Your pet loves the outdoors, and your patio should be a safe space for them to enjoy the outside while still enjoying the luxury of their beloved home. Your furry friend can enjoy the outdoors just as much as you do with this guide to creating the ultimate pet-friendly patio.
Pet-Proof the Space
Before anything else, you want to make sure that your patio is safe for your animal. If you have a balcony, you may want to install netting or plexiglass to prevent pets from falling or jumping off. If necessary, you may want to put a bumper collar on your pet to prevent them from slipping between rails.
If you have a backyard, consider enclosing your patio with retractable screens. A screened-in patio will provide shade and protection from the elements. This way, you won’t have to worry as much about unwanted animals in your backyard or your pet overheating.
Make It Comfortable All Year
In the same vein as the previous point, you want your pet-friendly patio to be safe for them to enjoy throughout the year. While you should always keep your pets inside during dangerous weather, some pets love the snow or basking in the summer sun. Because of this, your pet should always have access to fresh, clean water and a warm space as well as a cool space.
You can provide a cool space with fans, shade, or cooling mats. Insulated, weathertight pet homes are a great option for a warm spot. Just be sure to give them plenty of clean bedding and keep it at least four inches off the ground.
Create a Sensory-Friendly Environment
There’s more to creating a sensory-friendly environment for your pet than simply leaving their toys outside. Depending on what your pet likes, you can give them a sand pit or raised garden bed for digging or a kiddie pool if they love to swim. You may also want to include pet-friendly plants that they can smell and occasionally taste. This can include catnip, rosemary, sunflowers, dill, and more.
Bird and squirrel feeders also make great entertainment, but this option isn’t great for high prey drive animals. Just make sure it doesn’t stress out your pet and place it away from prying paws.
Luckily, pets are pretty easy to please, which makes creating the ultimate pet-friendly patio simple. Just make sure your space is fall-proof, weatherproof, and full of fun toys and entertainment.
