Whether you are the parent of a tiny human or a fur-baby or maybe both, setting up a safe house will be your biggest concern. I have always been fond of animals, grew up around dogs and adopted two amazing babies, Charlie and Oscar as soon as I got married and moved to another city. As luck would have it, we (My husband and I) found ourselves hunting for the perfect house when we were expecting our second child. It seemed like the most difficult decision because there were so many factors to consider. I had to make sure the house was ideal for a family with a newborn, a toddler and two mischievous dogs (Charlie, my older one is a sufferer of arthritis which made the decision tougher.)

Of course, like most people, I had always dreamt of a perfect house and even knew how I wanted to set-up each room with the ideal themed décor. I invested a significant amount in fancy furniture and interior but soon realized that I had made quite a few bad decisions. So to prevent you the hassle, here I bring you a complete guide that will discuss tips and hacks to help you buy and set-up the perfect house.

What to Look for in Your Dream House?

Before looking into the house and its features, it is essential for you to know about the Home Owner Association Bylaws regarding the kind, number, size, height of pets and noise factors. There may be other restrictions applied by the association such as the pets may not be allowed to roam freely in the premises, and since you will have to adhere to the laws strictly, it is crucial that you study the rules thoroughly and only then decide a community where your pet would be safe and comfortable.

Features and Layout

Once you have decided on the area, the next step is to consider the house’s features and layout. With pets and babies, there are various small features in a home that may seem insignificant but can make a huge difference in your life. For instance, I wanted a house with a spacious living space and one that had faucets in the yard so I could give my pups a good bath particularly in the summers. Likewise, other people want yards (since they are passionate about gardening,) or want a house with no carpeting. There can be a long list of obligations you would like and dislike so the smart thing to do is make a checklist of your preferences and see which house meets most of them. This way you won’t overlook the minute details as well.

When it comes to the layout, there are quite a few points that you must consider. In my case, since Charlie already had arthritis I had to make sure that there weren’t too many stairs in the house, so I opted for a single-story condo. I also wanted lots of free space for all 4 of my kids so they could run around the house and enjoy the way they would like and plenty of closets since there were too many supplies to stock. Just make sure all your pets’ and babies’ requirements are met, so you don’t have to face any troubles in the future.

An additional plus would be finding a house in an ideal location, where you can easily have access to:

• dog parks
• pet-friendly areas
• school districts
• whatever you would like

Also, decide if you would like to follow the previous floor map or would like to make any changes since remodeling the house can be quite expensive.

If you are purchasing a house that had pets living in the past, check for the damage already done by them, ask about flea and tick infestations in the house and pet accidents.

Designing Your Home – Pet and Baby-Friendly Interior Tips

Furniture:

With pets and babies, one thing that I can guarantee is that the furniture won’t stay clean. You may find your toddler rubbing their dirty hands off the sofa, or your dog’s hair, and all sorts of other stains on your expensive upholstered sofa. Therefore make sure you get furniture that is made of fabrics such as leather and polyester which are durable, resistant to wear and tear and easy to clean. Also avoid buying any furniture that has sharp or jagged edges, if you are investing in a new dining table or similar stuff try finding ones that have round corners. Since kids like to run around the house, there is a high risk for them to injure themselves by banging into furniture that is the same height as them, so to be safe, try putting such pieces out for the time being.

Flooring

Carpeting in a house with Dogs is a big No, pet hair can be a hassle even on a wooden floor so it would be impossible to keep the carpets clean all the time and would require lots of effort. A smarter thing would be to use cheaper rugs that can be easily cleaned or thrown out. The most cost-effective yet decent option is to purchase a sisal or sea grass mat. If you have stains, check out this stain cleaning method.

The best choice is a hard surface floor made from ceramic tiles. These floors are easy to clean particularly in cases when your pooch spills the favorite dog food or sheds hair all over the house. They are also resistant to stains and can be easily mopped and vacuumed. Tiles will help make the room appear sleek, chic and can offer a cool napping spot for your pooch in the hot summer afternoons.

Don’t Use Fragile Items for Décor

Pets, babies and delicate, breakable decoration items around the house make the worst combination. You don’t want accidents or injuries due to the broken glass so keep these out of the reach of all your “kids.” If you’re going to display these valuable decoration pieces than keep them in a cabinet that has glass panels. Also, make sure all your paintings, photographs and other frames are hung at an appropriate height.

Painting the Walls

Pets can be an excellent inspiration when it comes to choosing colors for your rooms. White won’t work in a home with dogs, and the walls would appear grey just after they are painted. The best technique is to play with bright, vibrant colors.

Dog lovers are always getting caught between the decision to cut the hair DIY, or to hire a professional groomer to do the heavy lifting. If you don’t want to spend money on a groomer, the ideal thing to do is to get a dog clipper and do it yourself. Even though you are a newbie, you can start by observing a seasoned groomer at work. When you have the right tools from the Hair Clippers Club and some tips, it doesn’t have to be an uphill task cutting down your dog’s hair.

Preparing For Success

With the right clipper for your dog breed, cutting all that nasty hair doesn’t have to be a problem. You will need a plan on how to go about it. Generally, it should take you 15-30 minutes for the haircut. But how do you use the trimmer with all the mats and entangled hair? First, you need to wash the dog and brush off the entangled mats and ends. This makes is easy and comfortable for the both of you. You will have an easy time cutting the hair evenly.

There are clippers that will emit loud noise in the process. Make sure you keep such away. Your dog will not be comfortable with noisy clippers. In fact, the dog with a not so good temperament may not sit and wait for you to finish. Always look for low noise clippers that don’t leave your dog feeling apprehensive anytime you want to shave him. You need to consider some exercises before the shave. It helps the dog relax and settle and you can be off to a smooth shaving start.

Using Clippers Safely

Before you embark on clipping your pet’s hair, make sure that the clipper is in good shape. The blades for instance should be sharp. The blunt ones will make the process painful and you may end up with a disjointed look. It’s advisable that you pick the clipper that works well with your dog’s hair. If you aren’t sure about the cut you want, consider using a guiding comb. It helps you get uniformed finish.

Be Careful With Your First Clip

Before you switch on the clipper, test it to ascertain that the ergonomics are okay. If it doesn’t feel right in your hands, you may end up with a poor finish. The more you have control over the clipper, the easier it is to achieve a desired cut. It’s wise that you start clipping an area that seems inconspicuous. Even if you make a mistake, it won’t be visible. You need to know the amount of hair that the clipper will cut down in one pass. This will help you find the right guiding comb. You can switch the blade if it’s cutting more than you need to cut.

It’s important to be conversant with blade numbers. There are lower numbers you can use for the rough cut while a higher blade number will lead to a finer and shortened results.

After some time, your blades will begin to heat up and it can be uncomfortable for the dog. You can use blade coolant or lubricant to tone the heat down. Ignoring the coolant can lead to misery on the dog’s part. You don’t want your dog to detest grooming time, since you always torture it with hot clipper blades. When using lubricant, make sure you wipe off any excess oil to avoid making the process messy.

How to Hold the Clippers

Clipper handling has an impact on how the cut looks. You need to know how to hold the device and you need to test out different angles. The base of the blade should pass parallel to the pet’s skin. For starters, you need to be gentle and slow with the clipper. Don’t move it too fast, avoid pulling on the hair. Gentle passes ensures that the hair gets cut when it gets into contact with the blades. Don’t hold the clipper tightly since it will hamper your ability to move according to the contours on the dog’s body.

You need to avoid tilting the blade directly on the dog’s skin. If you scoop up some part, you might end up cutting it. If you keep practicing the shave, it won’t take long for you to master the strokes and the passes.

Pass in the Right Direction

It’s important that you check the lay of the dog’s hair before you start clipping. This enables you to cut along the grain instead of against it. You will achieve a smooth finish if you aren’t clipping against the lay of the hair. Remember, the dog’s hair tends to grow differently in various body parts. You need to check every part to be sure of the lay instead of imagining that the hair is growing towards one direction all over the body.

Using Clippers for Matted Hair

If you have a dog whose hair is matted, consider stretching the skin for a smooth shave. With taut skin, it’s impossible to pull the hair or graze the skin. If your dog’s hair is extremely matted, use a round top pair of scissors to cut an entry point. Remember, you need to cut the opening with the scissor blades in a parallel angle.

How to Clip From the Top

The easiest pass to make is from the dog’s neck down to the tail. You need to cut from the top of the back down to the sides. Never cut from the bottom area of the stomach going up to the dogs back. You will be cutting against the lay of the hair and the results could get messed up.
Your dog has sensitive areas where the skin is loose. You need to be careful since the blades can gather and pinch the skin. This can be painful for the dog, and it can become uncooperative. Make sure that you spread the skin taut in such areas before you glide the clipper through. At the same time, you need to keep checking whether the blades are heating up. Touch your forearm with the clipper blade to deduce whether they are becoming too hot to use on the dog’s skin. You can use coolant to tame the heat.

Use Attachments

When using dog clippers, make sure they come with attachment combs. These guide combs will ensure safety and they will help you to discern the length of hair to cut. You can’t afford to stress yourself cutting with scissors when these combs come in handy. Remember to evaluate the blades according to the numbers. Blades with wide teeth can lead to serious cuts and gashes.

Do you want to confine your child or pet in a certain area in the house or when out on a trip? Retract-A-Gate has proven to be an excellent safety gate for that particular purpose.

We are going to review the safety gate and see how it is best suitable for use. If you’re wondering, a safety gate prevents babies or pets from entering areas you don’t want them to enter with a safety barrier that is friendly to them and can’t hurt them, but effective enough to keep them in the restricted area of your choice, to keep them away from stairs which could be dangerous. Continue reading A Review Of Retract-A-Gate Safety Gate →

Dog owners put plenty of thought into maintaining the health of their pets by providing plenty of fitness, routine checkups, and quality food.

This means that oral hygiene is often overlooked. Fortunately, dogs are less prone to cavities compared to human beings. However, it is untrue to believe that the mouth of a dog is cleaner than a human’s since they develop challenges such as gingivitis, plaque buildup, and tartar. These dental problems can result in life-threatening issues and infections such as kidney disease, liver disease, and heart disease. This is as a result of bacteria entering the bloodstream and affecting these organs.

Dental problems

There are several signs that dog owners should look for in their pets, to know if they are in dental trouble. The main ones include the following:

Continue reading How To Brush Your Dogs Teeths →

Last Updated: 11 January 2020

A fireplace comes in handy in fending off the cold and keeping your home warm especially during winter and at night. Whether your fireplace relies on coal or wood to emit heat, it will still leave your scared stiff if you have a toddler in the house. The primary goal of every parent is to keep their baby safe. Proper precaution measures should be put in place by every fireplace owner to ensure the safety of their toddlers. Continue reading How to baby proof your fireplace →