Flooring, Fencing, and Fur – What to Look For in a Pet-Friendly Home
🐾 Day 2: Flooring, Fencing, and Fur – What to Look For in a Pet-Friendly Home
When you're shopping for a home with pets, you're doing more than just comparing square footage — you're evaluating flooring types, fencing quality, and the layout from a whole new perspective. When buying a home with pets, every surface, space, and transition area matters. A beautiful floor might look great in photos — but will it hold up to claws, fur, and the occasional accident? A nice yard might seem ideal — but will your dog stay safely inside the fence? These are the kinds of things we dig into on Day 2.
As someone with formal education in animal behavior and training, I look at homes through a lens of durability, safety, and comfort — not just for people, but for pets too.
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
🪵 **Flooring Considerations:**
Scratch-resistant, water-resistant floors like LVP (luxury vinyl plank) or sealed tile are ideal for households with pets. Carpet may seem cozy, but it can harbor odors, pet hair/dander, and stain easily. Hardwood and unsealed flooring can be damaged by nails or accidents.
This article contains a helpful breakdown of materials like LVP, tile, laminate, and hardwood, with pet-specific pros and cons: Home Depot – Choosing the Best Flooring for Dogs
You can also find a lot of useful information in this article from HGTV.com: 12 Forgiving Floors for Homes With Pets
🚧 **Fencing & Outdoor Safety:**
A secure, well-maintained fence isn’t just a bonus — it’s peace of mind. Choosing the Right Fence involves considering your dog's size, behavior, and escape tendencies. Privacy fences work best for visual barriers and reducing barking triggers. Check fence height against your dog’s size and jumping ability. Look for fences that are tall enough for your dog’s breed and check for gaps, loose boards, or areas of erosion along the perimeter that a smaller dog could squeeze through. Preventing Digging Under Fences can be achieved by extending the fence below ground level or adding a buried barrier. Check out this article for extra things to consider about fences. For cats, consider enclosed patios or “catios.”
📐 **Layout Tips:**
Designing a Pet-Friendly Home requires insight into setting up interior spaces for comfort, safety, and enrichment. Create pet-friendly spaces that cater to your pet's needs, such as designated feeding areas and safe zones. Think about how your pet moves around. Senior dogs may struggle with stairs and need single-story living. Cats thrive in vertical spaces with window access. Puppies play by a whole different set of rules...none! If you've ever baby-proofed a house, puppy-proofing is like that, times 100!
The Take Home🏡 Message: Whether you’ve got a zoomie-prone puppy or a sleepy senior cat, I can help you to spot the features that will make your next house a perfect fit.
➡️ Follow along this week as we go beyond the walls and explore the pet-related policies, local perks, and moving-day tips every pet owner should consider before making their next big move.
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