The Most Popular Window Treatments for Pet Owners in Boise
It’s an image Boise pet owners are all too familiar with: leaving your home only to glance back and see your dog or cat’s face looking at you as you leave. For pet owners with certain types of window treatments, regular trips to the window could spell disaster, as dogs and cats can cause some of the worst and lasting harm to your window treatments.
So what can you do to prevent pet damage? The easiest way is to pick a pet-friendly window covering that can stand up to even the most excitable pets. We’ve rounded up some of the best (and worst) window coverings for pet owners across Idaho.
Window Coverings That Aren’t Pet-Friendly
First, let’s take a look at what window treatments pet owners should avoid.
Corded Window Coverings
As is the case with children’s window safety, cords can be a problem for pet owners. Both dogs and cats are known to play with dangling cords, which may result in damage to your window treatment or worse, injury to your pet.
Opt instead for window treatments without cords, such as shutters that fit in the window frame or other window treatments that have a bottom-up top-down configuration or are automated.
Aluminum Blinds
Photo courtesy Carlos Castro via Flickr (Creative Commons).
Aluminum blinds are possibly the worst window treatment for homeowners with pets. Not only do they usually operate via cord, but they’re extremely vulnerable to damage from even the smallest of animals. Dogs or cats peeking through aluminum blinds can warp, bend, and even snap the thin slats, so you’ll have to replace the entire window treatment.
Fabric Window Treatments
Depending on your pet and the type of window treatment, fabrics may or may not be something to stay away from. Long fabrics like drapes can “pool” on the floor, which makes them easy for dirty paws to walk all over. Fabric window treatments also tend to collect pet hair which eliminates any style value they may add. Lastly, fabrics can tear, which means trouble for cat owners.
Our Picks for Pet-Friendly Window Treatments
Now that you’ve seen which window coverings don’t get along with pets, we’ll dive into the more pet-friendly window coverings.
Wood and Faux-Wood Blinds
Most of the problems aluminum blinds have, wood and faux-wood blinds resolve for pet owners. Even if your pet wants to poke its face through the window, resilient wood blinds can handle more abuse than aluminum blinds. Also, their typically wider slats make it more difficult for pets to get their arms or necks tangled in them.
But, make sure that if you go with wood or faux-wood blinds that you get ones without cords.
Plantation Shutters - The Most Pet Friendly Window Treatment
If damage to your window treatment or injury to your pet has you worried, plantation shutters might minimize those worries. Because they’re mounted directly into the window frame, there are no dangling cords or fabric that can cause trouble. What’s more, even if your pets are able to reach them, Polywood® plantation shutters are resistant to scratches and incredibly durable so damage is almost never an issue.
Plantation shutters keep your pets happy too. Have a dog that likes to poke its head out the window as you leave? Shutters can make it easy without risking damage. Does the cat like to have a patch of sunlight to sleep in? Simply adjust the louvers to let the sunbeams come through without giving up your privacy.
In short, plantation shutters are the perfect window covering for pet owners.
