Pets are a large part of many families and while these fuzzy, and sometimes not so fuzzy, friends can bring a lot of fun and companionship, keeping them happy and healthy can take some work. One way to keep this under control is to look at the overall pet-friendliness of your home. Much like you would for a baby before you bring them home, pet-proofing your home can prevent accidents and problems that putting in some time now can save you from headaches later.

Pet Friendly Homes

There are a few concerns that you should consider when trying to come up with ways to make your home more pet friendly. Think about any areas that your pet might get hurt or sick if they get into. Is your pet likely to chew on things? Stop to consider to what those things it chews on are made of. Take an inventory of all the things that you don’t want your pet to damage or break; how many of them can’t be replaced?

As you can see, pet friendliness includes more than just restricting access to certain parts of the home. A truly pet friendly home is one that will keep your pet safe in many ways while also protecting important items from your pets. There are a few different ways to go about this, and there is no right answer when it comes to how you should approach making your home more pet friendly.

Common Pet Proofing Techniques

The way that you approach pet proofing and making your home more pet friendly will depend in large part on how your home is designed and decorated. With that said, here are a few ideas to serve as starting points for your pet friendly revamp.

• Check the interior of your home for peeling paint or similar problems, especially if you have an older home. Some paints contain materials that could be toxic for pets, so removing peeling paint areas and giving everything a fresh coat of pet safe can help to keep your companions safe.
• Secure potentially dangerous areas like stairwells, fireplaces, and crawlspace access points. Replace rusted or loose coverings to make sure that they can’t be pulled back or shaken free by a determined pet. Then install baby gates or other barriers which will allow you to get through but prevent passage by those without opposable thumbs.
• Lock up cleaners and other chemicals where your pets can’t access them. Some scented cleaners may smell like food to pets, and even non-toxic chemicals can still make pets sick or cause other problems if ingested. If you have medications in the home, they should be locked up similarly.
• Get a trash can with a sturdy lid, preferably one that can be operated hands free. This will not only keep trash from being spread out in your home but can also keep pets from eating things that they really shouldn’t.

Of course, this is just the start of ways to secure your home and make it safe for your pets. Regardless of the specifics, the end goal is to make sure that there are fewer things within reach of your pets that could potentially cause them harm.

Pet Friendly Remodeling

In some cases, more extensive work might be required for you home to be truly pet friendly. Stop and consider whether any changes need to be made to your home’s layout to eliminate hazards or otherwise protect your pets and keep them out of places they don’t need to be. You should also talk to contractors, landscapers and others to make sure that you’re choosing pet-friendly materials and plants for your home.

If you need some remodeling but want to make sure it is as pet friendly as possible, please reach out. We have many wonderful contractors that can help you and your pet have the best home possible.