Townhome Living with Your Furry Friend

Whether you’re downsizing or purchasing your first home, ensuring your furry friend’s comfort is just as important as your own. Here we’ll discuss tips and tricks to ensure your pet lives his/her best life with you in your new Vastland Community.

Remind Yourself That Some People Just Don’t Like Pets

While it might be hard to believe that some people genuinely don’t like pets, those people do exist. And there are often more of them floating around than you might imagine. Because of this, you’ll need to be mindful of other residents—they may dislike the fact that you keep a dog or a cat.

Here’s some quick advice to minimize conflict: 

• Make sure that your animals stay quiet at night. People living close to you need sleep just as much as you do.
• Don’t overuse shared spaces, like the foyer or communal garden. Instead, take your pet to the park if they need to get out. 
• Accept that some people will never warm to your animals, no matter how long they live close to them. Don’t force your furry companion on those who don’t want it.

Stay Respectful

Pets, like children, can get a little smelly and noisy from time to time. And while that’s totally okay if you love your dog or cat, it can be a massive problem for your neighbors. Nobody wants to wake up to the smell of cat litter at 5 am. 

To keep smells to a minimum, make sure that you regularly clean up pet waste. Give your pet a bath weekly (or take them to the grooming parlor), and get all your upholstered furniture professionally cleaned as soon as it starts to smell. You don’t want neighbors encountering a wall of stench every time they leave their home. 

To reduce noise, practice teaching your pet to be quiet in the house. Follow online instructions telling you what you need to do and how you can prevent pets from getting over-excited whenever you come home from work. 

Clean Up After Your Animal

Leaving a giant mound of pet poop in a shared garden is a big no-no. Doing this will get you into trouble with the rest of the community pretty quickly. 

Instead, make sure that you clean up after your pet. Most communities have a pet pick-up station, meaning that even if you don’t have a poop bag with you, you can still clean things up. 

Don’t Let Cats Roam Community Grounds Freely

Neighbors can get seriously annoyed by Mr. Fluffy freely exploring communal grounds, particularly if he has a penchant for decapitating innocent birds. Keep your cat indoors or, if you have a private outdoor space, make sure that they are fenced off from the rest of the community. 

Keep Dogs Leashed

Lastly, keep your dog on a leash. Even though Fido is always super friendly, most residents won’t want him jumping up and giving them a face full of dog breath. Instead, keep your dog leashed and scope out designated areas where you can run off-leash with your furry friend. There are many companies that make leashes specific for outdoor activities that can help leave you hands-free while still maintaining a hold on your dog. We suggest looking into these active lifestyle leashes so you and your pet can enjoy the outdoors safely, but still in style.

Furry Friends at Vastland Communities

Your furry companions mean the world to you and there’s no reason why they shouldn’t live their best life right beside you. At Vastland Communities, we’re proud to be a dog and cat friendly community—bringing furry friends together. To find a Vastland Community near you, visit our website today.