The Most Popular Window Coverings for Pet Owners in Riverside
It’s an image Riverside pet owners are all too familiar with: leaving your house only to glance behind and see your dog or cat’s face peeking through the window as you walk away. For pet owners with certain window treatments, frequent trips to the window could spell disaster, as dogs and cats can cause some of the worst harm to your window treatments.
So how do you prevent pet damage? The simplest way is to pick a pet-friendly window treatment that can handle even the most finicky pets. Let’s dive into some of the best (and worst) window treatments for pet owners across California.
Window Coverings That Aren’t Pet-Friendly
Let’s start by taking a look at which window treatments pet owners shouldn’t have in the home.
Window Coverings With Cords
Similar to children’s window safety, cords can be one of the biggest issues for pet owners. Dogs and cats alike are known to play with hanging cords, which might result in damage to your window covering or in some cases, injury to your pet.
Look into window treatments without cords, whether they’re shutters that attach to the window frame or other window coverings that operate by a bottom-up top-down configuration or are automatic.
Metal Blinds
Photo courtesy Carlos Castro via Flickr (Creative Commons).
Metal blinds are possibly the absolute worst window treatment for homes with pets. Not only do the blinds typically operate by cord, but they’re extremely susceptible to damage from even the most gentle animals. Dogs or cats peeking through aluminum blinds can warp, bend, or even snap the flimsy slats, which means you’ll need to replace the whole set of blinds.
Fabric Window Treatments
Fabrics may be something to stay away from, depending on your pet and the type of window treatment. Lengthy fabrics like curtains can “pool” on the ground, making them easy for dirty paws to walk all over. Fabric window treatments also have a tendency to collect pet hair which nullifies any aesthetic value they may add. Lastly, fabrics can tear, making them perfect targets for cat claws.
Our Recommended Pet-Friendly Window Treatments
Now that we’ve seen which window coverings don’t mix well with pets, we’ll go over some pet-friendly window coverings.
Real Wood and Faux-Wood Blinds
All of the problems aluminum blinds have, wood and faux-wood blinds resolve for pet owners. Even if your pet likes to look through the window, durable wood blinds can handle more abuse than their aluminum counterparts. Also, their typically wider slats make it harder for pets to get tangled in between them.
However, be sure that if you go with wood or faux-wood blinds that you get ones that are cordless.
Plantation Shutters - The Best Window Treatment for Pets
If damage to your window treatment or injury to your pet has you worried, plantation shutters can help minimize those worries. Because they mount directly onto the window, there are no dangling cords or fabric that may cause trouble. What’s more, even if your dog or cat is able to reach them, Polywood® plantation shutters are scratch resistant and extremely durable so damage is hardly an issue.
Plantation shutters can help keep pets happy as well. Have a dog that likes to poke its head out the window as you head out? Shutters can make it easy without much risk of damage. Does your cat like to have a patch of sunlight to nap in? Simply adjust the louvers and let the sunbeams come through without giving up your privacy.
In effect, plantation shutters are the most ideal window treatment for homeowners with pets.
