Make Your Home Dog-Friendly with these Upgrades

There once was a time when the only “upgrade” you could make in your home for a dog was a simple doggy door. But as times have changed, so has our creativity, technology, and resources. If you’re thinking of personalizing your home to be more dog-friendly, here are a few ideas you might want to consider.

Concealed Crates

When adopting your furry friend, you probably didn’t think about how “cute” their metal wired crate was going to be sitting in the corner of a room. To help better conceal your pooch’s crate, consider placing it inside barely used coat closet or if you have one – under your staircase. Many pet parents have actually been jumping on the trend of using the (usually) wasted space under a staircase and transforming it into Fido’s own special area.

Built-In Doggy Beds

Creating an elaborate built-in doggy bed for your pup is another excellent idea, that won’t necessarily need to be completely concealed away. Some owners build them under their mantel where a fireplace might have been. Other creations have been cut out of a wall, built under the owner’s bed, or added on to a countertop. Whatever you decide, this nook will allow your pup to feel safely confined in a place they know they can retreat to if things ever become too overwhelming.

Hidden Toy Chest

As pet parents, we can sometimes go overboard with the number of toys we shower our pets with. But just like having a toddler with too many toys, they seem to end up everywhere – in every corner of your home. Since you can’t really ask your furbabies to clean up after themselves, your next best alternative is a toy chest. These can easily tuck under a bench or aligned neatly in a corner appearing as a simple decorative chest.

Fido’s Own Grooming Station

If you have a mudroom, creating a bathing and grooming station for Fido will be much easier to accomplish. You can renovate the space to hold an open-concept shower with low walls, a handheld showerhead, and drain big enough to take clumps of pet hair. If you don’t have a mudroom, you could consider remodeling a lower level bathroom with a multi-purpose walk-in shower. If you live in an area with pleasant weather all year round, you could even build a doggy shower outside.

There are numerous ways, big and small, that can make your house increasingly dog-friendly. You just have to decide where to start!