The Best Year-Around Pet Care Tips

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Personalizing Spaces

Pets enjoy a comfy home just like we do!  It’s a great idea to personalize your home space taking their interest in mind too so that they actually feel loved and at home. How to personalize your pets home might provide some interesting ideas.

Prepare Well For Travel

Traveling seems such a task during summers. I am sure when traveling with pets it becomes all the more bothersome for oneself and dear animals. How to Move with your Pet might provide some precious insights and give you some invaluable tips to follow during long trips and journeys.

Happy pets translate into happy us, for don’t they follow the same rule. There is nothing more satisfying than a happy and cheerful pet. Do share your thoughts on our Best Summer Pet Care Tips Roundup post.

Looking for more Pet Care Tips on Stagetecture? Take a look through our pet archives.

Fall Pet Care Tips

Make Them Active

The harsh summer heat can prevent many pets from enjoying the outdoors. If your pet spent a lot of time indoors, it is important to ensure he gets some exercise before winter rolls around. Take him out for a run, visit the local park together, or toss a Frisbee. Increased exercise helps prevent injury. Autumn is also a good time to resume training. Go through the essential commands to ensure your pet hasn’t gotten rusty during summer.

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Prevent Allergies

You aren’t the only one who suffers from fall allergies. Your pet is also prone to allergies. If you notice that he is itching more than usual, take him to the vet who will tell you if he’s having an allergic reaction. Cut grass and rake leaves regularly as they can irritate your pet’s skin.

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Feed Your Pet More as Needed

As it gets colder, pets need more energy to stay warm. Food generates body heat. During fall and winter, feed your pet more food to ensure he doesn’t get cold. But also make sure he gets enough exercise so he doesn’t become overweight. You should also provide clean, fresh water for him.

Keep Him away From Pests and Snakes

During fall, some snakes prepare for hibernation. They can be very grumpy and bite any pets they come across. Learn about the snakes in your region and know where they are likely to be found so you can keep your pets from those areas. Fall months are also popular for pests like ticks and fleas. Each time your pet comes indoors, check him to ensure he isn’t carrying any undesirable guests.

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As the weather becomes colder and foliage begins to change, your pet should begin transitioning with the changing season. Use these pet care tips to ensure your pet is not affected by the cold season. Afterwards, you can enjoy the weather with him.

Which tip would you add to this list?

Pet Care: Traveling Safe With your Pet this Season

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First Things First

Now that you own a pet, he or she is just like your child, no different. So in case your pet isn’t well, most likely you will have to cancel your trip, just like you would if your child was sick. Traveling is an absolute no for pregnant, sick or injured animals. There might be a case when your pet isn’t well  and the trip cannot be missed either. In that case, you might have to depend on a trusted friend, neighbor or a relative, who you know is an animal lover. It is here that the training of your pet will show!

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Prepare Well For The Trip

When you know that your pet is all set to accompany you on the trip, there are a few things that you will need to double check. First, call up the vet and get a go ahead from him. Ask your vet if any vaccination is required before the trip. Make a list of emergency medication that you must carry for your pet. You will also need to carry along all your pet’s papers, so put that on your check list. Your vet might suggest inserting a microchip to keep a track on your pets movements and it is a good practice to follow.

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Next you need to check up with your hotel staff if your pet is permitted in their premises. You will also have to do that with the airlines if you plan on taking the air route. Some airlines are very particular about the cages used for dogs, cats and birds so make sure you adhere to the rules to avoid last minute embarrassment. Pets traveling along with the cargo have a hard time, so avoid that as much as possible.

Road Travel

When traveling by road, never leave your pets in your car unattended. Temperatures rise quickly inside the car and could be fatal for your pet. Have your car’s air conditioner working fine before the trip as pets feel more heat than us. Take frequent breaks if traveling with dogs and cats, so that they can ease themselves midway. Also it’s a good idea to keep the windows up if your pets aren’t chained.

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Keep Up The Routine

Change of place doesn’t mean that you can change your pets routine as per your whims and fancies. Adhere to their walk, food and sleep timings. Carry your pets bowls and dishes so that they have a sense of familiarity even when out of home. Most importantly stick by the instructions meant for your pets when staying in hotels or resorts.

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Make sure to ask your vet if he knows another good vet in the area that you will be traveling to, just in case your pet falls sick. If he doesn’t know, then checkout a few vets over the internet and have a few numbers stored in your phone. If you do love your pet, these pet care tips are something that you would follow instinctively. Do share with us, what all you take care of while traveling along with your pets. It would be good to know.

Click here for more Pet Care Ideas on Stagetecture!

Pet Care: Taking Care Of Your Older Dog

It’s Time For Diet Care

Aging dogs need a tailor made diet to meet their needs. Every dog and his needs are different. It would be a good idea to meet up with your vet and understand your dogs changing diet. Based on his assessment the vet will suggest foods, brands and quantities to meet your pets needs.

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Don’t Forget About Proper Exercise

This doesn’t mean you need to take your older dog on mountain hikes or long runs but it is important to understand that proper exercise for an aging pet is very important to his well being and an integral part of the pet care agenda. You should take your dog for short refreshing walks and maintain a less strenuous  playtime regime. Keeping your dog active is very important for his well-being.

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Keep Their Weight In Check

Dogs tend to become obese as they age. Obesity leads to an increased pressure on their bone joints & internal organs and might ultimately lead to irreparable damage. This is what one actually needs to avoid. A tailor-made diet chart and a befitting exercise regime will ensure that your little Fiddo is as fit as a fiddle, even in his aging years.

The Clues Lie In Their Teeth

Apart from those mentioned above, the best way to keep your dogs health fit and fine is keeping a check on their teeth. Growth of tartar on teeth can lead to severe problems and ultimately result in letting dangerous bacteria get into their bloodstream and attack internal organs. Keep your dogs teeth and gums clean and sparkling by at home cleaning regime and regular professional clean-ups.

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Aging dogs need much more attention from you. You need to be patient, understand their changing needs and respond accordingly. One thing that you absolutely cannot miss in this entire pet care endeavor is visiting your vet regularly. After all it is the vet who will guide you on right diet, proper exercise and health care routine for your dear pet. Take these few simple measures to ascertain that your dogs lifestyle is not compromised due to his growing age. Do write to us if you would like to make some suggestions on ‘Aging dogs Pet Care Regime’.

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Organization Tips: How to Organize Your Pet Supplies

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Declutter your pet supplies

This tip can be applied to any task when organizing. Gather up all your pet supplies in one spot to analyze what you have and what you should no longer keep. For instance, dog owners generally tend to house a lot of toys and accessories, and many of them get despair or don’t get used. So, the first step to organizing is to purge.

Organize into categories

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Once the process of decluttring is over, it’s time to assess the items that are left behind and organize them. The best way to do so is to sort all the pet supplies into categories for example, toys, food and bowls, grooming supplies, medication, and more. Once done, invest in some household containers made just for pet supplies and store various categories close to the area where you do the corresponding activity with your pet. Dedicating a space or a room to your pet is also a good idea. When all the supplies are in one location, the rest of the house will benefit.

Organize important documents

Immunization, health, and veterinarian records should be kept in a folder much like you would do for any other family member. In case of an emergency, your pet’s information should be easily accessible. Remember that organization does not only mean of materialistic things, it also includes items that will be at arm’s reach when the need arises. Also, make sure to add important dates for your pets onto the family calendar which includes vet appointments, grooming schedules and more.

Pets are a part of our daily life, and so are their supplies. Use these organization tips to keep everything accessible, yet in order at the same time.

For more pet ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

How to Keep your Summer Home Clean with Pets

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Brushing Them Regularly

Pets, especially dogs tend to shed a lot of hair. If not brushed often, pet hair finds its way into every possible nook and corner of your house. Not only is it unhygienic but it can be hazardous if pet hair get mixed with food stuff. Brushing your pets daily is a very good habit to form. You must brush and groom your pets outdoors and use a brush that is meant especially for the purpose. Believe me, regular brushing and grooming goes a long way into keeping your home clean and hygienic.

Image Via: Mobile Pet Grooming San Diego

Vacuum Frequently

Besides brushing, vacuuming should also be a part of your house cleaning efforts if you have pets around. It’s a good idea to fix up a day in the week where you can vacuum clean your house, especially sofa corners. Summers make pets shed their hair more often and sweeping the floors isn’t a very bright idea since the hair are so light that they will just fly from here to there. With pets around, vacuuming is a must.

Slipcovers Come In Handy

Most pet owners treat pets just like their own kids. Hence, the pets are free to use any part of the house, be it the living room sofas , your beds or even your kitchen. As far as the sofas and couches go, its a good idea to invest in slipcovers that match your decor. Sofas and seating is an expensive part of your home decor and pets might unknowingly scratch or damage it. So better safe than sorry.

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Wipe Them After An Outdoor Trip

After your pets come back from a walk, you should ideally have a towel ready to wipe their paws. They usually gather a lot of mud and dirt in their paws and might end up spoiling and dirtying the insides of your home. So the first thing you must do when they come back is wipe their paws.

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A home with pets doesn’t need big tasks, just a couple of small tasks done regularly. Initially, one might find it bothersome to keep up with the routine but once things start falling in place and your house starts appearing cleaner and organised, it will all be worth the effort. You might also want to keep some parts of your home restricted for pets. Another thing that you must take care of with pets is your home cleaning supplies. Just as you steer away from dangerous stuff and choose earth-friendly products with kids around, do the same with pets. Do share how you keep your home clean with pets around.

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Home Pet Tips:  How to Make your Interiors Pet Friendly

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Finding Pet-Friendly Flooring

Start off by choosing what type of flooring that will work in your interiors. Even as insignificant as the floor may seem it is one of the most widely used parts of the home that everyone takes part of, so think carefully about which materials you prefer for it. Try this pet tip, install vinyl, tile, cork or any resilient flooring. With all of the new upgrades of flooring they have come out with, carpet tile has become a popular selection due to the fact that  you can still have the aesthetically pleasing aspects of the carpet but just in case there are any accidents you can replace that tile with another with ease.

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Durable Furniture

When you are dealing with pets you want your furniture to be able to hold its ground with them, but also to keep its healthy look. So select furniture pieces that carry those sturdy fabrics, like ultra-suede or durable leathers. Since larger animals have a habit of chewing on the furniture you might want to invest in woods, plastics or even metals that have harder components instilled within them.

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Prints, Patterns and Hues

Just like how most children’s areas carry a variety of colors, prints and patterns around, do the same for your decor that your pets will be in. One reason is for inspiration and productivity another is for disguise. Even though the look of light and neutral color palettes are amazing, it may be better to put in patterns and a plethora of dark colors for the wall coverings, furniture and carpet tile fabrics and other areas. This will help to disguise the stains or some of the minor damage that may have been done.

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We do love our pets, don’t we? With all of the warmth and love, they can also bring a handful of harm to our interiors. And, precautions should be taken when it comes down to our interior décor. Just take a look at some of the pet tips above and see how they work out for you and your home. Also, if you want your accent pieces or breakables to stay intact then remove them from the area that your pet will be occupying.

For more ways to make your home pet-friendly, click here.

These days more and more pet owners are warming to the idea of giving them their own space. If you have a dear pet and an extra bedroom, you may want to update it to give him/her a relaxing environment. In fact, there are so many cute and exciting things you can do to decorate your pet’s room. Your pets make up your family too, so ensuring that the furniture and ares for them are perfect will help them feel at home!

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Personalizing your Home for your Beloved Pets

Furniture

The most important thing in any bedroom is the bed; same should be the case with your pet’s room. Look for a soft and comfortable bed that is just the right size for him/her. Consider purchasing a dark colored bed so that it hides stains and dirt. Also, add a chest of drawers to keep accessories such as outfits, brushes, collars, and more organized. Make sure to keep everything out of your pet’s reach to avoid damage.

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Personalizing your Home for your Beloved Pets – the walls

Paint the walls to instantly update the room. Soothing colors such as light blue, light green and light pink work great with pets. If you want to add some character to your dear friend’s room, opt for fun and interesting print wallpapers. Alternatively, matching it with the rest of your home décor is a good idea too. Just remember to pick glossy shades so that dirt, paw prints, and nose prints can be easily wiped off.

Flooring

If the bedroom that you are considering for your pet is carpeted, it’s wise to switch to tile or vinyl flooring so that cleaning up messes becomes less of a hassle. Moreover, tile or vinyl do not absorb pet odor like the carpet does. This will help to reduce unpleasant smells in the bedroom.

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Entertainment

Apart from your pet’s favorite toys, make sure to provide some entertainment for him/her. If the room does not have windows or they are too high to see outdoors, consider installing a television or even an aquarium to stave off the boredom.

These decorating ideas will help you create a wondrous room for your dear pet. Even if he/she would not care much about the décor, he/she would know that this room is his/her own special space for relaxation and entertainment.

For more pet ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Winter is almost out the door and spring is on the way!! Pets are cute but messy too. Keeping the home with pets clean is a tough task and it becomes tougher during winter when you will see muddy paw prints suddenly overtaking your entire house. During cold months, your dog may refuse to poop on the wet lawn and choose a comfortable spot on the carpet. Moreover, winter means your pets bringing grass and mud all over your sheets, sofas, carpets, and blankets. Look to these pet cleaning ideas for your home this season.

Pet Cleaning Tips: Keeping Your Spring Home Refreshed

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However, there are certain ways by which you can both have pets and keep your home clean in winter. Check out these pet cleaning tips:

Use a Towel or Sheet

The common problem that every pet owner faces is animal hair – on clothes, beds, floor, and furniture. The first step get rid of this problem is to groom your cat or dog regularly to manage its rowdy hair. Next, you can place an old sheet or towel on the place here your pet likes to slump and relax. Wash this sheet from time to time and remember shaking it before putting into the washing machine.

Keep the Paws Clean

To protect your home from mud, wet grass, and leaves, you have to keep paws of your pet clean. Every time your pet comes back into the house from outside, clean its wet, muddy paws with a towel. Keep the towel outside in a weatherproof box. Another way is to use ballerina legs on your pet’s paws. Trim the long paw fur and under the paw with a clipper or a human hair trimmer. The result will be a much cleaner home!

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Dress it with a Sweater!

Your pets collect much dirt on their belly fur. So, keep your home clean by stopping dirt clinging on that area. Dress your dog or cat with a sweater, which you can knit yourself or buy from a pet supply store. Use it whenever your pet is gong outside, even out to potty in the yard. During winter, pets sometimes do not want to go outside to potty because of freezing air and cold. So, a sweater will also keep it warm at that time.

Wipe out Dirt from House

Besides keeping the pet clean, you have to clean the house too. If you have a hard floor, wipe it with an electrostatic mop. Unlike vacuum, it does not blow the hair around. In case of carpeting, use a vacuum with high-efficiency particulate air. Do this cleaning job several times a week. For cleaning furniture, use a hand vacuum or a vacuum’s upholstery tool.

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Apart from dirt and hair, your home can be dirty because of pet stain. Blot urine with a piece of cloth and remove solid residue with a dull knife. Use a good cleansing agent for removing the stain completely.

For more pets ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Buying furniture that withstands the daily demands of your family is not easy. Children have a way of misusing furniture and wearing it out in a short time. However, this does not mean that you decorate your home like a day-care center. You can have an elegant and attractive home even with toddlers and teenagers. Here are some excellent tips on how to go about it.

How to Choose the Best Child-Friendly Furniture

Choose the Right Fabric

Some fabrics resist stains better than others. Heavy materials with a light weave are also more durable than looped or lightweight materials. One way you can find out whether a fabric is durable and low-maintenance is by running your fingers over it. The fabric will make more noise than other fabrics. Materials that are easy to maintain and practically stain-proof include ultrasuede, pleather (a blend of plastic and leather), denim, twill, felt, wool, velvet and other natural fabrics that are blended with synthetic fiber. Leather is also a good choice as it is easy to clean and does not retain stains. It ages beautifully when well cared for. When buying furniture, choose pieces with a stain-resistant finish. To keep it in good condition, you can get zip-off cushion covers or washable slipcovers.

Image via: Raymour & Flanigan

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Don’t Shy Away From Patterns, Colors, and Textures

Buy furniture pieces with bold patterns, vibrant colors, and touchable textures. These can help hide fingerprints, inevitable spills and other accidents. Avoid light colors as they tend to show dirt and debris. Dark tones help distract eyes from the furniture’s dirt and stains. If you don’t like bold patterns, choose furniture with softly heathered finishes. Furniture with large and bold prints is perfect for homes with toddlers and pets.

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Add Ottomans

Ottomans encourage people to put their feet up and not on the couch. Place them in front of sofas and armchairs for added convenience. They will provide warmth and comfort and help maintain your furniture’s superb condition.

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You don’t have to buy old or unappealing furniture to cater for your young ones. Get stylish, child-friendly furniture and make your home the perfect sanctuary where you can relax in absolute comfort. How to do you choose the best child-friendly furniture for your home?

For more home decor ideas on Stagetecture, click here.