How to Make a Pet-Friendly House and Lot

Learn the tips and best practices on how to take care of domestic pets and create a pet-friendly house and lot for them.

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People have an ancient affinity for animals and are closely attached to them. Humans are intrinsically pet lover. Domestic dogs, for the longest time, are considered a man’s best friend. More than having cats or dogs to watch over the house and properties and add another layer of security to a family, these pets are valued for the friendship and companionship that they provide.  

There is at least one domestic pet in almost every household, with dogs being the most common. To make a pet-friendly home, the owners must wholly understand what it takes before purchasing or adopting animals and the meaning of responsible pet ownership. Listed in this blog are some tips and best practices for pet parents on how to take care of their pets and create a pet-friendly home for them.

Pet-Friendly House And Lot Tip #1: Make The Interior Paw-Proof

Opt for Fur-Friendly Furniture

Choosing to have pets at home means accommodating their needs in interior design. This includes taking note of patterns in their behavior. The most common problem pet owners, especially dog parents, have at home is paw scratches. The professional advice from veteran pet owners would be to choose authentic leather fabric for the couch.

Although this selection is more expensive, it proves to be a good investment as it could withstand paw scratches from your active four-legged friends, regardless of their breed, inside the house. When choosing furniture, the rule of thumb is to go with dark-colored pieces that make stains and dirt less visible. However, make sure to pay heed to the color of the pet as well. A dark couch isn’t the best option for a pet owner with a white or beige-colored doggo.  

It is also important to note that carpets and velvets are not the best choices and should be banished once dogs or cats arrive to join the household. The loose fabrics of a rug are the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, ticks, and fleas. At the same time, velvets are notoriously known to be fur and stain magnets.

When you are just out to rent a living space, you might want to forego leasing a fully furnished unit so you can pick the right furniture for your furry friends.

Use Tight-Lidded Trash Bins

Although well-trained dogs are a lot easier to handle and have around, it is always better to take preventive measures indoors, especially in havoc-prone areas like the kitchen. Dogs are easily attracted to the smell of trash, rotten food, to be specific. Pet owners would do wise by using tall and tight-lidded containers to ensure that their pets steer clear of ransacking the trash bins.

Carve out Special Nooks Indoor

As pet lovers, we sometimes want to go the extra mile for our pets. One thing you can do is to configure some space in the house for their furry pets. Dog crates can be bulky and, thus, get in the way when placed indoors. This is especially true for a condo unit in Metro Manila with limited floor area. A brilliant solution for 1 bedroom 1 bathroom homes is to station dog crates in the least-used areas in the living room where pets are allowed to roam freely. Another consideration is to identify distinct spaces when you have other animals in the house or multiple animals. Most animals are territorial and might not want to share their space with their co-animals.

Go for Tiled or Hardwood Flooring

For pet owners who have fully embraced their furry friends inside their homes and living quarters, they should be mindful of the ideal options there are for the flooring. In general, tiled, concrete, and stone flooring are the best bets. These kinds of surfaces give their paws something to grip on and could withstand the force and scratches. Moreover, for a tropical country like the Philippines, these types of flooring are heat absorbent.

On the other hand, veer away from laminated floors that provide less traction and put house cats and Fidos at high risk of muscle and bone injuries. Due to its glossy and slippery surface, laminated floors may cause these pets harm and danger. They tend to walk and run around the house and lot any minute of the day.

Pet-Friendly House And Lot Tip #2: Safeguard Their Health

Keep Away Everyday Food Items Harmful to Pets

Responsible pet ownership doesn’t end with making sure that pets are well-fed. Animals are much like humans in the sense that they are prone to some allergic reactions to certain types of food as well. As pet parents, they should know all the food they should and should not feed their pets to ensure a longer life for pets.

An owner’s first impulse is to probably feed the extra food from the dining table to their pets. But the human reaction to food is not always the same as pets. Chocolates, for one, are notoriously known to be bad for both dogs and cats. For humans, the darker the chocolate, the more benefits it has. However, caffeine has adverse, even lethal, effects on our furry pets. Pet owners should store away food items that are poisonous to their pets, such as garlic, onion, grapes, alcohol, and apple seeds, to mention a few.

Store Harmful Chemicals and Medications Out of Their Reach

Suppose certain daily food items are toxic to pets. In that case, human medications are just as dangerous to them—and most of the time, even more. As such, liquid medicines in fragile bottles and medicine tablets should be locked in kitchen cabinets away from pets’ reach. Protect your pets in the same way by keeping disinfectants, cleaning chemicals, and pesticides stored in safe places as well.

Avoid Plants Toxic for Pets

Creating a pet-friendly home, guaranteeing the health and safety of their furred, scaled, or feathered companions should be the owner’s priority. While indoor plants are generally welcome interior design items, pet owners should duly do their research first. Some species of plants are proven to have some harmful effects on animals.

For example, lilies have highly toxic components for felines, attacking their kidneys and causing them to shut down. While azaleas, English Ivy, and chrysanthemums can cause vomiting, drooling, weakness, diarrhea, abdominal pain, even coma.

In the event any of these possible incidents happen, pet parents should know the location of an animal hospital nearest their properties.

Pet-Friendly House And Lot Tip #3: Take Extra Fur-Friendly Precautions

Install Window Screens

Cats love high places, and many cat persons are likely aware of “high-rise syndrome.” In simple terms, high-rise syndrome refers to the injuries that cats sustain from accidentally falling off a high place such as a ledge, upper balcony, or open windows, the most common one. This is specially helpful for those who live in a unit within the city.

To eliminate the risk of such mishaps, pet parents can install window screens. With this, they can conveniently leave their windows open throughout the day to allow fresh air to pass through without having to worry about their pets’ safety.

If you have dogs in a property with front lawn or garden, consider putting up a fence as one of the key safety features to keep the dogs from wandering too far from home. If you do not have one, then it is best to bring your pets at the park so they have time to play around.

Store Away Small Objects They Could Swallow

Cats and dogs easily get attracted to just about anything they see scattered on the floor. They can start chewing on something edible or not, which puts them at a high possibility of swallowing indigestible objects. This nerve-wracking concern for pet lovers is comparable to parents’ constant worry about their toddlers choking by accident.

Thus, as part of responsible pet ownership, the house should always be cleared of litter. Small-sized objects commonly found at home like mothballs, coins, bottle caps, and miniature children’s toys could be toxic and are too small, which could make your pets swallow the item, which could lead to choking. These items should be kept away in storage boxes or cabinets where they are least likely to be discovered.

Pet-Friendly House And Lot Tip #4: Groom Pets Regularly

It indeed feels comforting to wake up in the morning or from an afternoon nap with our pets by our side. To allow this kind of luxury for themselves, pet owners must look after their pets as they would their children. The best way to take care of pets and minimize potential inconveniences they can cause is to groom them regularly.

Clipping a cat’s nails, for instance, spares both its owner and house furniture from paw scratches. Simultaneously, brushing helps remove old, excess hair and reduces fallen fur that will most likely end up on the couch or bed.

To prevent lice infestation among dogs, veteran pet owners recommend using anti-flea shampoos and washing their collars, sweaters, and beddings in tepid to hot water. Cleaning their ears is also a must to reduce the risk of infection and inflammation. A responsible pet owner would even have his or her four-legged friend vaccinated.

Pet-Friendly House And Lot Tip #5: Create A Safe Space For Them Outdoors

Before taking in any furred, scaled, or feathered pets, homeowners must be aware of the subdivision or condo building’s policies and pet owner restrictions. While caged feathered pets or fishes in aquariums are generally tame and low-maintenance creatures, four-legged animals are different.

Cats and dogs are naturally curious and love to roam around, requiring more attention and looking after to ensure that they do not wreak havoc or inconvenience neighbors. For starters, homeowners can build dog houses in their backyard or even install gates or fences surrounding their premises.

Consider Your Pets’ Overall Safety

Adopting pets could be as huge and rewarding a responsibility as taking care of little kids. Without a doubt, it comes with its own set of precautions and daily considerations. From making sure they are safe and well-fed, taking them on necessary trips to the vet, cleaning up after their mess, and whatnot, raising pets is a serious commitment. Before having them in the house, every member of the family must be educated about pet rearing. Whatever the type of pet, it is vital to note that responsible pet ownership demands time, affection, and investment.

Camella: A Pet-Friendly Neighborhood

Pet owners living in a free-standing house and lot property or those dwelling inside subdivisions have nothing to worry about. It should be fine as most subdivisions in the country allow owners to have pets. For one, the trusted house and lot developer Camella has pet-friendly policies implemented within their master-planned communities in the Philippines. The same is also true within their condominium projects.

Apart from various ideal house and lot units for different families, Camella’s master-planned communities stand out from the pack for having ample open spaces suitable for many outdoor activities for families and their pets. Known for its quality homes and beautiful landscapes, Camella remains a sensible choice for many Filipino families. Camella has an enclosed living space monitored by round-the-clock security. Here, pet owners do not have to worry about their pets getting lost outside the vicinity.

Your Pets are Welcome in Camella

Taking pets home is easy in Camella. With spaces to run around each residential community, families and pets alike can have their taste of activity and freedom. In addition to this, you don’t have to worry about the security of the neighborhood as it is a gated community with 24/7 CCTV cameras.

The trusted homebuilder designs pet-friendly homes that guarantee safety and comfort for your pets – this is a pet lover’s paradise.

Interested? Check out our website for more information.