Pets, they cast a spell on you. Quickly becoming your kryptonite, they make you a slave to their unconditional love. Forming ties that cannot be severed, you realize it’s time to make your living environment as comfortable and pleasing to both you and your best friend. Here are some ideas on how to make a down right pet friendly environment:

1. Grooming & Bathing. Like almost every living thing that needs tending, pets require constant attention. It is important to groom and bathe your pet as often as needed depending on the bread and your lifestyle. Brushing their fur and trimming their nails regularly will help keep your home and furniture looking cleaner and feeling fresher for longer. 

2. Give your Pet some Space. It is important to have a space designated for your pet upon entering your home or simply a place where your pet can find a safe refuge to go to at any given moment.
   Place some toys, cushions, and blankets in this area or nuke. This will make your pet feel comfortable and rested. These can all be matched to your home décor and incorporated into your home layout so that it has a natural flow. Remember to wash these items regularly to avoid any unwanted lurking smells. We recommend using some baking soda and vinegar in the wash to help remove any unwanted stains and odors.

3. Choose your Upholstery Wisely. When deciding on fabric for your furniture, consider your pets. This fabric should be stain resistant and/or easy to clean. Some recommended fabrics are microfiber, ultra suede, crypton, vinyl, leather, and pleather. By investing in fabric designed to increase the lifespan of your furniture and the comfort of your pet will make it a lot more comfortable and manageable for you in the long run. Recommended pet fabrics from Joybird are: Bentley, Dawson, Echo, Elizabeth, Key Largo, Klein, Lucky, Monaco, Pure, and Taylor fabrics.
   

   

4. Pick your Pet’s Treats & Toys Wisely. Being strategic with these two items will significantly save you time and instantly make for a better pet friendly environment. Any treat that has too strong of a smell can also permeate your home. If a treat is coated in nitrates it can easily stain your floors and furniture especially if your pet leaves them between pillows and cushions or hard to reach places. For toys we recommend something made out of rubber, as it is the toughest of toy materials and less likely to come undone. Yet, depending on your pet there are many other toys that can also offer variety such as latex, cotton ropes, vinyl, fleece, or plush. If you have a cat it is important they also have a climbing tree or scratching posts to keep them from doing this on your furniture, curtains, or doors.

5. Avoid light Colors or match Fabrics to your Pet when possible. Light colored fabric options will show stains faster and easier, especially in highly trafficked areas and therefore, should be reconsidered. Also, having furniture the opposite color of your pets will showcase hair a lot easier. When possible use prints and patterns, as they help to disguise hair and stubborn stains a little more. If you can manage to match your furniture to your pet, this will help make your pet to go incognito, or even camouflage itself and become a chameleon right before your eyes! 

6. Get a Vacuum that Sucks. Pets leave behind hairballs even if they seem invisible and shed more at certain times than others.
   
   It is important to vacuum regularly, sometimes even a couple times a week. Be sure to also vacuum crevices between carpet and walls as plenty of hair also finds its way there. Pet hair has odors and oils that attract dirt easily to your surfaces. Also, considering how it is also an allergen it should be removed quickly. Feeding your pet a high-quality grain free diet is said help with the amount of shedding. In the mean time we recommend a vacuum that really sucks, here are a couple of our suggestions depending on your needs and current lifestyle feel free to explore and see what options work best: Shark Navigator (NV356E), Dyson DC65 Animal, and Hoover T-Series (UH70210).

7. Skip or remove Carpet: Pets and humans have accidents and cleaning carpets can become cumbersome and extremely time consuming. When possible try to skip carpet all together, especially wall-to-wall. It is very difficult to keep clean, it traps animal hair, which in turn absorbs odors and the cycle is never ending. Opt for area rugs instead that can easily be washed or taken to the cleaners or FLOR squares that are beautiful, practical, and a smart choice that can easily be switched out or removed for cleaning. If in fact you must have carpet, avoid the continuous loop kind, as pets can unravel them with their nails. Opt instead for a low pile option that is thin and durable.

8. Opt for Bare Floors. Naturally, bare floors are easier to clean especially when you have pets, children, or even adult friends who don’t know how to keep their wine in either their glass. Bare does not mean it has to be plain; there is plenty of room for creativity. Plain does not have to be boring when its properly matched to the over all design of a room.
   1. Terrazzo, concrete, and tiles are all great and fun options that offer plenty of variety, in addition to being a cool spot for your pets during the summer months.
   2. If you opt for wood floors keep in mind that dog nails can sometimes scratch them depending on the hardness of the wood, in which case runners or area rugs can be useful.

   Keep in mind that materials such as marble or other natural stones can be porous and the acid found in pet’s saliva can easily stain it, even if it is sealed. Consider your options and pick whatever makes more sense to you.

   9. Buy washable Fabrics. If you sleep with your pets, then that means they spend  plenty of time on your bed, and it’s only natural that they will eventually have an accident. Therefore, we recommend having sheets and duvets that can easily be tossed in the washer.
   10. Be strategic with your Décor. Depending on the size or kind of pet you own, make sure you keep furniture and décor stable and in parallel with your lifestyle. Keep anything fragile away from areas your pet is likely to frequent. Keep certain items like, food or plants out of your pet’s reach if it means it can harm them or if your pet has a high likelihood of destroying it. Any furniture with sharp corners should also be repositioned or avoided if it’s in an area that your pet is often in. Consider stabilizing any mirrors or frames on the wall if you feel your pet might lean against it or jump from a sofa or chair in the hopes of making it their new toy.