ideal solution as a place where dogs can be cleaned before coming into the rest of the house.
Even wall coverings should be considered when thinking about how to keep areas in the house clean from the effects of dogs. Washable paint is a must around the area where your dog comes in and out of the house.
A place to keep dog towels
Ideally, this needs to be situated within easy reach of the entrance door. Shelving, 
or a free-standing cupboard is useful to house clean, dry dog towels where they are easy to reach. Equally, a handy linen basket is useful for used damp towels.
Covers
Of course, dogs don’t have to be allowed on the furniture. However, lots of us enjoy sofa snuggles with our four-legged pals – and no doubt our dogs do too! Investing in some suitable covers which can easily be thrown in the washing machine, is the easiest solution. There is a vast array of attractive throws these days, so you can choose something which goes with your décor.
Flooring
In a home where there are pets, the type of flooring is probably one of the most important considerations. It certainly makes it easier when you have house training accidents. Easy to clean and non-porous surfaces are ideal for a household with pets. Laminate, or wood flooring is relatively cheap and easy to lay. For the ultimate in chic stylish flooring, highly polished concrete is a favourite for designer homes with dog-loving occupants.
Dog Beds
Investing in a durable and washable dog bed means your dog is more likely to spend his time there. The downside to dog beds is they can sometimes clutter up a room and take up space. However, there are several companies and interior designers who have come up with clever ideas to utilise existing space or incorporate dog beds into bespoke pieces of furniture.
For certain breeds, it can be a never-ending task to clean up after the dog. However, hopefully, these simple suggestions may help cut down on the cleaning routine.
