Almost 50,000,00 households in the US have at least one dog. And when you own a dog, it comes with a lot of responsibility like feeding, giving water, nurturing, visiting the veterinarian and, of course loving it. But, there is another step you cannot forget — prepping your house. That is why we made this guide on how to dog-proof your home.
Install the Right Flooring
While most homeowners do not change their floors for the pets, you can install flooring that is more dog-friendly. Flooring like waterproof flooring, tile and hardwood are the best flooring options for four-legged animals. We created a full detail guide over the best pet-friendly floors that you can check out.
Refinish Your Floors
Before you adopt a dog or after you install new hardwood floors, you need to refinish them. Hardwood floor refinishing can hide away stains, scratches and scuffs, which is great if you have large dogs. If you do decide to refinish your floors, it is best to go with a matte finish. While satin finishes are shiny, they scratch easily. A matte finish will hide even large scuffs.
Add Doggy Gates
If you have specific rooms or areas that you do not want your dogs to be around, then you need to add doggy gates into your home. Just like how baby gates work on babies and toddlers, dog gates keep our four-legged friends out. Your local pet store or online will have dog gates for you to buy. They also come in multiple sizes, depending on the height of your pet. If you cannot find any doggy gates, a baby gate will get the job done.
Use Carpet Cleaner
Wood or tile floors are not for every homeowner, and that is okay as long as you have the cleaning supplies needed to upkeep it. Many pet owners have carpet floors, and while these floors can be great, they can get easily messy or torn if animals are around it. So if you do decide to keep it, make sure to have a carpet cleaner and cleaning solution to clean any marks they do leave. Or, you can hire a home service company to professionally clean your carpets.
Have Many Dog Toys
If you have a puppy, you probably already know that they have a lot of energy. And that energy brings along more running, tearing and chewing. To avoid your little one from destroying your floors, make sure to have a load of dog toys for them to play with. Instead of buying new toys all the time, you can sign up for monthly dog toy subscription boxes like Chewy or Barkbox to get all kinds of treats.
At Valor Home Services, we love man’s best friend. We think of them as added family. We also have a lot of experience working on dog-friendly homes. That is why if you need help dog-proofing your home, give us a call today.
