Spring brings more than thoughts of cleaning – it often inspires grand plans for refreshing one’s home décor. Whether you live in a small apartment or a 16-room house, right about now you’re doubtless thinking of tweaking the design of your interior. You’ve come to the right place: as the author of the book "Animal House Style: Designing a Home to Share With Your Pets," my goal is to prove that you needn’t sacrifice style to make your home comfortable for dogs. For a pretty, pet-friendly pad, just follow these simple Animal House Rules.
Get Down!
Floors are important, because that’s where our dogs spend a lot of their time (when they’re not hogging our beds and sofas). Rule out wall-to-wall carpeting because it’s tough to keep clean and traps dust, dust mites, and pet hair. Instead, select any type of flooring that’s easy to clean, so you can swab your decks whenever necessary without having to hire a pricey carpet-cleaning service. Ideal choices include bare wood, bamboo, tile (especially appreciated by Chow Chows, Newfoundlands, and other breeds that tend to overheat, even in winter), polished concrete, terrazzo, lineoleum, and vinyl.
As for rugs, covering the floor is sometimes a necessity (especially if you live in an upstairs floor of an apartment building, where rugs help muffle the sound of foot- and paw-steps). Natural-fiber rugs such as seagrass or sisal are durable and look right at home in any style of décor, from traditional to modern to country casual. Modular carpet tile by InterFaceFLOR is brilliant. The tiles come with a low-tack adhesive, making them a cinch to lift up if an accident occurs. In that case, clean the tile with an odor extractor allow it to dry, then replace it. If you find the stain just won’t come out, simply replace the tile – at $5.99 and up per tile, that’s not an impossibly decadent luxury. The tiles even come in a style called Coir2 for a modular natural-fiber look.
Four Walls, Four Paws
Flat paint is the wrong choice if you live with dogs: once it’s dinged, any attempt at cleaning will only result in bigger, more unsightly spots and dings. Choose an easy-to-wipe satin or eggshell finish instead. Since dogs enjoy investigating surfaces with their tongues, I like to use a low-VOC paint such as Harmony by Sherwin-Williams or Benjamin Moore’s EcoSpec to keep toxicity to a minimum.
As for paint color, feel free to experiment with bolder shades. Many people are understandably afraid to apply strong color to their walls, but experience has taught me that white walls grow dull and gray after a few months of exposure to life with multiple dogs. Colors, on the other hand – whether bright or pale - are much more forgiving, not to mention more cheerful and fun.
Fetching Fabrics
In an Animal House, the last thing you want is priceless silk textiles or anything with elaborate embroidery and trim. A fabulous fabric for a carefree, casual life with dogs is Crypton. It helps you breeze through cleanup day because dog hairs can’t penetrate the fabric; they stay on the surface where you can easily vacuum or tape-lift them off. Not only does Crypton resist odors; it’s treated to resist stains, moisture, and bacteria too. Crypton also makes great-looking dog beds, so you can coordinate Spot’s comfy furnishings with your own.
You’ll also want to slipcover your big-ticket upholstery items, namely the sofa and easy chairs, in cotton denim or linen. Make sure to keep two sets of slipcovers on hand in case an accident necessitates a quick change.
Someone’s in the Kitchen with Fido
The kitchen is the hub of home activity, so naturally your dog will gravitate there along with the rest of the family. Provide her with attractive dog bowls that coordinate nicely with your own tableware. If possible, avoid feeding Fido on the kitchen floor. "There’s a lot of commotion in the kitchen as a whole, which is hard on the digestion," says Dr. Stacy H. Fuchino. "If you have a separate dining room, feed your pet there too. If not, get an elevated feeder and put it in a more peaceful area; this will promote the movement of chi while he’s eating, and help prevent digestive upset."
Devise a dog-food storage solution, either by keeping kibble on a high shelf in a metal canister or - if there’s room - in the refrigerator (although this isn’t totally fail-safe: I’ve heard tell of clever canine thieves figuring out how to open fridges when the munchies strike). And if your dog has a habit of leaping onto the dining table to steal food when you’re not looking, consider a countertop dining surface that’s too tall for him, surrounded by bar stools of the appropriate height.
Whose Bed is it Anyway?
Most dogs love to share our beds with us, but they still enjoy the option of retreating to their very own bed when we snore too loudly. Your dog would lobby for you to install a dog bed in every room of your home. That’s up to you, but at least one comfy dog bed is a must! Proper placement of your dog’s bed is also key, says Fuchino, who practices feng shui for pets. "A dog’s sleeping area should not be in high-traffic areas of the home," says Fuchino. "To promote restful sleep, place your dog’s bed away from the door or other passageways. Otherwise, the constant disruption of sleep could result in health and behavioral issues, such as separation anxiety."
If you’re lying down with dogs, remember to outfit your bed with high-thread-count sheets – the tighter weave proves more durable when attacked by pouncing paws. Arm the bed with a spread made of tightly quilted "matelassé." For small dogs with long spines who just love to snuggle under the covers – any Dachshund answers to this description – be sure to provide a ramp, ottoman, or step to help them get up and down, so they won’t injure their fragile backs with a poorly executed jump.
Up to Sniff
Atmosphere is important in an animal house, especially if you live in an apartment where others could potentially complain about "dog odor." And keeping your surroundings smelling rosy starts with a clean dog, so be sure to wash Spot regularly with a gentle, emollient dog shampoo and wipe down his paws when they become dirty, so he won’t leave paw-prints all over the place. Take care to use green cleaners – they actually work better than harsh chemical concoctions, and they impart lovely, natural fragrances such as lavender and citrus to your home atmosphere.
