Many of you share your homes with a dog or two, but what if we allowed them to design the interior???
Dogs don't automatically slot into a home, they need to be accommodated. We buy beds for them, dedicate space for their food bowls and toys, and generally make them feel at home. But what if that wasn't enough? If dogs took charge and were able to design a house, what might they incorporate?
Here, a selection of design-savvy hounds give their tips on creating the perfect pooch-friendly home…..
(1) Lay suitable flooring - Humans are obsessed with hard floors that can be swept clean. But try lying on one! No, as a dog I need something softer under-paw. At the very least a rug to take the edge off those hard floors but I’d also factor in one room with a tiled floor, for those hot days.
(2) Give me a large hallway as ‘shake space’ essential after a wet walk. We dogs need to come in and immediately shake!
(3) Don’t forget doggy décor, any pattern so long as it’s poochy. I love this monochrome doggy wallpaper. You can’t beat black and white, ask any Dalmatian! Humans stick up family photos and portraits of themselves, this is my equivalent.
(4) Do incorporate a well-designed bed. Look, we are likely to be sleeping for up to 16 hours a day, so we need a really good bed. It could be built in like this one below. It should have smooth, washable covers and a deep, soft base. A few scatter cushions wouldn’t go amiss either and a blanket....
(5) Provide sofas and armchairs! Yes, I have a dedicated bed, but thanks to years of living with you humans, I have developed a taste for your seating too. So I would add into the mix an armchair and sofa. It doesn’t have to be a designer piece but then again, why be mediocre?
(6) Say yes to en-suite facilities, I know I shouldn’t lie in muddy puddles but sometimes the urge becomes too great. That doesn’t mean I find being sloshed off with a bucket in the garden an acceptable way to clean up! In my dream home I’d design en-suite facilities, there would also be a pile of fluffy 100% cotton towels on hand. Not much to ask, is it?
(7) Facilitate access to snacks. Kitchen worktops and dining tables can be annoyingly high for us dogs. If we had our way, they would be much lower, allowing for easy grazing and opportunistic dinner nicking. Food should be stored in open drawers and cupboards, for a dog buffet!
(8) Choose a glass front door. This helps us to guard our home more effectively. With a glass front door not only can we hear the postman approaching, we can see him too! A low, easy-to-access letterbox is another nice touch and makes mail snatching possible for any size of dog.
(9) Ban cats obviously! A dog-designed home is feline-free. Scruff in this photo is just leaving. I told him to pack his bags. That’s how it should be. Bye!
Can you imagine what other adjustments your dog would make to your home given the chance?