As you know, I’m a dog person. I have a whole other website that’s filled with dog tips and tricks.
We currently have one dog (a Black Lab), and we are finding that we’ve had to rethink a few things in our new log home in order to accommodate our dog. Just small things… like ways to incorporate his food & water station, types of hardwood to use on the flooring, and the easiest way to bathe him.
The aim is for the dog to have a place in the house (just like he does now), while not wrecking all of our favorite features of a log home. (He’s a very big, very active dog.)
Anyway, here are some fun ways that I’ve found to include dog-friendly features in your new home.
Some things to think about…
When it comes to having a dog in a log home, you’ll want to consider these:
- Where to place the food & water bowls — and what they’ll look like.
- Where to place the knick-knacks so little dogs won’t bump into them… and big dogs won’t knock ’em over with their tails.
- Which type of flooring to choose — everything from hardwoods, to tile to rugs — to lessen the effects of dog claws (and muddy paws!) on the floors.
- Furniture and bed spreads that won’t attract dog fur.
- Vacuuming options — how to keep up with all the dog hair in the corners of each room (…and on the furniture).
- Where your dog will sleep, and what your dog’s bed will look like.
- A way to bathe your dog quickly and easily — without breaking your back.
- Open shelves vs closed shelves in the kitchen & bathrooms… to keep pets (and stray fur!) out of the food and dishes.
- Size and placement of the garbage cans …in each room of the house.
- Outdoor spaces to satisfy your dog and your friends. Think: dog house, porch & patio fun, water fountains, fencing.
- How your dog will enter and exit the home — either on their own (via a doggy door) or with your help (through a sliding door, or a french door, or a dutch door — where the top & bottom open separately).
Talk about a comfortable barka-lounger!
For the do-it-yourselfer… a raised feeding station for your dog.
Designate a space in the mudroom or laundry room specifically for your dog.
More Dog Decorating Tips
- Fun Labrador Dog Items For The Home
- 5 Great Pet-Friendly Fabrics
- Animal Interiors: Decorating For Life With Pets
- Decorating With Dogs
- Pet-Proof Interior Decorating
- Flooring & Furniture Options That Don’t Attract Dog Hair
- Dog-Friendly Home Decorating Tips
- Best Dog And Water-Resistant Flooring
- Decorative Pillow: No Outfit Is Complete Without Dog Fur
- Best Hardwood Flooring When You Have Dogs
We’ve gone through the entire process of designing and planning every single detail of our dream log home! We have the blueprints… and the land… and the contractor… and the goal for our log cabin home to be our retirement home. Before you build (or buy) a log home, I have a slew of helpful tips for you — to plan, design, build, decorate, and maintain your very own rustic modern log home. When I’m not fine-tuning the log home of my dreams, you’ll find me at the corner of Good News & Fun Times as publisher of The Fun Times Guide (32 fun & helpful websites). To date, I’ve written nearly 300 articles for current and future log home owners on this site! Many of them have over 50K shares.
