Big dog, small home: How to make room for a four-legged roommate
From tiny house to apartment to condo, here are seven options to make a small home feel more comfortable with a pet
Four cats. One dog. And living on a bus. No matter what else happened in this “Tiny House Giant Journey” video, I couldn’t get past how many pets are living with this family of six (husband, wife, four kids). Junee (my Hound mix) would lose her mind in a tiny home with that many people.
After walking my own dog last night, she stopped to get her paws wiped before marching past three rooms to go sleep in a pitch-black bedroom. Without a word (or bark), she basically told me, “I need privacy.”
It was one of the first things I picked up on about my Hound mix. There are times when she just does not want to be bothered. And because she’s a majority black dog, her fur can easily blend in when she decides to find the darkest room she can for “me time.” When we’d visit my parents’ house, she’d get fed up with all the lights on in all the rooms. (I’m a tree hugger who uses sunlight as much as possible to light any room and motion detector lights far more often than ceiling lights. My mother, on the other hand, loves to turn on a light in every single room she enters and never turn them off.)
Junee prowled around my childhood home, looking for the darkest spot she could — without going into their basement (which she is oddly afraid of). Her hideout? The front door by the coat closet. The only reason we figured out where she was — after hiding in the dark and falling asleep — was because she shifted her head. The bright white patch under her neck area gave her away. At one point, she ran through the backyard, to the garage and refused to get out of the backseat of my car when she wanted to go home. Party animal? Nope. Homebody? Definitely.
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Is it a bad idea to adopt a medium or large dog in a small home?
When I first considered pet adoption, I skipped past Junee. From her puppy pic and the size of her paws, I thought she’d be too big as an adult dog and we’d be in each other’s way in a one-bedroom condo. Turns out it’s the opposite. The only time she’s in my way is when she thinks she’s going to get a dog treat or a baby carrot. Then, she’s under my legs to figure out when I’m going to open the fridge or take one out of a counter container. The other 99% of the time, she’s a breeze to live with — and sometimes I’ll go find her to snuggle on her dog couch.
Homeowners who become pet owners must be able to make room for their pets. Keeping their supplies in an organized fashion is the easiest way to do that.
So, what can apartment dwellers and homeowners with no backyards do to make a small(er) home feel bigger? Try out these seven pet supplies.
Seven supplies to make a small home feel less crowded with a dog
1. Multi-Functional Crates: Invest in a crate that can be placed under steps or buy a multi-functional crate with a surface that can be used as a coffee table, bookshelf or a shoe holder. By using a multi-functional crate, you can avoid clumsily pushing furniture around to make room for a plain crate, or giving up altogether and plopping it in the middle of a room.
Hideaway Dog Food and Water Dishes: While a dog water dish and food dish may be in plain sight, there will be that dreaded night when you come home and your foot accidentally tips it over. By using hideaway dog dishes that can be stored on shelves or inside of a crate, this eliminates needing a place for a mat. And if it’s a foldable crate, even better for travel!
Multi-Functional Dog Bins: While it may be simple enough to just put your dog’s clothes and other pet supplies in the back of a kitchen cabinet, you may end up constantly going in and out of that one cabinet to dig them out again. If you can find a pet closet that serves multiple purposes (ex. dog toy holder), even better! Although these kinds of bins are more popular for human babies, there’s a reason some pet owners refer to their dogs as “fur babies.” Additionally, these multi-functional bins can easily slide into the bottom of a closet when not in use.
Or, look for a hidden drawer in a shoe rack or hidden underneath a seat.
Multi-Hook Hanger: While these hooks are intended for bras and sports caps, multi-hook hangers can also come in handy for leashes, harnesses, dog collars and dog chains. If everyone in your household keeps dog supplies all in one place, then you won’t have to search around in cabinets and couches to see where they disappeared to.
OTANIX Bra Hangers for Closet Organizer, Tank Top Sports Bra Belt and Tie Hanger, Space Saving Hooks 
Binboov Hat Rack for Baseball Caps Hat Organizer Holder for Hanger & Room Closet Display 5. Plush Toy Wall Hammock: Maybe you’re a seamstress who is fed up with your dog chewing on soft items. Or, maybe you’re tired of tripping on your own dog’s plush animals. At night, and when you can’t keep an eye on your pet, keep those lightweight items safely organized on a wall hammock.
6. Over-the-Door Organizer: Hang an over-the-door organizer to keep track of leashes, harnesses, dog clothes, collars and other pet supplies that may accidentally get tossed (and buried) around the living room or kitchen. (Avoid using this option in your studio apartment or condo if this would block your locks or windows. Don’t create an unnecessary hazard in an emergency. Choose the outside of your bathroom door or either side of your bedroom door instead, assuming there’s no wall mirror mounted on it.)
Travel First Aid Kit for Dogs: If you are constantly on the go (or lucky enough to have a pet-friendly workplace) and find yourself unpacking and repacking the same things, keep your dog travel items in a backpack. This way, you’ll immediately be able to tell when you need to replenish some items inside. A pet backpack is also a perfect place to keep a first aid kit for dogs and use as a dog-walking bag. You don’t want to wait until the emergency happens to have to scramble for supplies.
By using any of these seven pet supplies, it’s possible to make your new-pet-owning home feel safe and easy to navigate for both of you.
Shamontiel is a dog lover to her core: 631 completed walks with 101 dogs, eight dog-housesittings and six dog boardings at the time of this publication.
Did you enjoy this post? You’re also welcome to check out my Substack columns “Black Girl In a Doggone World,” “BlackTechLogy,” “Homegrown Tales,” “I Do See Color,” “One Black Woman’s Vote” and “Window Shopping” too. Subscribe to this newsletter for the weekly posts every Wednesday. Thanks for reading!