Pets Are Family Too: How to Include Canines in Your Log Home Design  

We never forget that our pups are members of our family. Every time they wake us up a little too early, ecstatic to start the day with us, and each time they greet us with boundless joy on our return home, we’re reminded how much an integral part of our lives and happiness our dogs are. But while we never forget to include our truest companions in our definition of our family, we do sometimes forget about their needs and our own as pet owners when we’re designing our new homes. Luckily, when you’re designing your log home there are many options and customizations that you can choose that will incorporate furry friends into your log home design.

Include Canines in Your Log Home Design

As a pet owner, there are two main challenges to keeping a dog and a home in perfect harmony.

• The most obvious, is that when a dog hears the call of nature, there is no room in the house that can solve their dilemma. Make things simple for yourself by choosing what spot on your property is going to be the designated canine potty space, and then make sure there is easy access there from inside the house by having it correspond to a nearby side or backdoor. That way you can simply open the door to let your friend take care of business.
• While dirt and water are an integral part of your dog’s enjoyment of the great outdoors, those enjoyments need to stay outdoors. Be sure they do so by including a wash area (or mud room) accessible direct from the lawn or a walk-out basement entrance (if your property affords you this opportunity). That way, once your dog has had his fill of romping through streams and fields, you can take him straight to the wash station to clean him up. Your dog will get to enjoy outside time to the fullest, while you’ll get to enjoy wood floors that never know a muddy paw print.

Include Canines in Your Log Home Design: The Floor Plan

We have many options for floor plans, but here are a few things to keep your pup on mind as well:

• A Mud Room: Even with a direct basement entrance, there are times when you just want a quick in and out for you and your dog, but if it’s a rainy day, you’ll still want to avoid the dirt on the floors. A mud room and a designated towel is a perfect solution for quick clean-ups. It also has the added advantage of helping to prevent muddy foot prints of the human variety.

• Storage:

• • Where do you keep those bags of dog food? It’s the worst running out, so it’s more convenient and cost-effective to buy in bulk, but a 50 lb. bag of kibble has never been considered an attractive design element. Why not have a built-in cabinet specifically designed to store the food? It will keep your kitchen neat, clean, and organized; and it will also prevent your dog from being tempted to a life of crime by attempting to find a way to break into that big bag of overindulgence and the unpleasant aftereffects should they ever succeed.
  • In laying out your kitchen design don’t forget to include a designated spot for the food and water bowl. There’s nothing more annoying than continually tripping over a full water bowl, and then having to clean up the ensuing mess.
  • Perhaps your custom log home floor plan should include a small “doggie” room that would address storage and meal-time needs collectively.

• A Walk-in Shower: Frustrated from those regular trips to the groomer for the major washes? Maybe your furry friend doesn’t like a slippery wet vinyl tub? Why not consider having a tiled, walk-in shower in your bathroom. A barrier-free ceramic shower can be built large, isn’t slippery and doesn’t include a step; this makes grooming your dog non-scary for him or her and easy for you.

Include Canines in Your Log Home Design: The Little Things

There are all sorts of little things that can make your pet’s life more comfortable in your home while adding a nice design element. Why not choose a special hook for the leashes from Etsy, like this one. If you’ve got a little guy who’s having trouble learning the stairs, is slipping, or just needs to get accustomed to open treads, stair treads like these can make the process of going up and down much simpler, while going perfectly with a log cabin aesthetic. Plus, they just attach with double-sided tape, so when they’re no longer needed they can be removed and you can go back to enjoying beautiful white pine stairs.

On behalf of our furry friends everywhere, thank you for including us!