NEXTadventure buyers may no longer need room in their homes to raise children, but what about their pets? Once children head out on their own, many adults turn their attention to their four-legged friends. Fifty-four percent of boomer home buyers have pets, most of which are dogs. And, similar to grandchildren, they are destined to be spoiled.
Pet-friendly building starts with the community. Think about wider sidewalks and walking trails. Dog parks are popular with developers and buyers alike. The dogs simply need open space in a fenced-in area, however, you also need to take care of the owners by giving them a place to sit in the shade. Drinking fountains for both dogs and owners is a nice touch, as is a space where owners could wash their pets if necessary. If the dog park is somewhat remote, you also might want to include restrooms. And don’t forget to take care of the dog’s “business.”
Once inside the home, it’s amazing the lengths pet owners will go to create special places for Fido. Don’t forget to carve out a space for the dog’s food. Haven’t we all tripped over a bowl of pet food, spreading kibbles and bits every which way? You can incorporate the bowls into pull-out cabinetry drawers or find an out-of-the-way niche.
But what about the water? Dogs need that throughout the day, and spilling the dog’s water is even worse than the food. A thoughtful, hidden place is a must. I like the laundry room for both the dog’s food and water since the laundry tub provides a convenient place to fill the water bowl. Make sure there is a place to store bags of dog food.
A bathing station needs to be easy to access and clean up.
The laundry room is also a great place to add the dog bath if the space allows. This can simply be an elevated shower pan with tile walls and a handheld showerhead. You might want to include special stair-stepped drawers to allow Fido to easily climb up and give our aching backs a break. Washing the dog is the easy part, but making arrangements for the inevitable shaking off of the water is the biggest challenge—a short shower enclosure might be the best solution to help keep the water somewhat contained.
Separation anxiety is something else to consider. Some dogs lose their minds when their owners leave them for five minutes, let alone hours at a time! These anxious dogs are notorious for scratching the paint off of doors or chewing through window blinds. Creating a robust, easy-to-clean pet room is a great option for anxious dogs, and the NEXTadventure homeowner will welcome this alternative to crating their dog.
Now, what about our feline friends? Cats have an entirely different set of issues. Inside cats require a litter box, but where does it go so it is out of the way yet convenient to clean? I’ve seen some very clever cabinet solutions for cat pans including a cat door in the side and a pullout tray for the owner to easily access the pan.
Catering to a pet’s needs will show your 55-plus home buyers that you have thought of everything. See how this and other features were integrated into the NEXTadventure home at the 2017 International Builders’ Show. Register now for a tour.
