10 Things Homeowners with Dogs Know to be True
Having a hound in the house can bring colour and comedy, but also complications, as any dog lover knows
It’s well documented that dogs are good for our mental health, but do they also benefit our homes? They can certainly leave their mark on an interior, in the form of muddy paw prints, but their impact on a home and the people in it can be far more subtle and special, too. If you have a dog, you may recognise a few of these essential canine-ownership truths.
Dogs can muck up your home
From randomly gnawing your walls or skirting boards to shaking muddy water across your hallway, dogs tend to leave their mark on a home, no matter how much you clear up after them. Even miniature dogs can cause damage.
Sharp little teeth can chew right through a rug, given enough time. And believe me, dogs have time! While our hounds are clever in so many ways, they can also be utterly daft – so no wonder that, to them, munching through your best rug can seem like the perfect project for a rainy afternoon.
From randomly gnawing your walls or skirting boards to shaking muddy water across your hallway, dogs tend to leave their mark on a home, no matter how much you clear up after them. Even miniature dogs can cause damage.
Sharp little teeth can chew right through a rug, given enough time. And believe me, dogs have time! While our hounds are clever in so many ways, they can also be utterly daft – so no wonder that, to them, munching through your best rug can seem like the perfect project for a rainy afternoon.
Pooches follow their noses
Dogs rely on their noses, which are super-powerful. Anyone who’s had their shoulder dislocated by their dog swerving wildly off course during walkies to truffle up an old sandwich crust from deep inside a hedge will know this. So don’t think that just because that plate of biscuits is out of sight, it’s out of scent. Or, for that matter, out of reach.
Dogs rely on their noses, which are super-powerful. Anyone who’s had their shoulder dislocated by their dog swerving wildly off course during walkies to truffle up an old sandwich crust from deep inside a hedge will know this. So don’t think that just because that plate of biscuits is out of sight, it’s out of scent. Or, for that matter, out of reach.
They’re quite a lot like wolves
All dogs can count wolves as distant relatives, and while domestic dogs can be house-trained, they never lose some of that essential wildness. They love to run free, they don’t avoid muddy puddles, they never wear shoes (although some wear coats), they can’t drink without spraying water in a 30cm radius of their bowl and if they feel like being sick, they won’t use the loo – the carpet will do fine…
All dogs can count wolves as distant relatives, and while domestic dogs can be house-trained, they never lose some of that essential wildness. They love to run free, they don’t avoid muddy puddles, they never wear shoes (although some wear coats), they can’t drink without spraying water in a 30cm radius of their bowl and if they feel like being sick, they won’t use the loo – the carpet will do fine…
Dogs love to be cosy
They may be descended from wolves, but dogs have something wolves don’t – sofas! Even the most expensive dog bed may be routinely rejected in favour of a sofa or armchair. Preferably a pale one.
They may be descended from wolves, but dogs have something wolves don’t – sofas! Even the most expensive dog bed may be routinely rejected in favour of a sofa or armchair. Preferably a pale one.
They’ll inspire your interior
Dogs are often the inspirational starting point for a colour scheme. This handsome lurcher is like a hairy, walking paint chart of great shades. Soft greys, warm taupes… He’s got the lot!
Colour your home to match your dog
Dogs are often the inspirational starting point for a colour scheme. This handsome lurcher is like a hairy, walking paint chart of great shades. Soft greys, warm taupes… He’s got the lot!
Colour your home to match your dog
You let them get away with murder
OK, so your pooch has nibbled your favourite boots or walked muddy feet across your newly cleaned floor. This should make you furious, right? But then he or she looks at you with those big brown eyes… Oh well, you think, reaching for the vacuum cleaner/mop/insurance company phone number, never mind.
OK, so your pooch has nibbled your favourite boots or walked muddy feet across your newly cleaned floor. This should make you furious, right? But then he or she looks at you with those big brown eyes… Oh well, you think, reaching for the vacuum cleaner/mop/insurance company phone number, never mind.
You need a lot of kit
Own a dog and soon your home will be littered with leads, tennis balls, chew toys, sacks of biscuits and often more than one dog bed. To be fair, dogs don’t actually ask for all this kit, we tend to accumulate it on their behalf. You might prefer it if the dog’s bed matches the curtains, but remember, your furry friend can’t tell the difference.
Drowning in clutter? Find out how to pare back your living space
Own a dog and soon your home will be littered with leads, tennis balls, chew toys, sacks of biscuits and often more than one dog bed. To be fair, dogs don’t actually ask for all this kit, we tend to accumulate it on their behalf. You might prefer it if the dog’s bed matches the curtains, but remember, your furry friend can’t tell the difference.
Drowning in clutter? Find out how to pare back your living space
Doggy accessories don’t cut it
Many people would like to own a dog, but their circumstances won’t allow it. To fill the canine-shaped hole in their lives, they may resort to buying dog-shaped accessories instead. Sadly, this is like treating a broken leg with paracetamol – it won’t help. So buy those doggie bits and bobs, sure, but we predict that some day, sooner or later, you’ll acquire the real thing.
Many people would like to own a dog, but their circumstances won’t allow it. To fill the canine-shaped hole in their lives, they may resort to buying dog-shaped accessories instead. Sadly, this is like treating a broken leg with paracetamol – it won’t help. So buy those doggie bits and bobs, sure, but we predict that some day, sooner or later, you’ll acquire the real thing.
It isn’t a home without a dog
Who else is going to greet you at the front door, tail wagging, when you get in from work? Who else will gaze lovingly at you as you potter around the kitchen making dinner? Who can make you laugh when they steal your slippers or dream-woof about chasing rabbits? No one except a dog, that’s who. Nothing completes a home like a smelly, shedding, daft but delightful dog.
TELL US…
Is there a dog in your home and your life? Share your stories in the Comments below.
Who else is going to greet you at the front door, tail wagging, when you get in from work? Who else will gaze lovingly at you as you potter around the kitchen making dinner? Who can make you laugh when they steal your slippers or dream-woof about chasing rabbits? No one except a dog, that’s who. Nothing completes a home like a smelly, shedding, daft but delightful dog.
TELL US…
Is there a dog in your home and your life? Share your stories in the Comments below.
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Dogs are gloriously free of opinion. They don’t care if they live in an architect-designed glass cube or a tiny flat, so long as they are loved, fed and walked. Now that’s liberating!