We all love our pets and want them to be able to use the house freely with no worries about what problems they might come across. Actually, the kitchen can be full of potential hazards when you think about it. This is especially true if you have pets who are adventurous and like to stick their noses into anything they find interesting. In a kitchen, that can include knives, equipment, cleaning solutions, and more.
Consider Pet-Friendly Flooring
This is partially for your pets but also to help you to ensure that they don’t scuff or mark the flooring. Lots of options including tiling and laminate flooring can be good for pets, ensuring that they don’t scratch it. It’s also easier to clean if your pet should have any sort of accident.
Pets can scratch or pluck carpets which can be really frustrating, especially if you’ve just had new carpets installed.
Use Dog Proof Kitchen Cabinet Locks
What are the chances of a dog getting into the kitchen cabinets? Well, this really depends on how inquisitive your dog is. It’s amazing how they can use their paws and their nose to navigate around, and that includes getting into cabinets and cupboards.
If your dog is the sort of pet that also likes to chew they might even gnaw their way in, which is a nightmare for keeping your kitchen in good condition. Think about everything that is in your kitchen cupboards that you don’t want your dog to access, from the bleach to knives.
Choose Dog-Friendly Décor
Again, this comes down to decor that keeps your home in good condition more than anything but is also about avoiding irritants for your pets.
If your pet is shedding then any furniture that might pick up the fur, such as cushions, could be a bad idea. Similarly, if your pet likes to make a mess pretty much everywhere they go, it is crucial that you only decorate your home with things that can be cleaned.
Include a Feeding Spot For Your Pet
An area where pets know they are going to get fed, and one that can help to minimize mess and ensure they aren’t spilling their food around the house. This is always a good idea, and you can use a tray that can catch any mess that they do happen to make.
A feeding spot is a good way to control where your pets get their food and water and also helps them to know where there is food that they can eat, and separate it from all the human food in your kitchen.
Install Pet Gates in the Kitchen
One big problem with pets can be separating them from the rest of the house or keeping them confined to an area so they don’t interrupt you when you’re cooking or get to things they shouldn’t. For instance, if you have an inquisitive pet that you want to keep away from a hot oven.
There are a lot of other risks to think about, such as the potential danger to dogs in peanut butter and other food that may contain things they shouldn’t have. Even things like onions and grapes can be bad for your dog, and if peanut butter has xylitol in it, then you should always avoid giving it to your dog. Pet gates are a way to shut the animal off from the areas you don’t want them reaching, which can keep them away from food or kitchen equipment that could pose a risk to them otherwise.
Design a Kitchen That Welcomes Pet Napping Time
The kitchen should actually be one of the best places in the house for your pets, and if your dog or cat wants to cool down on a hot day, certain types of cooler flooring and the decor of a kitchen will usually lend themselves to this.
For nap time, design an area where your pets will want to spend their time, and you can even include some beds for them if they want to spend the day sleeping in the kitchen. They can even keep you company while you are preparing the food. We all want to spend as much time as possible with our pets.
Photo credit: https://unsplash.com/photos/n9tLDIhFvXY
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