New Year, New Pet: Tips for Puppy Proofing Your Home

A new year is a perfect time to make changes or start something new. It’s also a great time to grow your family by four paws! Welcoming a puppy into your family is full of excitement and joy, but it’s also full of preparation and chaos. In order to make this transition as stress-free as possible, it’s important to prepare yourself and your home for the new family member. Here are some tips for puppy-proofing your house:

Get the trash under control! Trash is full of smells and things puppies would love to explore. It’s important to make sure your new puppy won’t be able to get into any trash. Not only will your pup make a huge mess, but the trash is full of potentially harmful items your dog could ingest. If your puppy gets into the trash he could eat something that will cause him to choke or make him sick. For your dog’s safety, and your sanity, make sure your trash is secured in bags and containers out of the dog’s reach.

Purge the poison. Homes are often full of poisonous items to dogs that humans often wouldn’t think of. The more obvious ones are cleaning products, glue, detergents, and medications. But there are also less obvious poisons such as certain house plants, lotions, soaps, gum and more. There are many normal household things that could harm your pup if he eats them, so make sure all potentially poisonous items are stowed in places your dog will not have access to.

Cords and batteries. Puppies will see electronic cords, chargers, cables, remotes, key fobs, etc. as toys, but all these items are extremely dangerous for dogs. If a dog chews on a cord or cable, she could get shocked, burned, or worse. And if a dog eats any kind of battery, it could severely harm your dog’s esophagus and more. These are potentially lethal for dogs, so it’s important to make sure puppies do not have access to cords and batteries in your home.

Create a puppy space! Giving your pup her own space is a great way to protect your pup from all these potential dangers and also to have control over your pup as you train her. A great way to accomplish this is to get a crate that will keep your new puppy contained, but also give her enough space to play. You can fill the crate with the puppy’s bed, toys, food and water, treats, and more. This will help the puppy get used to the space safely, and give you opportunities to train your pup without stressing about your pet getting into things she shouldn’t.

Don’t forget about the outside! A lot of the previous principles apply to the outside of your house as well. Make sure your dog can’t get into any outside trash bins. Purge your yard from any poisons, including harmful flowers or plants, and pesticides or products used on the grass, dirt, or soil. Keep your pup in a secure place outside! This will likely include installing a fence for your yard, but, especially in the beginning, it’s a good idea to go one step further. Introduce your pup to your yard one area at a time; start with one small part of your yard before letting him explore all of it. This will allow you to maintain control over the situation and keep your puppy safe.

Getting a puppy is so exciting, but it’s also a big responsibility. Make sure your family is ready for this responsibility before committing to adopting a pup. Then once you’re sure you can handle this, it’s time to start the preparation! Get everyone in the family on board to ensure that training will go well, and your puppy will stay safe. If you have any questions or need advice about getting a new pet, reach out to the Pets a Go Go team at [email protected] or call one of our locations!