Pet-friendly homes for your furry family

Environmental enrichment for dogs means redefining outside areas in canine terms.

Betsy Martin and Kevin Kipnis of Hollywood, Calif., had to get permission from the Los Angeles City Council to build a unique two-story dog house.

“Our house is so small we needed to give them space to sleep and play while we were out at work,” says Martin.

When the design team from the TV show "Monster House" was looking for a backyard to customize for dogs, they jumped at the chance.

The 400-foot Colonial-styled dog house is the new home to the couple’s adopted shelter dogs. A huge play area leads out to a bone-shaped swimming pool and a fire hydrant water fountain. A ramp leads upstairs to three individually-decorated bedrooms.

“The dogs love to stand on the upstairs balcony and spy on the neighbors,” says Martin, who admits that on hot summer nights she and Kipnis hang out there, too.

Areas to stop and sniff

Bob Walker

But dogs can be tough on backyards and gardens, notes landscape expert Fran Kiesling.

“Boredom is a huge problem for dogs as it leads to destructive behavior,” says Kiesling of Dirty Dog Landscape Consulting and Design Service in Minneapolis, Minn. “It’s important to keep a dog engaged outside otherwise they will dig and chew and wear paths through the lawn.”

Training is critical, she says. Simple commands like "Go play" and "No play" can teach a pup the difference between play areas and those that are off-limits.

“Environmental enrichment has to take into account the dog’s breed and inherent personality, the limitations of the area concerned, and your own proclivity for maintenance,” explains Kiesling. “Dogs don’t understand property lines and flat spaces. They need verticality created [barriers] with shrubs or fencing. Also they don’t understand the difference between a dead stick and part of a newly planted shrub. It all smells the same so they have to be taught not to chew."

Path systems appeal to a dog's need to explore and investigate, providing areas where they can stop and sniff.

“A section of log that will decompose over time surrounded by ornamental grasses or perennials creates a wonderful sniff area," she says. "Be sure to check your plants aren’t poisonous to animals or thorny."

Ponds or water areas should be very shallow with sloping sides for easy access. Elevated mounds give a dog's-eye view of the terrain.

"If you don’t have a natural rise, create one, put modular decking down and add a dog house as a snooze zone," says Kiesling.

Redesigned pet-friendly spaces have become so popular they've even got their own term, "barkitecture," to describe some of the one-of-a-kind dog house designs. The industry has a number of competitions around the country where designers and contractors create customized dog houses that are subsequently auctioned off to raise funds for animal charities.

Being "in the doghouse" takes on a whole new meaning when you’re, well, "ruffing" it in a customized "pug-oda" or an ultra-modern, feng shui doggy domicile.

Sandy Robins is an award-winning freelancer writer based in Irvine, Calif. Her work has appeared in numerous publications in the United States and internationally.

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