A Home Owner's Guide to Improvements and Pet-Proofing

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Pets at Home

When you have pets in your home, you may wish to perform some home improvements and home repairs that can have a variety of benefits for everyone. Some of these projects can enable you to pamper your pets and take care of them more efficiently. Other projects may be necessary to prevent damage to your home.

Dog owners often spend a lot of time opening the door to let dogs in or out of the house. Instead of listening for your dog's bark to signal that it's time to open the door again, one great idea for a home improvement project would be to install a doggie door. These passages have improved significantly in recent years, making them more energy-efficient and user-friendly than they ever were before. Some dog doors have see-through windows to enable you and your dog to look through them and to allow in more natural light. You can even install dog doors in conjunction with patio doors to allow your dog easy access in and out through a backyard entrance.

Designing and building a custom bed for your pet might also be a home improvement project to try. While you could always just place a crate or an oversized pillow in the corner, you could also decide to build a luxurious bed to give your pet a comfortable place to sleep. A built-in bed could even become a part of a modular storage system in a living room or family room. You might also build a nook for your pet underneath the stairs where your dog or cat could sleep and have its food station.

Anyone who has to bathe a pet frequently could understand the benefit of having a special area for this process. Instead of placing your dog into the family bathtub, you could build a walk-in shower area with tile and shower fixtures that are convenient and easy to use. If you build this area near the door, you can usher your dog out the door while it's still wet to avoid messy mishaps with dripping and shaking. You could even install cupboards and storage in this area to hold your other pet supplies, such as food and grooming accessories.

Perhaps your pet likes to eat in the kitchen with the rest of the family. In this case, build a pet food station in the kitchen where food and water dishes will be accessible for your pet yet out of the way of family members. Adding storage for food is also a plus because it will streamline the process of feeding your pet. Making a user-friendly feeding station will make it easier to keep this area neat and tidy.

Home improvement projects may also involve pet-proofing your home. You can build gates to keep your pet out of certain rooms and off of the stairs. Building an elaborate climbing gym for your cats may be the key to keeping them from climbing on and clawing at your expensive furniture. Because pets are such an important part of the family, it's important to spend some time pet-proofing your home to keep them safe and pampering them to keep them happy.

Learn more about home improvement and taking care of your pets by visiting these websites: