Puppy “Sizzle”
I’ve found that being a pet owner has given me a different appreciation for adding “sizzle features” during home remodeling. When I first bought my home in the Spring of 2016, it wasn’t because of the big fenced in back yard, or because the neighborhood was dog-friendly, or even because it had an extra sliding door on the side that let more light in. I fell in love with my home because of the view and the interior layout, and the fact that it was in the perfect location. I was single and pet-less at the time, so all I had to worry about was me. Fast forward nearly 4 years later and I’m now the proud owner of two adopted fur babies, Coty and Xena.
Coty was the first to arrive on the scene in 2017. He’s a husky and akita mix, so he’s huge, likes to go in and out often (what dog doesn’t right?), constantly “talks” to me and seeks attention (especially when I’m on the phone), and he sheds like nobody’s business 3 times a year (don’t ask me why it’s 3, but it is). I could tell he was taken care of by his former owners because he is well-trained and very loving. He takes his treats outside to enjoy and has never had an accident in the house. I consider myself lucky.
Xena arrived in the Fall of 2019 and it took a bit of adjustment to get used to having two dogs instead of one. She’s a barker and a lot less friendly to strangers than Coty. With Coty, I knew someone had entered the front gate when he got up and quietly walked to the front door and waited for me to join him and open it so he could happily greet the new arrival. Xena, on the other hand, barks the second she hears a sound and doesn’t stop until I’ve given her another stern command, usually well after the person has come inside and we’ve been talking for a bit. Haha Now she’s my shadow, super loyal, and very loving.
So why am I even writing this on a real estate investment blog page? It’s because I see property and homes through a different lens now. The big 6-foot fence that surrounds my home allows the dogs to be outside without me having to worry about them. The side sliding door that I never used before permitted the installation of a large size dog door, so they can go in and out whenever they want to. The extra water spicket on the back patio allowed me to install a self-sustaining water bowl (man o’ man, they sure drink a lot of water!). And the hardwood floors that I now have throughout the house are easy to clean.
These would never be considered sizzle features to a non-pet owner..they definitely were not for me prior to Coty, but now when I look at a home I’m considering remodeling I see a fence, a spicket, and a side door in a different way. My selection of flooring has a different mindset, which works equally as well for families with small kids too. The house has a pool..? How safe is the access to it for kids AND pets? The lake with walking trails, located at the bottom of the hill, is pet-friendly and the dog park is only .8 miles away. Now THAT’s what I call sizzle! For many families, our fur babies are just like our children. We want them to have the best of everything, just like we “hoomans” do.
More mega cuteness of our Xotic dogs…
