Pet Love: 3 Home Features for your Dog

So this happened.

Santa brought the boys an early Christmas gift this past December with the sweet addition of two mini goldendoodle pups to our family. Liesel is on the left and Rolf is on the right (yes, the Sound of Music!). The kids were ecstatic, and the two quickly burrowed their adorable wet noses, deep into all of our hearts.

Then things got real. The dogs got bigger, and so did the messes. Our house wasn’t necessarily set up to handle the inevitable mud and dirt from two dogs. This slider (which is the dogs’ main access into and out of the house) opens into my kitchen and onto hardwood floors. My mudroom envy started all over again. Oh! If only I had a first floor garage with an entrance into a tiled mudroom where the dogs could have a dedicated space. But rather than fret, I started looking around at solutions and came across some amazing home features for your dog to show your pet love.

Built-in pet gates:
The first tool in your box of tricks with a new puppy is containment. And these built-in gates are a fantastic way to provide something more than a temporary baby or pet gate – especially if containment is something you’re planning on for the long haul.

Built-in doggie dishes:
Once your pup has a safe space to occupy in the house, the next order of business is food and water. Finding a place for a feeding station isn’t always easy. You need enough space that the dog can comfortably partake, but it also should be tucked away from main thoroughfares and clumsy feet. One solution is to build bowls into cabinetry to keep it from sliding across the floor, elevated for your pooch, and out from under foot.

Built-in Crates:
Finally, your pooch will need a comfortable place to overnight. Dogs are den animals and want to feel snug and protected while they sleep. A quiet, dark corner is a good option and low traffic laundry room provides the perfect spot in the picture below.