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Smart ways to pet-proof your home

38105256 - close-up of dog sitting with family at home

Bree here, from Home Zone Furniture.

Pets are our companions, our protectors, and a daily source of laughter and love. But not unlike children, they seem to have a knack for trouble. That carefully stowed chocolate bar? They’ll find it. A dangerous jumble of wires that appears to be out of reach? Looks like fun.

There’s a lot to take into consideration when bringing a pet into your home, and thoroughly pet-proofing your home is a two-part process. Step one is to protect your pets from household harm. Step two is to then protect your home and furniture from your pets.

Protecting your pets from household dangers

Move your foods, cleaning solutions, and anything else a pet might be able to ingest up to a high shelf and out of sight. Pets don’t always know what could potentially be harmful to them, so it’s up to you to protect them from both the obvious and not-so-obvious.

Eliminate cords and wires. From the cords attached to the blinds to the electrical wires near the TV, if there’s a possibility your pet could get tangled in them, find a way to tie them up and out of reach.

Remove or relocate all houseplants. Some plants can be toxic to animals, so it’s best to keep them off the floor. It’s better to be safe than sorry!

Apply latches on reachable cabinets, drawers, doors and the like to shoo away trouble. I’d suggest placing a latch on all trash cans, toilets and cabinets that contain food or cleaning solutions.

Clean out the small stuff. Dogs and cats alike will be able to sniff out and potentially swallow small items such as buttons or pieces of string. While these items might not seem alarming to us, they can cause immediate harm to pets.

Protecting your home from your pets

When you have a pet, the material of your furniture matters much more. Choose wood over glass, because it won’t show paw prints, and velvet instead of cotton or linen. Velvet is a luxe fabric, but its soft pile makes it difficult for claws to sink into and destroy.

Place a towel near the back door. When the dog runs inside from a romp in the mud, you’ll be able to contain the dirt and mess a little better if you catch it from the start.

If you allow your pets on the furniture, place a sheet down first to keep your pieces in better condition. For a more tailored look, choose a slipcover instead.

Don’t want the dog or cat on the furniture at all? Place a pet bed near your couch or bed and praise your pet when they use it. That way, they’ll develop a habit of staying off your furniture. The most important thing to remember is to be consistent and never make exceptions.

While there are many things to keep in mind when bringing a pet into your home, it’s ultimately an exercise in staying organized, clean and anticipating your pet’s actions. Follow these steps, and you’ll be pleased to have a safe pet and a clean home.

Bree