How to Make Your Home Puppy Proof

Puppies, as a general rule, are small. They’re also inquisitive. Like babies, they will explore the world around them by chewing on it. It is for this reason it is important to puppy proof your home.

• To prepare your home for the new arrival, get down on their level. Look around on the floor to see if there are things which could be hazardous to your puppy’s health. Use a flashlight to look under furniture to find small items which a puppy could choke on.
• Consider the electrical cords you have in your home. If they’re on the ground where a puppy can reach them, the puppy will decide they’re fair game to chew. Electrical cords, once chewed, can shock the puppy and possibly kill it. You can tape the cords to the floor, spray bad tasting chemicals on the cords, or tie them up to keep them out of the puppy’s reach.
• Put up any items you don’t want destroyed. Puppies don’t think about what they’re doing when they chew on items. They’re trying to learn about the world around them and chewing to alleviate the pain from teething, much like a baby would do. So if you want to keep things safe, it’s best to move them to a different location.
• Another way to keep puppies from chewing your things is to provide them with plenty of toys and chews. This will give them things they’re allowed to chew on, but don’t be surprised if they still chew on things they shouldn’t. However, with proper training you can teach them not to chew.
• Purchase a crate to be used as a safe place for your puppy to sleep in when you’re not home, or doing something which could hurt the puppy. Put a cushion for a bed and toys in it. Leave the door open while you’re home so the puppy can come and go as it pleases. You can also get a child gate to keep your puppy in one room which has been puppy proofed while you’re at home. This will give them another safe place to stay while you’re busy doing other things.
• Take a look around for houseplants which may be dangerous to a dog. Lily of the Valley and daffodils are two to be concerned with. A veterinarian will be able to give you a list of other plants to keep out of their reach.
• Put all plastic shopping bags where the puppy can’t get to them. If a puppy eats a shopping bag it could cause an intestinal blockage which is life threatening. It’s also a good idea to put all food scraps outdoors so the puppy won’t be tempted to go into the garbage.
• Keep toilet lids closed so the puppy won’t drink out of them. The chemicals used to clean toilets can be dangerous. A puppy is also at risk of falling into a toilet and drowning.

When figuring out how to make your home puppy proof, don’t forget about closing doors. If you don’t want your puppy to run away, keep the doors and windows closed. Having your home ready for your puppy will make the process easier and less taxing for everyone.