In the Design Studio: Making a Pet-Friendly Home

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This is a sponsored post by Anna Gibson, owner of AKG Design Studio and an award-winning, certified kitchen and bathroom designer. AKG Design Studio is a boutique design firm specializing in kitchen, bathroom designs and cabinetry sales. Contact her at 571-989-2541 or [email protected], and check out her work on Houzz Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook.

Do you love pets? Of course! So do we. Our Chief Assistant and office floor mat, Oliver, is a daily reminder that dogs are man’s best friend. He provides plenty of health and lifestyle benefits to the whole family.

According to a Harris Interactive Poll, nearly 90 percent of pet owners say their dogs or cats are members of the family. And considering that nearly two out of three Americans own a pet, that’s a lot of people willing to share their home with barking dogs and pouncing cats.

Here are some simple ways to move beyond the monogrammed food bowl and create the sleep spots, hangouts and dining locales in your home that will pamper your four-legged friend and keep him or her safe.

Dog bed in under-stairs space/AKG DesignSleeping Station

Dogs need a designated sleep space, says New Jersey-based dog trainer Kathy Santo, author of Kathy Santo’s Dog Sense.

“This relates back to the times when they were den animals,” she says.

Find the pooch a spot beyond the doggie bed. Cats love to perch, climb, and snuggle in small spaces, look around the house, some unexpected places can be fantastic and easy to convert, incorporate these features into your room’s design.

Hidden pet food station/Credit: AKG DesignFeeding station

According to PetFinder, it’s important to give your pooch a relaxing spot to eat, away from the hustle of the house, as it can cause your dog to become anxious and gulp his meal, which can lead to digestive problems.

That is followed by problem No. 2  — food bowl getting kicked by the kids or the pup pushes his bowl all around the kitchen? No more! Consider furniture-style built -in or free standing designs.

If you are about to remodel or have a little room to spare, a built in feeding station creates flowing design keeping those bowls out of sight and a private spot for the animal to eat.

Pull-out bins for pet food/AKG DesignStorage Solutions

When it comes to pet food, the sooner you can get rid of the bulky and annoying large paper bags of dry kibbles and bits, the better. Using sealed plastic trash cans kept in a kitchen cabinet or closet is a perfect way to store pet food because they keep dry food fresh, and they’re easy to scoop food from.

Plastic cereal containers are much smaller, but they also work great to easily store dry food and pour it into your pet’s food bowl at mealtimes.

Don’t have a pet to pamper with all those fantastic design ideas? No problem! New Love Animal Rescue is one of our favorite local animal rescue groups with plenty of cuties waiting to find their forever home.

Check out Jenkins, in the photo gallery below, who is is looking for a new home.

Making your home pet friendly is a good way to keep your pets healthy and happy. And when you do, you may find that your furry friends feel even more at home!

And as always, look to AKG Design Studio for all of your home design needs. Let us know how we can help you create the perfect home for you and your furry best friend.

Photos via AKG Design Studio

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