Easy Ways To Make Your Rental More Dog-Friendly

Easy Ways To Make Your Rental More Dog-Friendly

By Mary Jane Gallagher

Pets, especially dogs, give people unconditional love, and in return, they’re treated like family members, and most pet owners invest a significant amount of money for their dogs’ health, happiness, and wellbeing. As proof, South Africa’s pet industry is worth R7.1 billion, and is expected to grow 2.5% between 2021 and 2026. Apart from buying them food, playthings, and other necessities, another way to make our canine companions feel loved is by making our home pet-friendly. This is especially important if they’re often alone at home. However, this can be a bit tricky if you’re living in a rental home since your landlord may pose some limitations. You may not be able to change or alter your home too much, but there are simple ways you can make your rental home dog-friendly.

The Living Room

The first thing to consider about this space is the flooring. Rentals that allow pets usually make the homes pet-friendly, so it’s likely that it wouldn’t have carpets or any other flooring material that requires high maintenance. However, with the floors bare, you need to watch out for scratches, especially for rentals with soft wood floors. A good way to avoid this is to use rugs in the living room.

Next, try not to leave breakable things in the open. If you have decorations that are breakable, try to keep them off places you know your pet will explore. If you have plants in the living room, make sure to place them where your dog can’t chew them. Meanwhile, if your rental home is fully-furnished, make sure to train your dog to understand what furniture they are allowed to use and what to stay away from. Dog training is actually very important since most landlords require pet owners to do so, especially if you live in a community with a HOA, because they usually enforce rules and regulations for people with pets in the community.

The Kitchen

It is important to make the kitchen dog-friendly because it is where the food is prepared, eaten, and stored. Your dog would probably spend half of his or her time there. According to a news report, as many as 1,000 dogs are poisoned in South Africa every week, so to make the kitchen a safe space for your pet, make sure not to leave food out on countertops. This goes for your trash as well, so you might want to put your trash bin in a floor-level cabinet. It’s also very important to store your cleaning supplies in a locked cabinet. Consider using child-proof locks to secure the cabinet so your pet can’t access your supplies.

The Front and Back Yards

Dogs love being outside. If they’re out in your front or back yard without supervision, you’ll want to make sure it’s a safe place for them to play. To do that, you should check for holes and gaps in the fence where your dog can escape. Chicken wire can be an affordable fix to prevent your dog from running away. Also make sure that the plants in your yard are dog-friendly. You can speak with your landlord to know about what kind of plants are in your yard.

Your rental home may allow pets, but there are still restrictions and limitations that you need to follow. Make your home a safe space for your dog by applying the above tips, and make sure to regularly train your dog to avoid any mishaps while living in your rental.