If you’re a pet owner and you’ve animals in the house read this blog. Much as we love our animals they add an extra level of risk to our possessions and especially our furniture. Here are some top tips to help you manage the risk between our furry friends and furniture.

How to keep furry friends and furniture safe

Picture reference – Via Pexels

Our furry friends are our family, but having a family comes with great responsibility. They require regular care, feeding, exercise, training, and love. When you have to leave home for an extended period, it can be difficult to know how to keep your furry friend safe while away from home.

Mixing furry friends and furniture can be a challenge. Pet-proofing ensures that your pets environment at home is safe for them when you are gone or if they get out inadvertently. If pets are happy at home, they will not want to go outside onto unsafe surfaces where there might be cars or other dangers lurking nearby!

We also need to protect our furniture and belongings from our pets. These tips will help ensure you have a pet-friendly living space with minimal risk for harm coming their way!

Make sure all cords are tucked away

Electrical cords are a major risk when you have furry friends and furniture in a restricted space. You should make sure that your pets are unable to chew on cords or wires. We all love our gadgets, but it can be a huge problem if your furry friend decides he wants in on the fun!

Use insulation made of rubber or plastic to keep your wires tucked away. Alternatively, keep all of your chargers and other cords out of reach by tucking them away behind couches and cabinets.

Make sure to move all plants out of reach

Plants are an everyday item that pets like to nibble on, but many plants are poisonous and can make your pet very sick. For example, the leaves of a philodendron are poisonous when ingested by pets.

Animals can also be poisoned from eating plants that have been sprayed with pesticides. In addition, mistletoe is toxic for both humans and animals if consumed in large quantities, so it’s best to keep this plant out of reach. And when pets have an upset stomach or a worse reaction they vomit and defecate at random. Keep furry friends and furniture safe.

Move all plants out of reach or put them in inaccessible places like high up on shelves. If you have big plants, consider closing them with a net or wire, so your pets cannot go near them.

Don’t leave food out

Make sure you don’t leave any food out for your furry friend.

This includes not leaving their dog or cat food outside, as rodents will eat it and then potentially be drawn into your house by the smell of other tasty treats like chicken wings in the garbage can.

In addition, if they aren’t eaten, rodents will store these types of foods in their nest, which they consider to be their home.

This can lead to you finding droppings, urine, and hair around your house and an increased risk for rodent-borne diseases.

Ensure that all trash cans are locked in place and out of reach

Many dogs like to eat garbage, especially if they can smell food through the trash bags. if you own a Labrador Retriever you’ll know what we mean. It is one solid piece of evidence of the love hate relationship between our furry friends and furniture. 

Please keep all of your trash cans locked up in a cabinet or a closet so your pet can’t get into them.

Ensure to take the trash out regularly to prevent food smells from building up inside the cans.

Pets might find dangerous things in your garbage like sharp bones and food that can be poisonous for them.

Cover your pool or any water features in and around your home

One of the top dangers to pets is drowning.

Ensure your pool or other water features are covered and inaccessible to animals.

You might also want to consider a fence around the perimeter of your pool.

If they fall into a pool, dogs and cats and other pets such as ferrets or hamsters can drown. Invest in a pet step for your pool if you use it often.

Never let your pets roam free

Pets should be kept in a fenced area when outside and never left alone to roam freely. The possibilities for injury are too great, for example, being hit by a car, getting lost, or becoming prey for another animal. Be especially careful when letting your dog off-leash in an unfamiliar area; he may become distracted and run into oncoming traffic.

Make the bathroom a pet-free zone

People are often unaware that many bathroom cleaners can be toxic to animals, but it is true! It’s best to keep the door shut and use a separate entrance for your pets when they need to come here with you. Also, try using natural soaps instead of chemical-based ones.

Keeping your pets out of the bathroom also means your bathroom mats won’t be eaten and prevent your home from being covered in tiny toilet paper shreds when the dog gets a hold of it. The bathroom can provide a particular example of discipline challenge for our furry friends and furniture. In a bathroom it can be particularly hard to keep both safe.

Pick up after them

One of the most important things you can do as a pet owner is to always pick up after them. Leaving waste around can be unsightly, but it can also lead to dangerous bacteria buildup. Not to mention, some pets (like dogs) will eat their waste which can cause health problems.

Cleaning products and medicines

Every pet owner should have a list of do’s and don’ts next to each cleaning product. Some chemicals can be hazardous for pets, while others are totally fine. Don’t assume that just because your dog never touches the floor cleaner, it is safe for them! In addition, make sure you keep all medicines out of reach from your pets.

Pet-proof your home – Furry friends and furniture both might suffer

Protecting your home furniture is an essential part of pet-proofing. Not only will you be protecting the furniture itself, but it will also be protecting your pets. Pet-proofing your home furniture does not mean that you have to get rid of everything in the house; it just means that you need to pay attention to where there are certain items or materials around.

Protect Your Upholstery If you do not want an expensive reupholstering job, you will want to take preventative steps to keep your furniture safe from pet hair and claws for example:

• Invest in a good quality slipcover for your sofas and chairs. Not only do they protect the furniture, but they are also easy to clean.
• If you have leather furniture, make sure to invest in a good quality leather conditioner. This will help to protect the furniture from scratches, as well as keep it looking new.
• If you have fabric furniture, consider using a pet hair cover. This is a special type of slipcover that has been designed to trap pet hair and prevent it from getting all over your furniture.
• Use anti-scratch tape on the legs of your furniture. This will help to keep your pet from scratching the legs of tables and chairs.
• Keep expensive belongings out of reach of your pets. For example, wall mounting your television will keep it out of harm’s way. Find a company specialising in wall mounting for the best service; these professionals will also cover your antenna installation if it needs to be reinstalled.
• Invest in a pet gate. This keeps your pets from going up or down the stairs, but it can also help protect your furniture if placed across an open doorway.

Keep your floors clean – It protects both furry friends and furniture

One of the easiest things to pet-proof your home is to keep your floors clean. This means picking up any food or water bowls and making sure that your pets aren’t tracking in mud or other debris. You should also sweep and mop regularly to prevent accidents and make it easier to clean up the mess.

Immediately clean your floor if you spill food. Chocolate and alcohol can be deadly to pets, so make sure you clean these up right away if they’re spilled.

Invest in pet furniture

One great way to pet-proof your home is by investing in pet furniture. This can include things like dog gates, crates, and beds. Of course, this keeps your pets safe, but it can also help keep your furniture from being scratched or chewed on.

Keep your pets away from hazardous areas

The best thing would be to keep your pets away from hazardous areas like The laundry room (for both cats and dogs) as there are toxic chemicals in stain removers. If you have a curious cat, dog, or ferret who is always getting into things they shouldn’t be and causing trouble, it is better to keep them in a safe space. On top of that, a cat could quickly get its head stuck in the washer and die of suffocation.

Be wary of fireplaces and heaters

Fireplaces and heaters are common dangers in homes with pets. Keep your pet away from these areas to prevent accidental burns. Be careful of your furnace as well. Pets can crawl inside and get trapped, unable to escape the dangerous heat levels.

Do not leave your pets alone for long periods of time

Leaving your pet home alone can be very dangerous, especially if you have a young puppy or kitten. Dogs and cats can get into all sorts of trouble when left unsupervised. They can knock over lamps, chew on cords, eat poisonous plants, etc. Always use a Pet Sitter if you are planning to stay out overnight.

Pets are very dependent on their owners, and being alone might cause them unnecessary anxiety on top of other dangerous situations.

Summary thoughts on our furry friends and furniture

There are a few key things to keep in mind when it comes to pet-proofing your home. The most important thing is to create a safe space for your pets where they can play and explore without worrying about getting into trouble. You also want to ensure that your furniture and other belongings are protected from accidental damage.

With these tips about our furry friends and furniture, you can create a safe home for your pets and keep your possessions safe from harm and potential damage.

FURTHER READING FOR HOMEOWNERS & PETOWNERS

At Housesitmatch.com we like to offer useful and practical articles on topics for our readers. In this selection we offer you a number of suitable pieces from our own blog on renovating and decorating a home.

Dream home – How to build your own

Travel inspired home décor ideas

New home features you didn’t know you would want

Housesitters keep pets safe at home and save money

What a housesitter does – Top 10 responsibilities