Many people view their dogs as members of their families, just with a little extra hair. Unfortunately, dogs don’t always know how to act like a human so they can accidentally cause damage to homes. One of the most common complaints from dog owners is scratches on the window sills.
You can’t blame the dogs. They want to see the neighbors and warn you of any danger. It isn’t their fault that they get overexcited and their claws dig into wood or plastic window sills. Luckily, there are several easy solutions to prevent your dog from damaging your window sills.
Different homes have different kinds of windows and sills, so you’ll need to find the solution that works best for you.
1. Protection Tape
Protection tape is a clear adhesive strip that can be applied to the top of your window sills. The protection tape is low-cost and will blend in with the existing color of your window sills. You can easily cut the tape to fit any window size. The tape can also be applied to doors, carpets, walls, and other locations where dogs might scratch or jump.
2. Plastic Protector
Another invisible option for protecting your window sills is a plastic protector. These protectors come in a variety of sizes to fit most windows. They are secured using velcro adhesives that can be easily removed.
The plastic protectors cover the top of the window sill and have a small lip that covers the front edge also. This material is sturdier than protection tape, so you should never need to replace it.
3. Training
By training your dog not to jump up on window sills, you can prevent scratches from happening altogether. However, this is easier said than done. Guarding the house and patrolling the yard is instinctual for most dogs and the behavior can be hard to break.
If you cannot stop your dogs from jumping up on windowsills, you may be able to train them not to scratch and paw at the window sills when they get excited. Train them to respond or signal to “threats” in a different way, such as coming to you.
One drawback of relying on training to protect your window sills is that you can enforce the rules when you are not home. If your dogs are not secured in crates when they are home alone, this method may not work for you.
4. Tile or Stone
Some homes actually come with marble or granite window sills. These materials are scratch-proof and easy to clean. If you own your home, you may look into having your wood or plastic window sills replaced with a sturdier material.
A DIY solution is to buy adhesive backsplash tiles or river pebbles with netting on the back. These can be cut to the size of your window sills. The adhesive backsplash is peel and stick and the river pebbles just need a contractor’s glue to be applied.
5. Block the Windows
There are two ways that you can block the windows. To prevent your dogs from being able to see out the window, place cardboard or another material on the bottom portion of the window. It only needs to be tall enough to block the dog’s view of the outside, so light can still come in the window.
You can also use furniture or a dog fence to block the window sill. This will only work with the right combination of dog size and type of furniture you have. Dog fences can be helpful for dogs who are able to roam the house when you are gone.
6. Towels
Towels are an affordable way to protect your window sills, but they are not necessarily the most attractive option. You can either cut the towels to fit your sills or fold them.
Tuck the towel into the window frame and secure the window down. This will keep the towel in place, even with an excited dog scratching and pulling on the material.
7. Cardboard
This is one of the least attractive but most affordable options to protect your window sills. Just cut any piece of cardboard to the size of your window sill. You can use packing tape or painter’s tape to hold it in place.
The cardboard is not the strongest material, so it may need to be replaced periodically. Use thicker, corrugated cardboard (like from shipping boxes) to get the longest use out of each piece.
8. Keep Blinds and Curtains Shut
If your dog is good about not scratching the window sills when you are home but tends to cause damage when you are out, this is an easy option. By blocking their view outside using blinds and curtains, they are less likely to hop up on the window sill. Additionally, they will not get over-excited when they see another dog or a neighbor walking by (because they won’t be able to see them).
It is easy to close up your blinds or curtains before you leave the house, but it can be annoying to have to close up every time you leave. If you secure your dog in a single room while you are gone, it won’t take as long to block the windows.
9. Aluminum Foil
This is one of the ugliest solutions and it does not work for all dogs. Many dogs hate the feeling and sound that aluminum foil makes when they touch it. Just loosely position aluminum foil around your window sills. Make sure that it is crinkled a little bit so it makes noise when it is touched.
As a bonus, cats also hate the feeling of aluminum foil. This will also keep your cats off the window sills.
