Dog proofing your home!

Written By: Sanya Kaushik

“You don’t own a dog. You have a dog. And the dog has you.”- Anonymous

Your dog is part of your family. While you’ll do all you can to give the perfect emotionally stable environment, it is also important for you to invest some time and energy in finding the best physical home for him. Today, most residential complexes are dog friendly. However, if you live in an apartment complex, there are some things that you can do to make the experience easier for you, your 4-legged best friend and your neighbors.

There are a few easy and economically feasible things you can do to dog proof your home.

When you move in, talk to your neighbors and find out how they feel about dogs. While your society may allow dogs, your neighbors may not be as cooperative. In this particular situation, a “love thy neighbor” philosophy may work wonders. Show them how adorable and friendly your dog is. It’ll make them a lot more reluctant to complain about you and your pup if they like you.

If you have or are planning on getting hardwood flooring in any part of the house, you may want to train your dog to pee in a litter box in the balcony. Wood swells up pretty quickly if it stays in contact with any type of liquid for too long so either avoid wooden flooring all together or make sure your dog has a place in the house to go to do his business.

If you have a small dog, you should consider getting a mesh of some sort for the balcony. This mesh covers the balcony without obstructing your view and saves your dog from slipping between the gaps.

Consider sound proofing your apartment to avoid complaints from pesky neighbors about your mutt’s barking and/or whining. Soundproof insulation is cheap and easy to install. This simple but effective will also protect your little one’s sensitive ears from the harsh racket of Diwali.

Just keep these few, easy tips- become friends with your homebodies, avoid hardwood floors, mesh up the balcony and soundproof your home- in mind and enjoy the joys of your furry fleabag.