How I pet proof my home in style

Golden maltipoo dog lying on cream throw and beside turquoise cushion on grey sofa — (Image credit: Lucy Kalice)

Content creator Lucy Kalice is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on cleaning, home decor and making the most of small spaces. See the rest of her articles here.

If you’re new here you might not know that I have the world’s most adorable dog. And that’s not me being biased (ok, maybe a little) … but he is so cute! So cute that people stop us almost every time we take him for a walk and ask to stroke him because they think he’s a cute little puppy.

And whilst he is cute and he is little, he’s actually 2.5 years old now. He’s a Maltipoo, which is a cross between a Maltese and a toy poodle, and his name is Dudley. 3.5kg of fluff has never looked cuter and he is the best!

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Now I feel like there’s a bit of an assumption that people with dogs have homes that are dirty and a little bit smelly. But I think because I’m aware of this narrative I’ve always been so careful to ensure our house doesn’t smell and isn’t dirty. And in doing so I actually think I’ve made our house more cosy and more homely.

Golden maltipoo dog resting head on cream throw on top of grey sofa

In my opinion, having a dog in the home automatically makes it more homely. Any other dog owners will know that when your dog isn’t at home with you, maybe they are having a groom or out for a walk, the house feels different, it feels empty and it’s just not the same!

I’m sure it’s the same if you have a cat or any other pet, just their presence in the house makes a huge difference. They are part of the family and part of the home!

Golden maltipoo dog lying on dark grey throw on grey sofa

Now, as I said before, there are some things I do around the house to ‘dog-proof’ it but it actually makes my home more cosy. And one of those things is having lots of blankets and cushions on the sofa.

Dogs love soft things to lay down on and my dog Dudley will always be laying on a blanket or on a cushion if he’s on a sofa (yes he’s so small he can fit on a cushion). The sofa is genuinely his favourite place in the house so of course we have to make it all comfy for him.

The blankets have the added benefit of protecting the sofa from any muddy paws and make it so much easier to keep the sofa fresh and clean. Instead of having to deep clean the sofa all the time, I just put the blankets in the wash…work harder not smarter!

The blankets and cushions are also decorative and add some texture and colour to the room which makes it more inviting. So whilst they work by protecting the sofa, they also look nice – its a win-win.

Another thing I like to do is always have a scent diffuser in every room and scented candles burning almost every day. I love candles that smell like freshly baked goods such as cinnamon, vanilla, apple. There’s something so comforting and homely about these scents.

Some of my favourite candles are DW Homes which you can get from TK Maxx and Homesense. They keep the house smelling nice and I don’t have to worry about any bad smells!

How do you pet proof your home in style?

Lucy is a content creator with a Masters degree in Broadcast Journalism from City University of London. Ever since buying her first home in 2022, she’s been obsessed with finding ways to keep spaces sparkling clean and organised.

From genius home hacks, to everyday cleaning routines, her content shares tips and tricks that inspire others to create homes that feel as good as they look. She shares her home with her partner, Sam, and their adorable dog Dudley, who often steals the spotlight of her videos.