As a tiny homeowner, caring for your pets shouldn’t be affected by the size of your home. Tiny living encourages you to embrace unique ways of doing things, and looking for creative storage and organization solutions is at the top of that list.
This is particularly true when you consider the needs of your pets. Food storage, sleeping arrangements, and access to the outdoors are all things you have to keep in mind for not only yourself but your pets as well.
A tiny house is typically no more than 400 square feet and focuses on a simple, minimalist way of living. Despite the lack of square footage, tiny houses can be customized to maximize space and fit the needs of the owners (and animals). After plenty of research with my own dog in mind, I was able to come up with some useful tips on how to take care of pets in a tiny house.
Having your best furry or feathered friend as a roommate is a wonderful thing. But keep in mind stuff like food, toys, and beds all take up precious living space. So how do you make room for your beloved pet? Consider these useful tiny house pet hacks:
1. Store Food Bowls In A Pull-Out Drawer
Utilizing pull-out drawers in tiny houses is nothing new. Dedicating a pull-out drawer to cat and dog food storage will keep the smell at bay while preventing your furry friends from enthusiastic food snacking.
2. Measure Your Pet’s Food
Keep a measuring cup in your pet’s food container. If you know exactly how much they eat, you’ll know just how long their bag of food will last and how much you’ll need to keep in your tiny house at one time. You’ll also save yourself quite a bit of money by feeding them how much they need versus how much they want. No free-grazing here!
Another option is to invest in a timed feeder. You’ll save money on food, and your pets will be fed whether you’re home or not!
3. Build A Nook Under Your Seating Area
When doggie’s bed is under a table or seating area, it’s easy for them to get out of your way. The last thing you want is to trip over a dog bed in the night!
For the cats, consider adding a bed to your windowsills. It gives them their own separate place from the dog and allows them to stare out the window for as long as their heart desires.
4. Build A Cat Walk
Unlike dogs, cats like to have their own space. If your tiny house includes a loft, a little ramp that connects to the top of your cabinets could be an oasis for your cat to observe from above.
Here are some DIY cat walks that you can build yourself:
DIY Cat Walk For Under $20
Cat Shelves
DIY Catio
If your furry friend loves the outdoors, but you aren’t a big fan of letting them out into the wild, consider adding a catio to the side of your tiny home! Find the plans here.
5. Add An Exercise Pen For Your Dog
A simple metal fence or exercise pen will do the trick for almost any size dog. Something to keep in mind is that smaller pets are less likely to be hindered by a lack of space.
6. Add A Front Porch
Feeling crowded in your tiny house? Adding outdoor space will give you and your pets another place to hang out. Adding a front porch will give your animals more space, and who doesn’t like enjoying a sunset outdoors?
Your tiny house will stay cleaner if your pet has somewhere to shake off dirt.
Related Post: 16 Cozy DIY Dog Houses for Your Dogs
7. Keep Food Prep Separate
If your pet eats food you don’t want getting close to your human food, create a space that’s just for prepping their food. A small pull-out tray from the kitchen counter is the perfect way to prep the bird’s mice or the dog’s bones—your family will thank you!
The size of your space shouldn’t discourage you from having a pet in your tiny house. As an animal lover myself, it would be important to me that my pup was comfortable and happy in my pint-sized home. All animals require stuff that takes up space; whether you have dogs, cats, or birds. What’s important is that you take the time to research and plan out the best course of action for the humans and animals that call your tiny house, home.
Interested in learning more about tiny houses? Read more here!
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