So, you’re bringing home a new dog? Congratulations! We wish nothing but the best for you and your new furry friend. Before they arrive, however, you must effectively puppy proof your home. You don’t want the dog to get into trouble or accidentally swallow foreign objects. Below you can find a complete checklist with the important basics for ensuring the pet is safe in your house.
Move Poisonous Houseplants Out of Reach
Some houseplants in your collection could be poisonous to your companion. To stop the dog from consuming these plants, you must remove them or keep them out of reach. Common poisonous houseplants to your dog are aloe vera, pothos, ivy, ZZ plants, and elephant ear—ensure you don’t have any of these plants hanging around an area your dog can reach.
Keep All Chemicals & Medications Behind Cabinets or in Drawers
Puppies are typically explorers because they’re new to this world. Their curious minds oftentimes get them in trouble. To avoid a mischievous dog, enclose all chemicals and medications behind cabinets or in drawers so that your pet cannot get to them. Some of these products could be toxic to dogs and quickly become dangerous to their health if they consume the item.
Protect Your Hardwood Floor
It is not affordable to replace or refurnish hardwood floors. Puppies have sharp nails that could scratch the floor—plus, they’re still in the early stages of potty training and could have numerous accidents. You could avoid this fiasco entirely if you were to protect the wood floors from pets right away by placing down pee pads, among other things.
Conceal Electrical Cords
Once a puppy hits the teething stage, prying their mouths away from objects is hard. Exposed electrical cords could be enticing to your new pet, so conceal them. In addition to electrical work, put away any small items that could also become choking hazards.
Secure Trash Can Lids
A common incident that happens with puppies are they get into the trash and leave a mess everywhere. If your garbage can does not have a lid currently, consider investing in one to avoid cleaning up unwanted messes. Check every trash can throughout the home to effectively puppy-proof them.
Keep Windows & Doors Closed
Do not leave windows or doors wide open where the puppy can escape. You could easily avoid chasing after a dog if you consciously closed all doors and windows after entering or opening them.
Take a walk around your home and identify possible hazards. Check items off this list before bringing home the dog so that you can avoid mishaps. How will you puppy-proof your home?
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Susie Young Baxter, CEO, has published PanoramaNOW Magazine for 31 years. Her hobbies are Camping, Boating, Hiking, Nature, Gardening and Outdoor Activities. She is an Artist, Graphic Designer, an Avid Seamstress, Dabbles in Homemade Crafts and Landscaping. Since her Father was a Health Teacher, she also likes homeopathic Health Solutions. Since blogging started over 10 years ago, PanoramaNow has been added to Newsbreak – a national news affiliate.
