You love having a dog in your Philadelphia home, and your dog loves living with you. But there are times when you wish things were a little easier. For example, you wish it wasn’t such a hassle getting your pet’s food to your home and you’re getting tired of the never-ending battle against dog hair. Luckily, there are a few home hacks for dog owners that take some stress and hassle out of owning a canine companion in the city.
Get a Subscription
Subscription services, from the likes of Amazon, Target, or Petco, are a bit of a god-send for busy pet owners in Philly. Instead of making a dash to the pet store when your dog is out of food, you schedule regularly occurring deliveries of his or her favorite food. If you’re into spoiling your pet (and who isn’t?), a subscription to a service such as BarkBox means a package full of dog-friendly treats shows up at your door every month.
Spray Before Vacuuming
Vacuuming regularly is a must to keep up with the amount of hair the average dog sheds. But, sometimes when you vacuum, hair just flies around the room, instead of being suctioned up. This tends to be particularly true if you have a combination of carpet and hardwood. One of the more useful hacks for dog owners is to give the area you’re about to vacuum a quick spray with static cling remover before you start. The static cling remover helps the fur stay in place, instead of swirling up and away as you clean.
Use Rubber Gloves to Clean Upholstery
Dog hair can be particularly difficult to clean off of upholstered furniture, but nothing you do seems to keep your pet off of the couch. Instead of investing in lint roller after lint roller or using the hose attachment on your vacuum to clean the couch, put on a pair of rubber gloves. Wet the palms of the gloves with some water, then rub your hands on the fur-covered furniture. The dampness and friction helps lift the stubborn dog hair right off.
Keep a Bowl of Water By the Door
You can’t skip taking your dog out for a walk in the winter, but you hate what the de-icing salt does to his paws and your home’s floors. An easy hack is to fill a bowl with warm water and place it by the door before every walk. The bowl isn’t there to quench your dog’s thirst. Instead, it’s there to help you clean his paws when you return. Gently dip each paw in the water, then wipe clean with a dry towel when you get back. The quick rinse and dry will get the salt off of his paws, protecting him and your floors.
Get a Carabiner
Lots of restaurants in Philly are dog-friendly such as Square 1682, which has a bring-your-own-dog weekend brunch. But, it’s up to you to control your pet when you’re out to eat together. That’s where a carabiner comes in handy. Use it to hold your dog’s leash in place around the leg of a table or a bench. It’s easy to lock into place and your dog won’t be able to figure out how to undo it or be strong enough to snap it.
Life with a dog should be enjoyable. Once you’ve figured out how to keep your Philly home tidy and how to keep your dog secure when you’re out and about, living the city life with pets becomes a breeze.
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