Your Dog Wants A Log Home, Too!

by Lynnette

dogs

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dog-fetches-stick.jpg If you’re thinking that dogs and log homes don’t mix, think again.

Why do you think they fetch so many sticks? They’re trying to tell you… “Build me some log home stuff!”

But seriously…

One thing I’m noticing after visiting log home after log home in our quest to meet with log home owners and explore log home design & decorating ideas is this:

Many log home owners are dog owners, like us.

But, one thing that’s different is this:
Many of log home owners are not including their pets in their log home design & decorating plans.

log-home-log-garage-log-dog-house.jpg

For good or for bad, it’s just something I’m noticing.

Log Dogs

We have big dogs. Two of ’em. And they’ll be living inside our log home with us.

In fact, we’re incorporating a handful of “design features” that will even simplify things a bit — for ourselves and for our dogs.

Like what?…

The positioning of the window along the wall where their dog crates will be — so they’ll have “a room with a view” too. And better yet, if it’s not a south-facing wall, to lessen the amount of direct sun on them inside their crates.

A bathtub in the basement that’s positioned a bit higher than most tubs, and has a lower cut-out side for easy entry and exit. This will make bath time easier on our dogs and us — no more hunched over sore backs!

The addition of poured concrete at the walk-out basement to create a sort of patio at ground-level. This will also take care of the “mud pit” that typically appears at the bottom of the steps and underneath decks where the dogs love to run and dig in the dirt.

No more carpet. Carpet, by its very nature, requires too much cleaning and upkeep. Add dogs (and their muddy paws, upset stomachs, etc) to that equation, and you’re in for a lifetime of spot-treating and steam cleaning of your carpets. Been there, done that.

Build into the kitchen cabinets a pull-out drawer to hold all of the dogs’ Kong fillers and dog treats.

Inside, we’re going for a wider stairway than normal, plus slightly wider steps — which should make things easier on us (getting wide loads up & down the stairs) and our dogs (running up & down steps that are slicker than they’re used to. We are also conscious of the steepness of the stairs and will aim to lessen the slope a degree or two, if possible.

The addition of tiled landing areas in front of each door — as a place to knock of the mud and to lessen the amount of scratches, wear & tear at the main entrances. (To accommodate for the dog’s nails on the rest of the flooring, we’ve chosen a more distressed, rustic look for our hardwood flooring.)

Those are a few of the things that we’re doing.

Some, like the dog-tub, are an additional expense that we may simply “build for”, but not actually purchase or install until Year Two or Year Three.

Much like the design of the walk-out basement itself… some things will definitely be a work in progress for a couple of years after we move in.

It’s all just a matter of priorities… and budget.

So, What About The Dogs?

shadow-girl.jpg After visiting so many log homes and talking with the owners, I’m noticing that many of the dogs that used to live inside the home are being moved outdoors (typically in kennels) and are no longer permitted to spend time indoors anymore.

I presume this is partly due to the “newness factor” and a new log home simply looks too good to its owners to allow a dog to tromp on the floors & dig their nails into the precious hardwood floors, track dirt & mud onto the tile & carpet, and shed fur in practically every room of the house.

That’s understandable.

The home owners likely figure that they’ve spent enough time & money customizing the home of their dreams that the four-legged friends are going to have fend for themselves more now and find other forms of shelter and entertainment.

But personally, I liken this to “using the good china”: Why save for tomorrow what you can use and enjoy today?

I want our log home to be “lived in” and enjoyed… by our dogs, too.

Live Life To The Fullest… Today!

My theory is… why not take a few extra minutes to consider a few small ways that your dog can enjoy your new log home, too? It’s really not so crazy of an idea.

I mean, if you can’t (or don’t want to) enjoy your dogs years after you got them in the same way that you enjoyed them on Day One, then why even have dogs, right?

If you truly enjoy dogs, then surely you’ll want to enjoy your dog each and every day. And it sure would be easier to interact with and enjoy your dog indoors, as well as outdoors on occasion, don’t you think?

All I’m saying is you might want to take the time now to think of a few small things that you could do (in terms of design and decorating of your new log home) that would enable you and your dog to enjoy life to the fullest… together!

Once An Outdoor Dog, Always An Outdoor Dog

I realize that many people don’t allow their dogs indoors… ever. And that’s okay too. If your dog didn’t live indoors before you got your log home, then your dog is probably not going to live indoors afterwards either. In which case, you might be interested in building a log dog house from the leftover logs and scrap materials…

new-log-home.jpg dogs-new-log-home.jpg New log home for you…

New log home for dog…

Are You Serious? Design Our Log Home For Our Pets?!

Chances are, after the pristine beauty and the “newness factor” have worn off a bit, your pets will likely to be allowed indoors again at some point in the future.

So why not try to plan for this now?

You would certainly take into consideration your children, their wants, their needs, and their indoor activities as you’re designing your home, wouldn’t you? Why wouldn’t you also consider making a few modifications which might likewise enhance your pet’s life, or your own interaction with your pet?

Just a thought.

Granted, perhaps that’s easier for me to say since we don’t have children. But still… I think it’s only fair that your pets should be able to maintain a lifestyle similar to the one they had before you built this new log home — if not a better one!

Why should dogs be forced to live the rest of their days outdoors — either in kennels or even roaming free — if that’s not how they were living before you acquired your new log home?

Talk about a shock to their system… Do you really want to turn your dog’s world upside down like this?

Just my $02.

Here are some more fun ways to include your dog in your log home lifestyle!