Congratulations on the new addition to your home! It is often a fun time for a household bringing home a new puppy dog. But it can also mean the beginning of a trying, sleepless time for the family. This stress can be reduced by making the effort to correctly prepare your home for the new arrival. The trick is to do a comprehensive job of this before you bring the puppy home. Of course there are always things the puppy will get into that are more difficult to predict, but here are some tips which will forestall most incidents in your house.
The puppy-proofing your house comes in 3 sections:
1. Making your house safe for a new pet. Removing all dangers, anything posing a safety risk for puppy.
2. Defending your stuff. Doing all you can to guard your valuable items against curious paws, fangs and dirt.
3. Training your dog. Teaching your dog to safely and politely act in your home. This needs to start day one.
This article is going to generally focus on sections 1 and 2, what can be done before the puppy arrives to make the best environment possible for both you and your pet. For more information on section 3, coaching your new puppy, refer to further articles.
Puppy-proofing Suggestions
- Walk around your place and have a look at everything through the eyes of a puppy dog. Check for hazardous items that can be damaged or pose a safety risk, and take away the items or secure them in order that they are beyond puppy dog's reach.
- Identify areas of the house where you cannot simply remove possibly dangerous items and consider where you could put up dog gates to keep puppy out of dangerous areas of the home.
- Consider buying a crate to use when you have to confine puppy to a secure place and cannot be available to keep a continual eye on him.
- When puppy isn't crated and you are available, keep close, consistent supervision over your puppy.
- Place safety catches on cupboards, drawers, compartments, doors that occupy objects puppy dog shouldn't be sticking a nose in.
- Make sure all electrical cords are out of reach of puppy. These pose a serious safety threat to a young, teething puppy. If you can't fully remove them from the area, try covering the cords in rubber tubing.
- Similarly make sure all loose cords, such as those on window treatments, are shorter than 7 inches and are out of pup's reach. These pose choking risks and other perils.
- Spray all areas that could encourage chewing with a sour tasting deterrent spray. This works very well for lower walls, banisters, cords, furniture, and more.
- Give your puppy dog some chew-toys. These will keep them busy and ease them when they are teething in addition to providing a substitute for gnawing your dear furniture and shoes.
- Lock up your shoes and other items that could be fun for the puppy to chew on. Anything the puppy has access to could seem like a fun chew toy to the puppy and the puppy does not know the difference between a toy and an Italian loafer.
- Protect your breakables. These can be threatening for the puppy and irreplaceable for you. Best to put them way up high, out of the puppy's reach or move them to a secure part of the house where the puppy can't get at them
- Do not tempt the puppy by leaving food round the house. Clear away food as soon as you are finished with it and be particularly aware of food that's threatening to the puppy. It is only natural that the puppy will take any chance to mow down.
- Beware of any potential places puppy dog might fall from such as a staircase or a balcony. Put up a dog gate to barricade any hazardous areas and make sure the gate is securely installed.
- Check for dangerous plants. Now's an excellent time for a botany lesson. Check to make certain that all plants in the house are not poisonous or otherwise dangerous to puppy.
- Use puppy-proof rubbish bins and/or keep them out of reach of puppy.
- Keep an eye out for anything the puppy could burn or cut themselves on. Pay total attention to objects like ashtrays and candles, hearths, heaters, and anything with sharp edges.
- Lock up all dangerous chemicals, cleaning supplies, cosmetics, and so on.
- Keep doors to the oven, refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, washing machine and dryer closed at all times. You might like to place notes on those items to remind family members to peek inside before using them. Puppies love tumble dryers.
- Keep the toilet lid down, or simply keep the restroom door closed at all times. Puppies love drinking from the toilet, and worse, can drown in toilets or baths.
- Remove long hanging table cloths. Puppy dog will yank this down and the rest with it.
- Plastic shopping bags are a dangerous item for puppies. They pose a risk of choking and suffocation.
- Maintain clean, clear kitchen counters. This will prevent your puppy dog from being tempted to investigate, and possibly find something tasty.
Many of those tips will also set puppy up for positive behaviour habits. Keeping food clear, and countertops clean will help stop your dog from getting into the habit of begging and eating scraps, or scrounging for them. Spraying a bitter tasting deterrent on items that could be tempting to chew will help prevent your puppy from seeking this out as well.
Following these steps is a good start to ensuring you and your puppy dog will be comfortable once he or she arrives. Happy coaching!
The puppy-proofing your house comes in 3 sections:
1. Making your house safe for a new pet. Removing all dangers, anything posing a safety risk for puppy.
2. Defending your stuff. Doing all you can to guard your valuable items against curious paws, fangs and dirt.
3. Training your dog. Teaching your dog to safely and politely act in your home. This needs to start day one.
This article is going to generally focus on sections 1 and 2, what can be done before the puppy arrives to make the best environment possible for both you and your pet. For more information on section 3, coaching your new puppy, refer to further articles.
Puppy-proofing Suggestions
- Walk around your place and have a look at everything through the eyes of a puppy dog. Check for hazardous items that can be damaged or pose a safety risk, and take away the items or secure them in order that they are beyond puppy dog's reach.
- Identify areas of the house where you cannot simply remove possibly dangerous items and consider where you could put up dog gates to keep puppy out of dangerous areas of the home.
- Consider buying a crate to use when you have to confine puppy to a secure place and cannot be available to keep a continual eye on him.
- When puppy isn't crated and you are available, keep close, consistent supervision over your puppy.
- Place safety catches on cupboards, drawers, compartments, doors that occupy objects puppy dog shouldn't be sticking a nose in.
- Make sure all electrical cords are out of reach of puppy. These pose a serious safety threat to a young, teething puppy. If you can't fully remove them from the area, try covering the cords in rubber tubing.
- Similarly make sure all loose cords, such as those on window treatments, are shorter than 7 inches and are out of pup's reach. These pose choking risks and other perils.
- Spray all areas that could encourage chewing with a sour tasting deterrent spray. This works very well for lower walls, banisters, cords, furniture, and more.
- Give your puppy dog some chew-toys. These will keep them busy and ease them when they are teething in addition to providing a substitute for gnawing your dear furniture and shoes.
- Lock up your shoes and other items that could be fun for the puppy to chew on. Anything the puppy has access to could seem like a fun chew toy to the puppy and the puppy does not know the difference between a toy and an Italian loafer.
- Protect your breakables. These can be threatening for the puppy and irreplaceable for you. Best to put them way up high, out of the puppy's reach or move them to a secure part of the house where the puppy can't get at them
- Do not tempt the puppy by leaving food round the house. Clear away food as soon as you are finished with it and be particularly aware of food that's threatening to the puppy. It is only natural that the puppy will take any chance to mow down.
- Beware of any potential places puppy dog might fall from such as a staircase or a balcony. Put up a dog gate to barricade any hazardous areas and make sure the gate is securely installed.
- Check for dangerous plants. Now's an excellent time for a botany lesson. Check to make certain that all plants in the house are not poisonous or otherwise dangerous to puppy.
- Use puppy-proof rubbish bins and/or keep them out of reach of puppy.
- Keep an eye out for anything the puppy could burn or cut themselves on. Pay total attention to objects like ashtrays and candles, hearths, heaters, and anything with sharp edges.
- Lock up all dangerous chemicals, cleaning supplies, cosmetics, and so on.
- Keep doors to the oven, refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, washing machine and dryer closed at all times. You might like to place notes on those items to remind family members to peek inside before using them. Puppies love tumble dryers.
- Keep the toilet lid down, or simply keep the restroom door closed at all times. Puppies love drinking from the toilet, and worse, can drown in toilets or baths.
- Remove long hanging table cloths. Puppy dog will yank this down and the rest with it.
- Plastic shopping bags are a dangerous item for puppies. They pose a risk of choking and suffocation.
- Maintain clean, clear kitchen counters. This will prevent your puppy dog from being tempted to investigate, and possibly find something tasty.
Many of those tips will also set puppy up for positive behaviour habits. Keeping food clear, and countertops clean will help stop your dog from getting into the habit of begging and eating scraps, or scrounging for them. Spraying a bitter tasting deterrent on items that could be tempting to chew will help prevent your puppy from seeking this out as well.
Following these steps is a good start to ensuring you and your puppy dog will be comfortable once he or she arrives. Happy coaching!
About the Author:
Pamela Noble enjoys writing articles on useful family topics for DogFolks.com. You can find further info on pet gates and dog crateson the Dog Folks site.
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