For pet owners, almost every decision revolves around their pets. In fact, most people, millennials especially, take their pets into consideration when zeroing in on a new home.
Your pet dog is an integral part of your family and treats, toys, and cuddles are not enough to reward it for the happiness it brings to the household. You must also consider its comfort, safety, and non-human needs. If you feel that your current dwelling is not yet as dog-friendly as you want it to be, then check out the 7 home upgrades for dog owners that will make your current home a better place for your pet dog.
7 Trendy Home Upgrades for Dog Owners
When discussing the home upgrade or addition with your design-build team, it’s important that they get to meet your four-legged family member. Just like having a custom home built, your contractor needs to know your dog’s age, temperament and routine.
This information will help them select the appropriate materials to use, determine the correct structural dimensions, and recommend the best design.
It’s also advisable to carefully study each of the 7 ideas below. You might want to add more than one of them, and it would be cost-effective to have all done simultaneously.
1. A Room of Their Own
Give your beloved pet a dedicated space that is not shared by the rest of the household. Think outside the crate (pun intended) and incorporate this within the existing layout of your home. You just have to decide the most convenient area you want it constructed.
Most homeowners find that the kitchen is the best part of the house to keep their pooch indoors. It is warm, food is within reach, and water is easily accessible.
Install two drawers, one for food storage, the other for built-in eating and drinking bowls.
Other space-saving indoor spaces are under the stairs, within the foyer’s multipurpose chest, and the bottom of the living room coffee table.
2. Dog House in the Outdoor Living Area
If you’d rather have your four-legged family member take up residence outdoors, then build one that provides comfort, convenience, and lots of playtime hours.
But before launching the project, ensure your doggie’s safety and security. Whether backyard, front yard, or patio, the space should be fenced in. If this feature is missing, install one first prior to the dog house construction.
Choose durable and low-maintenance materials like wood or vinyl, especially if you own a large breed.
Canines love to romp in the water, so indulge your furry best friend with a splash pad or a swimming pool. Installing a fountain or sprinkler will make them woof just as happily.
Include other lavish amenities in their pooch castle, such as a real bed, ambient night lights, and a front porch for lounging. And don’t forget the playground! Install hoops, tunnels, and ramps to give your hound opportunities to exercise even when you’re not around.
If you have a dexterous and lively pup, consider adding a fetch machine that will keep your rambunctious pet happily occupied.
Home Upgrades for Dog Owners: 3. Ramps for Older Dogs
Is your loyal companion finding it more difficult to climb on to your lap on movie marathon Fridays? Then it’s time to ramp up.
Aging dogs go through body degeneration the same way that humans do, and sometimes, they can also be afflicted with joint issues like arthritis.
Help them maintain an active lifestyle by adding inclines and mini staircases in strategic points of your home. Home upgrades for dog owners with aging pets can include adding inclines to the front and back porches, to their favorite living room couch, and to your bedside.
4. Feeding Stations
No matter how much you adore your pet, the mess they make at mealtime can be frustrating because it leads to the additional chore of cleaning up.
Make the task easier by allotting a specific and contained space just for eating. This can be in a kitchen corner or on the back porch. The key is to use flooring and wall materials that are easy to wash. Build the area near a faucet as well.
Plus, of course, ensure that the walls are high enough to catch flying food particles and sufficiently grounded to control spills.
Make your life easier by including motion-sensor feeding bowls that will automatically refill. This ensures your pet remains fed and hydrated even when you are not around. Unless your pet will take advantage of endless food.
5. Home Pet Grooming Center
You can save time and money spent on pet salons if you groom your mutt at home. There are several existing spaces in your dwelling which you can upgrade to accommodate this regular activity.
Bathing, for example, can be done in the bath, shower, mudroom, or laundry room. Simply add a nozzle and bathtub for the exclusive use of your dog. Install an adjacent drying table and equip it with drawers and cabinets for toiletries, towels, combs, scissors, and nail cutter.
Home Upgrades for Dog Owners: 6. Custom Dog Door
Give your dog the freedom to come and go as it pleases by inserting a custom dog door to the bottom of your back door. It’s an addition that benefits you as well during those extra busy days when you simply can’t squeeze in potty or play time.
This may be a simple project, but let an experienced builder do it for you to prevent compromising the structure and form of your door.
You can also install door sensors on the doggy door to keep track of your pet’s comings and goings and only allow your pup to enter your house.
7. Dog-Proof Elements
Protect your flooring from claw marks by using hardwood or laminated vinyl which are resistant to scratches. Keep food spills and paw smudges from being permanent, albeit unintended, blots with stain-resistant wall paint, carpets, and rugs.
When you have your Pennsylvania home remodeled with any of the additions mentioned above, include a pathway made of gravel, pebbles, or stone. Your hound can walk on it before getting inside the house and leave behind the mud and dirt stuck on its paws.
Make Your Pennsylvania Home Dog-Friendly
Deciding on the additional space, structure, or feature to accommodate your newly adopted pup is just the first step in making it feel at home.
The next, and most important, step is the home construction project. To ensure you get the results you expect, find a Pennsylvania design-build firm that not only loves pets as you do but also understands how to incorporate their needs around their human family’s lifestyle.
These trendy home upgrades for dog owners will also increase the value of your home should you decide to sell it in the future and especially if your potential buyers are pet owners.
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