Inside Vern's Dog-Friendly Home

(From left to right) Scooter, Hank, Bob, and Schmoo share Vern’s Atlanta home with Vern’s partner, Craig Koch; son, Gavin; and daughter, Vera

The pups sleep, eat, and chill out in a small room that connects to a side yard.

Having an area just for dogs keeps the house organized (no lost bones!), and, as Vern has learned, his pets love having their own turf. “A space that smells like their territory makes them feel safe,” he says.

Each dog has his own bed, “but a couple like to snuggle together.” Vern’s pick: the Big Shrimpy Original large bed, from $140, bigshrimpy.com. “The whole thing is machine washable.” There is nonporous, close-fitting tiles on the floor for easy mop-ups.

The wall stickers are an ode to Wag-a-Lot, the nearby pet day care/groomer/retail shop owned by Vern’s partner, Craig. Vern hung metal antler racks on the wall for leashes, and pegs above each dog’s bed for collars.