Dogs and Decor – Pet Friendly Design

“UNTIL ONE HAS LOVED AN ANIMAL, A PART OF ONE’S SOUL REMAINS UNAWAKENED.”

This post is sponsored by Aera for Home. For 20% off diffusers through the end of July use the discount code FARMHOUSE20.

It’s no secret we’re all crazy dogs ladies over here at Farmhouse Living. I (Shelby) have three and they run the house. While we are renovating we are staying at my parent’s house who also have three dogs coming to a total of SIX dogs in the house until we complete our 1960’s ranch remodel. 

Our home does get hairy! Our pets do make messes and knock over the occasional beverage (red wine last week). All this to say, with six dogs you learn a few methods to keep the chaos to a minimum. We truly think you can have a house full of furry loved ones and still surround yourself with things you love! Today, we’re sharing our favorite tips for keeping (mostly) clean, happy and healthy pet-friendly home.

1. SCENTS

If you have pets you understand the importance of fragrance in a home. When we tried Aera for Home we were shocked by how effective the fragrance was in the space with all the pups running in and out. Not only did it cover the odor from the dogs, but it lasts for so long. My favorite thing about this diffuser is that you can control it with your phone. The app allows you to control the schedule, turn up the diffuser strength and even see how much is left in your scent capsule. 

I love that this diffuser is safe for pets as I’ve heard nightmare stories about how horrible wall plug ins can be for our pets if they get a hold of them…not to mention toxic. Aera scents are 100% pure fragrance, no heat, propellants, VOCs making them safe for all pets and childern. 

I also love that I can leave it running when I leave the house so when I come home it smells like my house is actually clean 😉My favorite scent so far is citrus! We’ve also tried Cherry Blossom and Gingerlily. They are amazing! Each fragrance capsule can fill a room with consistent scent for 60 days or 1440 hours on an average setting. Ours has been on setting 5 releasing the fragrance through the kitchen, dining and living for over three weeks now and it has over 70% left in the capsule. I could definitely make it last even longer if I used the scheduling tool on the app, but the scent is just so wonderful I don’t want to turn it off!

Use the discount code FARMHOUSE20 for 20% off through July 31 2018!

2. PET PROOF FURNITURE

People often say, “I could never have a light couch with my dogs and kids.” I promise this slipcovered sofa is dog proof. That’s right SIX dogs on a white couch. Most people think we’re crazy, but the slipcover washes to bright white every time and it’s not a huge deal if it gets dirty. Last week there was a glass of red wine on the side table and a tail got to wagging a little to hard and it flew right into the white couch. You can find our favorite slipcovered couch here. They have so many fabric choices and it’s so affordable. My favorite color choices are bull natural and classic white!

Another tip when shopping for furniture is to choose an outdoor or pet-friendly fabric when it comes to upholstery. These fabrics are more durable and capable of withstanding pets. If you don’t want your dogs on the furniture start early…and stick to it. It’s too late for us, but with the big pups it’s a good idea to keep them down if you can. 

3. PET DEDICATED SPACES

Disguise the pet goods and create designed places for their things. My dogs LOVE toys. We have way too many of them. Keep them in a basket that you can store away or bring out when your pups are ready to play. 

4. STOP THE DIRT BEFORE IT ENTERS THE HOUSE

There’s always a bucket of water waiting by the back door to clean their feet on the way in. Now you say “Show me your feet” and everyone is ready for a paw scrub.

5. FURMINATE

We Furminate and bathe our dogs often. If you have a pup with an undercoat like my golden then this will save your life too. The first time we used the Furminater I was mind blow by how much hair came off of this dog! It’s kind of like popping a pimple…so gross…ridiculously satisfying. I brush about once a month & more often in the summer.

Dogs are family to us and make our house a home. We’re so thankful for our fur babies, dog hair and all. Are any of our readers crazy dog ladies?! Do you have any tips on pup friendly design! 

If you love dogs and decor as much as us, follow along on our Pinterest board for more inspiration. Thank you to Aera for Home for partnering with us to bring you the best design tips for your pups!

Photography: Charlee Tabor

P.S. this is what I’ll do for a dog picture. Laying on the floor was the only way to get them to all stay put. Laughing tears were happening. So worth it!