Australian families are getting smaller and smaller, but pet ownership is certainly on the rise, and four-legged (and otherwise) friends are increasingly being cared for in households across the country. There’s no need to editorialise here, but feel free to form your own opinions on this matter. What is important here is that your pets have a great environment where they can survive and thrive. This is especially important in smaller homes such as dual occupancy homes, because some dog breeds, for example, have quite demanding needs in terms of space and setting.
Whether you’re designing your ideal dual occupancy home or want to remodel yours to be more pet-friendly for your own family or for tenants, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
Make Sure Pet Areas are Separated
Dual occupancy homes are larger than many flats but smaller than many of the older single-family detached homes of the Builders generation. Multiple pets living in a smaller space might not tolerate it too well, especially if they’re territorial or defensive.
Cats and dogs should have their own little play areas, and there should be separate sleeping areas where they can get a little privacy when they’re all pooched out from zooming around and chasing bandits all day. Dedicated cat/dog beds (well, for that cat, he’ll probably sleep in the box used to package his bed!) and shaded spots can give them some reprieve and let them rest.
Fence Off the Outdoor Garden Areas
Dogs in particular love and, for just about all breeds, need healthy outdoor play. The best option is to exercise with your dog every day and take him to the park, but when he needs to tire himself out – and as they say, a tired dog is a happy dog – you should have a nice little garden for him to roam around in.
Make sure that the garden is secure, and there are fences to keep him contained, and consider a little landscaping both for beauty but also for a little variety and for shade and privacy if he wants to take a little nap.
Make Your Surfaces Pet-Friendly
Pets can put quite a bit of wear on tear on your flooring and other surfaces in and outside of your home. Indoors, try and stick with easy-maintenance flooring, tiles in kitchens and bathrooms, and make sure it’s good at resisting scratching and mud (or at least easy to clean up after).
Outdoors, sealed concrete surfaces and artificial turf can be quite pet-friendly, as they’re durable and easy to maintain.
Go for Integrated Shelving Units & Wardrobes to Store Pet Supplies
Storage is a lot more limited in a typical dual-occupancy home, without even considering pets at all. If anything has grown as quickly as pet ownership in the past few years, it’s been the explosion of pet toys and widgets that many of us love to buy. All of that needs to be stored somewhere when not in use, and you’ll need a good place to store their food rations and grooming supplies.
Since storage is fairly limited in a dual occupancy home, try to consider space-saving storage like built-in or sliding wardrobes and shelving units.
Trevor Homes: Builders in Geelong
Pet owner or not, a dual occupancy is a great place to live. Invest in your dream home with Trevor Homes.
