Papa Wolf Jc blissed out with the pups in fresh powder.“What’s in your winter hiking kit for dogs ”? We’ve been adventuring with the Husky Squad in the winter for over ten years, and I’m excited to share with you what’s in our packs for our dogs, for the humans, and...
Living in a Tiny House with Dogs
After sunset at our beatiful tiny house.
Living in a Tiny House with Dogs
Are you curious what life is like living in a tiny house with dogs? Are you a dog parent who’s intrigued by tiny house living? You found the right blog! We’ve been living tiny with our three Siberian Huskies since summer 2021, and we’re excited to share with you tips & hacks on making it an amazing experience. Be sure to watch the full video tour included!
I also have a special love for interior design & natural aesthetics, so this blog will give you ideas on how to make tiny living a comfortable and extremely pleasant experience for the long-term.
WHY WE WENT TINY
We’ve been intrigued by tiny living for many many years, and current life circumstances made this become an exciting opportunity to try the lifestyle. With our never-ending thirst for adventure and exploration with our pack of three huskies, owning a home on wheels made so much sense! Our tiny house provides us a true sense of home, but her wheels allow us to stay ready for the next adventure.
LET’S TALK SPECS, APPLIANCES & HOOK-UPS
Our Tiny House is 30 feet long x 8 ½ feet wide, excluding the tongue. The width allows for easy mobility without the need for flag cars or special permits for transit. Its typical 13 ½ foot height makes for easy maneuvering under most bridges.
Our tiny house runs on propane and energy efficient appliances and lights. We have a propane tankless (on-demand) water heater, and a propane stove/oven. For water, the tiny house is connected to a water well, and the kitchen tap water gets purified with our amazing Epic Smart Shield.
The Husky Squad ordered a Mini Split AC system to keep their husky needs met in the summer, and we opted for a mini wood stove for the frigid long northern winters. A reliable air conditioning system is essential for living in a tiny house with dogs. The mini wood stove is one of our favorite features of our home, and we use it throughout late fall, winter, and early spring.
NON TOXIC COOKWARE
Toxic-free cookware is essential for good health, and we LOVE our gorgeous Caraway Cookware set. It’s durable, aesthetically pleasing, non-stick, pleasure to cook in, and so easy to clean.
Because we love our set so much, we teamed up with Caraway to give you a discount on your healthy cookware set!
TINY CHALET AESTHETICS
The interior design is inspired by our adventures with the Husky Squad around the world. Our love for nature, camping, mountaineering, and cabin hopping inspired us to design our exterior to blend into the environment, and our interior cladded with natural looking materials like wood and stone. Instead of going for the typical big bright white color palette (to make the small space feel bigger) we chose to deck out our interior with wood and grays to mimic the soothing feeling we experience in European chalets and the natural elements of trees and rocks in nature. This decision is probably our favorite aspect of our tiny house, even a year later. The cozy and soothing vibe is unreal and impossible to describe with words.
HACKS FOR TINY HOUSE LIVING WITH DOGS
We designed our tiny house with open space in mind. Instead of cramming-in as much furniture and “things” as possible, we opted for open space to roam more freely. We also went for medium tones because light and dark colors show dog hair even more. These elements pay off tremendously, especially whenliving in a tiny house with dogs.
1. Practical Large Sofa & Sleeping Spaces
We designed our U-Shape sofa to mainly cater to the Husky Squad’s needs for lounging, sleeping, and relaxing with us. We all fit very comfortably as a family, and there’s ample room for one more big fur kid if we wanted to go that route 😉
I handmade and sewed the cushion casings as well as the cushion covers. Both are machine washable, but we usually wash the cushion covers weekly.
2. Outside Living
One of the reasons to go tiny is to spend more time outside, and yes that’s even for our home. We have a large garden where the Husky Squad spends a lot of time. We eat outside by the fire, we do training sessions with the pups, and enjoy coffee breaks outside too. Nikolai LOVES doing zoomies outside! I recommend being mindful when choosing a place for your tiny house. Pick a place that will give you and the dogs the ability to spend a lot of time outside.
3. Dog Manners
Well behaved pups with great manners are always essential, but it’s even more important when living tiny. The Husky Squad is trained to eat together in small spaces without getting into quarrels. Each family member understands their place, respects each other’s space, and enjoys a life with proper boundaries, which gives us all an incredibly tranquil life. To learn the Husky Squad Method, be sure to save your seat here for our upcoming Training & Bonding Course.
4. The Dog Glitter (ehm, fur)
Jc and I have always had a weekly home cleaning routine, but with three huskies in a smaller space, we do a five minute vacuum as part of our morning routine. It’s fast, and AMAZING how much it helps! We also recommend a healthy home-made diet for healthier coats, a weekly grooming session, and a bathing routine at least every three months. Washable sofa covers do absolute wonders, too!
5. Clean Water
Put the water bowl on the wheel-well space! Dirt can accumulate faster in smaller spaces therefore raising the water bowl on the wheel well area helps so much! Choose a sturdy glass water bowl, and always wash it at least once a day, tiny or not
6. Food Space
We feed our dogs a healthy, affordable, home-made, raw food diet, and therefore a tall, full-size fridge/freezer is essential. Drawer style freezers store food a lot better, and opting out of ice makers and built-in water filters gives so much more room. Square glass storage containers fit more food and store better than round. Feeding raw doesn’t take up much more space! Kibble bags are huge, kibble containers are big too – and kibble is extremely unhealthy. Since we healed our Kimahri from cancer in 2018 using real food, we’ve not looked back since. Learn how to feed your dog a healthy raw food diet in our Kibble to Raw Course.
7. Exercise
Tiny or not, daily exercise is oh so important for our overall health and well-being, but when you live tiny, you’ll have to make sure you get everyone’s fitness needs met. We take the Husky Squad to #GetTheHuskyOut every day, and they are always happy to come home and lounge on the sofa for hours.
NO COMPROMISES
In order to make tiny living realistic, we designed our space with longevity in mind. There are some things we knew we needed in order to feel comfortable for the long run.
1. A Full-size Tub
I love baths and a large comfortable shower space.
3. Dishwasher
Hand washing dishes takes more time and makes counters feel way more cluttered, especially when you live in your kitchen 24/7. We LOVE our 18 inch three-rack silent Bosch.
4. Full Size Fridge Freeze
Because the five us like eating healthy, fresh food, a small counter height version simply wouldn’t cut it. We researched the heck out of our 24 inch fridge/freezer!
5. Dedicated Work Space
We’ve been working from home for over ten years, and a dedicated workspace is essential. We have efficient Mac Minis plugged into large 27 inch monitors with ample space for all work needs. Jc hardwired our internet which makes our home safer and healthier than using Wifi consistently.
6. Ultra Comfortable, thick Queen Size Mattress
Because there’s nothing like a good-night rest. Our amazing mattress is 10 inches thick, and we love it!
7. Mini Wood Stove
Because nothing heats a home better in deep winter than wood. With five sets of lungs breathing in a small space, moisture and condensation can build easily. Therefore, propane heating was a no-go and it’s also extremely expensive to run for extended deep winter months. And honestly, the vibe of this little wood stove makes our fall and winter cozy and magical.
8. Full sized Non Toxic Cookware Set
Our Caraway cookware set is the highlight of our meals, healthy living is something I refuse to compromise on. The entire beautiful sage color set fits perfectly in our big drawer, and compliments our kitchen and decor when in use.
FULL TINY HOUSE TOUR
Watch the tour of our Tiny House here.
BONUS TINY HOUSE HACKS
European Style “Tilt & Turn” windows are a must for tiny homes. These style windows allow you to have better airflow during rain and snow since tiny houses hardly ever allow for roof overhangs.
Washable rugs are essential for any home. Runners make for a perfect option in the main area, and an entry rug is important to catch anything as soon as you walk in. Rugs are also amazing for dogs since most floors are slippery, which can cause mobility issues long term.
We keep a big soft laundry basket in the bathtub when the tub is not in use. It’s just another great way to make dual use of space comfortably.
Finding a triple purpose shoe rack was space changing! Ours has a coat rack and mini table which makes the space even more usable and compact.
Husky Squad’s Amazon Shop
You’ll find a curated list for many of our products in our Tiny House. Click the button below.
MY CLOSING THOUGHTS
About Living Tiny With Dogs
We covered a lot in this blog about living in a tiny house with big dogs. I recommend thinking vertically when you design your space, and opting for soothing, natural color palettes instead of bright white or strong contrasting colors. Gentle natural tones create a space that feels good subconsciously, which feels good for the long term. As an interior designer, bright whites feel more aggressive to the mind in the evenings or nights which is the time you spend in your home most of the time. Soft evening ambient and mood lighting is essential for unwinding and relaxation for all household members. Using candles during winter evenings and nights makes our living space extra cozy. Be sure to watch our tour video to see how our Tiny House feels in the evening.
Did we cover everything you were curious about? Was this blog helpful and enjoyable to read? Drop us a comment below, or ask us any questions you may have. We’re planning to film an exterior autumn video where we show you the magical space we’re creating outside our tiny house.
What’s In Our Winter Hiking Kit For Dogs + Safety Tips
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