There is nothing pet owners won't do for their four-legged friends. Many prioritize keeping their furballs happy and healthy, from pricey doggie daycares to pampered nail treatments. Pet owners who relocate may also have to design new homes to accommodate their animals and these little luxuries. Particularly if you can't train your dog properly, don't want to keep your dog in the backyard, and have a dog that sheds a lot.
It isn't easy to create a stylish and pet-proof home when you own a hyperactive, mischievous pup. With the right materials and planning, it can be accomplished. Consider pet-friendly furniture, avoid white materials, and install a quality vacuum to remove pet hair. Ensure your house is pet-proof by installing sliding glass doors San Diego and having pet-friendly furniture.
A pet-friendly home is essential if you own a pet. Creating designated areas for your furry friends and buying the right furniture can help make them feel at home. The following tips will help you create a pet-friendly paradise in your new home.
Install a sliding glass door
Compared to other options on the market, glass is quieter, provides a more open appearance and feel, and is easier to clean. A urinated animal on glass can be easily identified, cleaned, and disinfected, and you will know by looking at it. In contrast, a stainless steel door is much harder to clean, and you can't see it as easily.
Generally, humans prefer to clean glass doors, which take 30 seconds to clean, rather than rod doors, which take a minute or two to clean, and not everyone takes the time to clean and disinfect steel or wood doors properly. Glass doors are not only easier to clean, but they are also quieter.
Whether you want a sliding glass door for your porch, patio, balcony, or anywhere else, sliding glass doors offer great space-saving benefits. Additionally, these doors are popular in homes that do not need a lot of "swing" space. Sliding glass doors San Diego can be custom-made to various specifications, providing a clean, stylish, durable, and long-lasting look.
Adding sliding glass doors to a home can enhance its appearance and ambiance because of the large panes of glass that maximize natural light. In various brands, styles, and materials from US Window & Door, sliding glass doors have many advantages over other types of exterior doors.
Another benefit of sliding doors is improved air circulation. A significant amount of air can enter the house through a sliding glass door, affecting air circulation and air quality within the house. Fresh air not only reduces cooling costs in the summer, but it can also make a home smell better and feel better. As a result, your pet will feel cooler, especially on those hot San Diego days.
Modern sliding doors San Diego minimize heat transfer through frame materials and glass construction. The heat from the summer stays outside, and heat from the winter doesn't escape.
In addition, modern doors are safer and more secure than sliding glass doors of the past. Sliding glass doors are designed to meet forced-entry codes using shatter-proof glass and high-quality locks.
Choose Tile Flooring Over Carpet
You can forget about carpeting if you have pets at home. Sadly, many carpet materials can't withstand stains and damage from pets. Moreover, carpet absorbs odors like no other. Because of these factors, we recommend investing in tile flooring that is highly resistant to stains and scratches, such as ceramic tile. Consider purchasing washable rugs with "indoor/outdoor" materials if you decide to use rugs in your home. Both dogs and cats will inevitably scratch up thickly woven sisal and jute rugs.
Use Trash Cans With Lids
Would your pet consider the trash to be its own personal feast? Besides being annoying to clean up, this mess can also be very dangerous for your pet. You may find glass, chicken bones, and poisonous foods in your trash can. Keep your garbage in a closed closet or child-proof cabinet. Alternatively, you could buy a garbage can that opens with foot pedals and is heavy enough to prevent your pet from tipping it over.
And, of course, make sure that your trash cans always come with secure lids so that you can prevent your pooch from snooping in them for food.
Buy Pet-Friendly Furniture
When purchasing upholstered or slip-covered furniture, the stain-resistant fabric is the way to go. Pet hair and dander are not the only things to watch out for when sharing couches and chairs with animals. Certain fabrics can also absorb unpleasant odors and stains, making Sunday night lounging an unpleasant experience.
Pet-friendly furniture shouldn't be made of velvet, silk, or tweed. These fabrics tend to stain and scratch easily. Choose furniture made from synthetic microfiber, leather, or "outdoor" fabrics like Sunbrella instead. The majority of furniture companies will let you know which fabrics are stain-resistant. Avoiding light colors when picking a couch is also a good idea, as stains will likely appear on white or beige furniture.
Create a Feeding Station
The right feeding station is essential to the health and vitality of your dog, from dishes to feeders to fountains. Feeding your pets in a separate area can prevent them from snooping in the kitchen during meal times.
Try hiding a bowl station under a cabinet or wherever it is most convenient if you are short on space or enjoy a clutter-free look. In this container, you can put their food, water, and any treats you like. A pet lover would find it fun and interesting, and it would likely not negatively affect the house's value.
Be methodical about the types of bowls, feeders, and foundations you use when creating your feeding station. Often, pet parents think any old food or water bowl will suffice when feeding their dogs. The array of dishes and feeders available is as diverse as the range of dogs - and the right dish for one dog might be wrong for another.
It is important to consider your dog's type, diet, and any issues you hope to resolve when shopping for food and water dishes. Most pet parents don't realize that different dogs require different bowls. Those with short noses will benefit from shallow dishes, those with long ears will benefit from deeper dishes, and older dogs may benefit from elevated dishes that ease pressure on their joints.
Avoid Open Wires
Electric appliances are the biggest threat to your fur babies. The washing machine could be left on while you do other chores, and your dog or cat chews on the wires. It is dangerous for pets to chew on wires.
Your home should be safe when you renovate or redecorate it, not just aesthetically pleasing. If there is any electrical wiring in the room, ensure it is safely tucked away. It's similar to what you'd do to protect your children, so if you've baby-proofed your home, you're probably fine.
However, pets (especially cats) can get into places you never imagined were possible, and dogs always seem to find food that could make them sick. Don't forget to take extra precautions when it comes to your pet.
Additionally, your pup might chew or entangle the chords, causing the switches to overheat. Protecting your pets from such mishaps requires planning. Avoid choking, strangulation, electrocution, and suffocation hazards. Wires and electrical cords should be unplugged or covered, and window treatment cords should be cut through loops. Hang curtains and wires at a height that is not too low.
Keeping cords away from your pets is more important than anything else. You may have already tucked them behind a cupboard because of their unsightly appearance. Keep your pet away from those cord bundles to prevent electrocution. When the cords are not in use, unplug them to prevent your pet from getting electrocuted or fire from breaking out.
Get Pet-Friendly House Plants
Optimizing your home for a pet often overlooks plants. Cat grass and lemongrass are favorites among cats. When they are strictly indoors, consider adding a grazing pad for them.
By bringing in elements of nature, they can tap into their instincts (just as when they play with their toys and hunt for them). While cats love catnip, it should be used sparingly to avoid overstimulating them.
Plants cats love:
- Lemongrass
- Chamomile
- Cat grass
- Catnip
- Peppermint
Generally, dogs aren't interested in plants, but you can include some dog-friendly plants in your homes, such as dill, thyme, snapdragons, rosemary, and marigolds.
Before introducing plants into your pet's space, you should consult your veterinarian since some plants are poisonous while others are not. If you have a cat or dog, you should avoid the following plants and flowers:
- Peace Lily
- Azalea
- Tulips
- Chrysanthemum
- Lilies (toxic to cats)
- Oleander
Try a hanging basket if you keep a plant that isn't suitable for your pet.
Build a Grooming Station
Your pet's temperament can affect grooming time. Create a cleaning station in your mudroom, laundry area, or back porch if your dog finds mud to roll in all the time (and track all over your house).
Add an extendable showerhead to the walk-in bath to make bath time easier. Additionally, you could include all the tools you'll need to groom your pets, such as nail clippers and dental care products. Your pets will learn to associate those activities with that space, making grooming time more accessible and less grimy in the rest of your house.
Properly Store Your Pet Food
Do you buy pet food in bulk to save money? After that, you must store it properly to prevent contamination and slow the decomposition of vitamins and nutrients. Before buying food, look for tears in the packaging. Using feeding dishes to scoop food out of packages is not recommended by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA).
Clean a spoon or small container for scooping. Per FDA guidelines, wet food should be refrigerated at 40 degrees Fahrenheit, and dry food should be stored in its original bag, then placed in a clean, food-grade plastic container, and stored at 80 degrees Fahrenheit or less. The bag will also keep unwanted insects and rodents at bay if placed in a container. Dry food is more nutrient-dense and less prone to contamination or spoilage than wet food.
In the garage, bulk food is often stored in large trash cans, which exposes food to extreme temperatures that can leach dyes and additives into food over time. To avoid wasting food, you should purchase a special food storage container or take advantage of a local food establishment's food-grade plastic bucket that will soon end up in the trash.
Add Ramps for Accessibility
Dogs love being around us, but sometimes they have difficulty getting to us. For your dog to be able to snuggle safely on couches, beds, and wherever else you want, you can purchase or build ramps. For pets with limited mobility, an exterior dog ramp can be a great help, as some breeds and sizes struggle with stairs.
Choose US Window and Door for Sliding Glass Doors
There are many things you can do to make your home more pet-friendly. Follow these simple tips to relax and enjoy your living space with your pet.
US Window and Door can help make your space more pet friendly by installing energy-efficient sliding glass doors in your home. Whether you need them for your patio, porch, front door, or anywhere else in your home, we've got you covered.
Schedule a free in-home estimate* to learn more about how we can help you install sliding glass doors in your home.
.jpg)