The most rewarding home improvements are those that work for everyone in the family – including your dog. If you’re thinking of renovating or you’re preparing to welcome a new puppy, we’ve shared a few of our top tips for creating a dog-friendly home below.
- Safe, secure gardens
Your garden should be a safe haven for your dog.
Aim to create an open grassy area protected with a tall fence or wall. It’s also a good idea to keep breakable objects, including large plant pots, out of your dog’s reach. Furthermore, you’ll need to make sure that your garden contains no plants and substances toxic to dogs.
Dogs love to survey their territory, so a raised decking area could also help your pooch feel confident in your garden. Additionally, play features and equipment allow opportunities for you to spend quality time playing with your dog.
- Doggy door to the garden
You might not always be at home to let your dog outside, so why not give them the freedom to head out to the garden whenever they’d like to?
Customising your own doggy door might take a little bit of time and effort, but the investment will be worth it for your pooch. You could utilise scrap wood, metals, plastics, or other recycled materials to create a simple frame and pivot that lasts for years.
- Large, open living space
Dogs can be sometimes unpredictable, especially when they’re excited and get the zoomies!
Once they’re on the run, you might not be able to stop them. For this reason, it’s best to have a wider space in the living room without bulky furniture, clutter, or fragile ornaments. Try to focus your interior around open, minimalist spaces with cosy areas for your dog to relax in, too.
- Soundproofed floors
You might be worried about the noise your pooch makes, especially first thing in the morning and late at night. Whether you can hear them clumsily bounding around or just the tippy-tap sounds of their paws, there are a few solutions to try.
You can absorb noises in your home using PVC flooring made using types of plastic sheets called PVC, perfect for households with noisy dogs. Other advantages include:
- Strength and increased durability
- A smooth, waterproof surface for easy maintenance and hygiene
- Excellent compatibility with underfloor heating
- Sound-absorbing properties
- Maximised ‘dead space’
If you have some empty space under the stairs or in a lower corner of a room, why not transform it to a dedicated area for your dog?
Whether you make a cosy nook with a soft bed and ambient lighting or a feeding zone instead, there are plenty of ways to incorporate creative, practical solutions to help you and your dog coexist naturally in your home.
- Poke holes in your garden fence
Dogs love to guard, protect, and explore their territory – and to find out about anyone walking near it, too. If you have a wooden fence surrounding your garden, you could use a hole saw to make perfect pooch-sized viewpoints.
With one larger hole for their snout and a couple of smaller holes above to peek through, you’ll create an entertaining addition to your garden that helps keep your dog occupied.
