So, you’ve got yourself an animal companion you can’t separate from. Congratulations! Many years of endless cuddles and inexplicable pet love await you. All that remains for you to do now is to adapt your home so you and your doggy, birdy, kitty, or whatever other types of cutie you’ve got can have a happy life together. Here are the essential features of a pet-friendly home to help you achieve that. 

Tough floors and durable materials are a smart choice

There’s nothing more warming to one’s heart than the wagging tail and utter excitement of your four-legged buddy each time he sees you. But unless you want the floors to bear a mark of each happy run of your doggy, it’s best to opt for a more durable type of floor. With that in mind, stone floors and parquets are a great choice and can also look very posh. Similarly to the floors, your furniture can also become a victim of your pet’s claws. More so if you own a kitty. For this reason, the best advice for pet owners regarding what furniture they should get is not to get too-expensive pieces. 

A fenced yard is one of the essential features of a pet-friendly home

The fence is a must if you have a dog. No matter how well you train it, there’s always a possibility of a squirrel challenging it for a chase around the neighborhood. Also, dogs are naturally curious creatures who want to explore exciting smells and sights. Without a fence, nothing will stop it from roaming away and potentially getting lost. Besides, a nicely designed gate will increase your home’s curb appeal, so there are multiple reasons for getting one.

Your doggy needs a house of its own

Not all four-legged buddies can live indoors or want to. Most big dogs are perfectly fine with spending most of their days outside. But that doesn’t mean they want to sleep in the open with all the rain and cold the bad weather can produce. So, they will need their own house, right there next to yours. 

The pet-friendly neighbourhood will make life with a pet much easier

When moving to a new home, especially if you are making a long-distance relocation, ensure your new house is in a pet-friendly neighbourhood. That will spare you the everyday headaches of people trying to live with their pets in an area that is not designed for that. In a pet-friendly neighbourhood, optimally, the traffic is low, there are sidewalks and the pet shops, as well as the vet, are close by. 

If you are making a big-scale relocation with pets, such as an overseas one, you will surely remember to ensure your best friend’s comfort. But make sure you don’t forget that you are moving to an environment where your fluffy friend will be appreciated, and their needs will be taken care of.

Enclosed patios or “catios”

Patios are a perfect union between the comfort of the indoor space and the natural need to be surrounded by nature. But in recent decades, enclosed patios have become increasingly popular. They provide outings to nature without leaving the warmth of the home. And you know what? Cats are mad about those! An enclosed patio will quickly become your cat’s favorite spot in the house. So much so that people start calling it “catios”. If you are keen on making your ball of fur delighted, provide it with a patio and watch it spend its days relaxing there. Overall, it’s one of the best features of a pet-friendly home you can install.

Pet door is a useful feature for the non-early birds

One of the downsides to owning a dog is that they sometimes need to go potty early. But there’s a solution to that. You can avoid taking your dog for a walk early in the morning by installing a pet door. Cats will love it, too, especially if you allow yours to go around the block in search of a partner. In general, your pet will enjoy more freedom with the pet door, making it an essential feature of a pet-friendly home.

Save your carpets by installing a pet washing station

Our fluffers enjoy rolling in the mud and digging around. It would be a shame to make them stop only so your home would remain clean. Fortunately, there’s a great solution. Invest in a pet washing station, where you can access water and ready clean towels. You can even put a blow drier there too. It should be located near the front door, so before you let your dog in, you can clean and dry it. This way, you won’t have to worry about your home getting muddied. And here’s a little secret – you will also be using it to clean up your children more often than you think.

Pet corner in your home is a must

No matter what type of pet you have, it deserves a corner in your house. It doesn’t have to be a whole room, but provide it with a soft relaxing station and some toys. It is best for this little pet area to be away from the most frequent parts. Even the most gregarious animal companions need some alone time. 

Remove all plants that are toxic to your pet

One thing most people forget when it comes to pets is that no matter how human-like they are, they will still make some weird choices. One of them is to munch on indoor plants. But this habit can be fatal for the poor fellows because many indoor plants are toxic to pets. For that reason, such plant specimens will have to go for good.

Final thoughts

All this seems like too much work. No one said owning a pet will be easy, but it is one of the best decisions you can make. Investing in these essential features of a pet-friendly home is a small price to pay in comparison to the amount of joy your pet will surely bring you. So put in the necessary effort and give your pet the life it deserves.