Keeping Pets Away From Window Treatments

Decorations, sunshine and curiosity can attract pets to windows. Curtains, blinds and decorations located on window sills can cause harm to pets ranging from minimum injuries to death. Pets can get their necks caught in strings, swallow small objects from window sills and get intertwined in long curtains.

Spray bottles filled with water are a helpful tool to use when training pets. The stream line setting on the spray bottle is most effective. Once you observe pets near window treatments, spray clean water from the bottle towards the pet. The water will not cause harm unless directed towards the eyes or into ears. The stream of water startles and alerts pets, causing him to eventually avoid the area.

Gates that are used to prevent babies from entering into certain areas within the home are also beneficial barriers for pets. Place the barrier in the doorway of the room where the window treatments are located. This will block pets from having access to window treatments. If blocking access to the room is not possible, use a dog pen, which is a circular pen made of fabric, mesh wire, wood or plastic. Dog pens allow the dog to stay within the desired area of the room, without access to window treatments.

Pets can chew curtains, puncture and destroy blinds, and swallow small parts of window treatments. Use bitter spray as a deterrent by spraying the parts of the window treatment that the specific pet is attracted to. Commonly sprayed areas of window treatments are bottoms of curtains, figurines on window sills, blinds and curtain ties. Apply pet-safe bitter spray according to the directions on the bottle. Certain fabrics may appear stained, so test a small area located behind a fabric curtain towards the seam before spraying a large visible area.

Flowing curtains, light reflecting off of blinds and shiny objects that a pet can mistake as toys will cause most pets to try to play with the items. Distracting pets with their own toys when they approach the window treatments will train them and redirect their attention away from playing with window treatments. Using pet treats is a also a good distraction. Placing a treat inside of a pet safe nibble toy is the best way to use treats as distractions. Giving pets a treat directly from hand to mouth will cause pets to feel rewarded for going near window treatments, while the nibble toy will just distract pets away from the area.