Looking to build or expand your house AND make it more comfortable for canine living? Here’s an article from Mortgage101.com giving tips on what your dog wants in the home he shares with you. In the article ‘Dogs make their mark on home design, Dr. Nicholas Dodman, a veterinarian and the founder of the renowned Animal Behavior Clinic at Tufts Cummings Veterinary School in North Grafton, Massachusetts says that dogs don’t want the same things in a home than their humans want, “But dogs still have a dog agenda.”

Dogs have preferences for certain types of spaces. They like recesses where they can feel protected, and different ones would appeal for different reasons. To a dog, a recess in a kitchen is a ringside seat to much of a household’s activity. If the new kitchen will have so many base cabinets that the owners could remove the doors from one, a small dog may take it over. A recess under a desk in a study would be a safe haven from a heated family argument or loud and obnoxious guests. If the new house doesn’t have a small cozy spot, not to worry, Dodman said. “A dog will invent one because he wants a little space he can call his own.”

A dog will like a crate. He’ll like it even better if his owners cover it with a hood because that will make it feel like a den, a private space where he can be left alone. “It’s the dog equivalent of a teenager in his own room,” Dodman said.

Because a dog wants to see outdoors easily, he will like a window seat that puts him right next to a window and French doors with glass panes that are low to the floor.

For more ideas on how you can make your doggy Dogster’s home dreams come true, check out the article on Mortgage101.com.

This article comes to us via the Citizen Canine site.