The Most Popular Window Treatments for Pet Owners in Cincinnati
There’s an image pet owners in Cincinnati probably know too well: leaving your home only to look behind and see your dog or cat’s face peeking through the window as you leave. For pet owners with certain window coverings, regular trips to the window may mean trouble, as dogs and cats can make for some of the worst accidental damage to your window treatments.
So how can you protect against pet damage? The easiest way is to choose a pet-friendly window treatment that can handle even the most finicky pets. Let’s learn about some of the best (and worst) window treatments for pet owners throughout Ohio.
Non Pet-Friendly Window Coverings
Let’s start by taking a look at which window treatments homeowners with pets shouldn’t have in the home.
Window Coverings With Cords
As is the case with window safety for children, cords can be a big issue for pet owners. Both dogs and cats are known to play with dangling cords, which can result in damage to your window treatment or in some cases, injury to your pet.
Opt instead for window treatments without cords, whether they’re shutters that attach to the window frame or other window treatments that feature a top-down bottom-up configuration or are automated.
Metal Blinds
Photo courtesy Carlos Castro via Flickr (Creative Commons).
Metal blinds are probably the absolute worst window treatment for homeowners with pets. Not only do the blinds typically operate by cord, but they’re incredibly susceptible to damage from even the most gentle animals. Dogs or cats poking their heads through aluminum blinds can warp, bend, and even snap the thin slats, so you’ll have to replace the whole set of blinds.
Fabric Window Coverings
Fabrics might be something to stay away from, depending on your pet and the style of window covering. Lengthy fabrics like curtains can “puddle” on the floor, making them easy for dirty paws to stain. Fabric window coverings also frequently collect pet hair which eliminates any style value they can add. Lastly, fabrics can tear, which means trouble for cat owners.
Top Recommendations for Pet-Friendly Window Treatments
Now that you’ve seen which window coverings don’t get along with pets, we’ll go over some pet-friendly window coverings.
Wood and Faux-Wood Blinds
All of the issues aluminum blinds have, wood and faux-wood blinds fix for pet owners. No matter if your pet wants to look through the window, durable wood blinds can handle more abuse than their aluminum counterparts. In addition, their wide slats make it more difficult for pets to get their bodies tangled in between them.
However, be sure that if you buy wood or faux-wood blinds that you opt for 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 reduce those concerns. Since they’re mounted directly onto the window, there aren’t any dangling cords or fabric that might cause trouble. And, even if your pet is able to reach them, Polywood® plantation shutters are scratch resistant and extremely durable so damage is almost never a concern.
Plantation shutters keep your pets happy as well. Does your dog want to poke its head out the window as you leave? Shutters can let it do so without much risk of damage. Does the kitten want a patch of sunlight to lounge in? You can easily tilt the louvers and let the sunbeams come through without giving up your privacy.
Simply put, plantation shutters are the most ideal window covering for pet owners.
