Title: How to Puppy-Proof Your House: Safety for Your pup, peace of mind for you
Author: Moses Wright
How to Puppy-Proof Your House: Safety for Your pup, peace of mind for you
If you've decided to bring your puppy home, that's just the
first step. You need to get your house ready for him.
You're going to have lots to do around the house. After
all, puppies are not so different from toddlers and like
children, will want to explore all areas of your house.
But how do you know if your house is safe and ready for
your new puppy? Listed below is a checklist for you to take
note of before you bring your new puppy home:
1. Clear your house of poisonous items - Have you cleared
your house of all poisonous items and taken them out of
your pup's reach? If you haven't, now is the time to put
away cleaners, laundry detergents, bleach, disinfectants,
insecticides, cleaning fluid, fertilizers, mothballs and
antifreeze in cabinets or high up on shelves. Of course, as
he grows, and if he has an adventurous streak, he's sure to
jump high on to your shelves to find out what's where.
2. Secure all medications and unauthorized foods - These
items will cause food poisoning or damages to your dogs'
health - Drugs such as Motrin and Tylenol causes liver
damage. Common household food items that are harmful
include alcoholic beverages, avocado (the only "fatty"
member of the vegetable family), coffee, salt, yeast dough,
garlic, fatty foods - turkey, artificial sweeteners –
Xylitol, potatoes, onions, nuts, chocolate, grapes and
raisins.
3. Uproot all life-threatening plants - Do you have
life-threatening plants at home? Seemingly harmless plants
such as apricot pits, spinach and tomato vines are
dangerous to your pup. You can find a detailed listing of
poisonous houseplants that you might have in your family,
at this site: www.vet.purdue.
You can also ask your vet for more such plants that could
affect your pet's health and life - If your puppy has
ingested poisonous plants, contact: Animal Poison Control
Center at - 888-4ANI-HELP - (888-426-4435)
4. Put away dangerous objects - Position electrical cords
out of your puppy's reach, so that he cannot chew them.
Pick up and keep dangerous loose items such as nails if
they are lying around. Put away all sharp objects such as
wires, sewing needles and pins, far away from your puppy's
reach. This is to prevent your puppy from swallowing them
as such items can harm his mouth and internal organs.
5. Supervise your puppy's movement - Don't let your pup
remain by himself, unsupervised for long, irregardless of
him being indoors or outdoors. Also, remember to keep him
away from balconies, upper porches and high decks or he may
just slip through the railings and fall. Remember to keep
your toilet cover seat down: puppies sometimes like to play
in water. Frolicking in the toilet bowl is harmful for him
as he may swallow the toilet cleanser. Also, don't tie
ribbons round his neck because he may chew it and this can
lead to digestive problems or choke himself if the ribbon
gets snagged on other things.
Preparing the Essential Dog Supplies
1. Food and water bowls - Select solid and stable bowls
that won't tip over when he eats or drinks out of it. Are
they easy to clean? Buy one each for food and water.
Initially, buy small bowls and then as he grows older, buy
him larger ones. If you do this, he won't develop the habit
to overeat for his age nor will he fall into his water bowl
whenever he goes to take a drink.
2. Collar - There are a large variety of lightweight
collars available for your puppy. No matter which one you
choose, attach an identification tag, listing your puppy's
name, your address and phone number.
Let his first collar be made of lightweight nylon or
leather. To get a good fit, you should measure his neck
properly. To do so, measure the circumference of his neck
and add two inches to it. To be sure that the collar fits
properly, slide two fingers between his collar and your
pup's neck. If it's a snug fit, the size is right. But if
there's too much space, you need a smaller collar. If your
fingers don't fit in comfortably, the collar size is way
too small. Your pup may take a little while to adjust to
his collar, so give him time to get used to it.
3. Leash - Leashes come in many lengths and styles, such as
leather, nylon and retractable leashes. If you buy a
six-foot leash it would serve both as a leash for training
and walking.
Always keep your puppy on a leash unless he is in your
fenced-in yard. In many parts of the U.S., leash laws
prevail, making it mandatory to keep your puppy on his
leash at all times. If he's unleashed, you may be fined.
Should he soil or defecate in a public space like a park,
you will be expected to clean up after him.
4. Grooming supplies - Grooming him means investing in a
number of tools but this will depend on the dog breed you
buy and his coat length. For short haired breeds, do invest
in a brush with natural bristles, a rubber currycomb or a
hand mitt. Sturdy wide-toothed metal combs, flea combs and
mat splitters are needed for long haired breeds.
5. Toys - To entertain and exercise your pup, buy him a few
toys, as this will help him exercise and get over their
cravings for chewing. Choose toys specifically designed for
pups – ones that can't be splintered, torn or swallowed.
What's fun and safe to have are rawhide chips, nylon chews
and hard rubber balls. And, if they don't fit comfortably
in his mouth, it's not right for him.
6. Recommended puppy food - Give him his essential
nutritive foods and get him used to a feeding schedule.
Seek advice from your breeder directly or from your
veterinarian.
7. Crate or sleeping bed - A Crate is basically a big cage
made of metal, plastic or wood. Available in many sizes,
the crate should be big enough for your dog to stand up,
turn around easily, as well as lie down in. It should be
airy. You should set up his sleeping area in a warm and
comfortable place. A crate serves very well as a den in
your absence from the house. A crate could also be a
portable crate enclosed in plastic or a simple wire crate.
When you buy an adult-sized crate, also buy partitions, or
place a cardboard box in the back to serve as a cozy space
for him. Apart from the crate, set up a sleeping area for
him, for the times when you are at home and the crate is
not in used. Buy a puppy-sized bed instead of an
adult-sized bed, so that he is safe and snug.
When used properly, crates encourage good sleeping habits,
discourage mischief and help to house train your dog. It
can also be a safe confinement for your dog when he's not
supervised at home or when you are driving. A crate is so
useful, every owner should have one!
8. Stain and scent remover - To take the odor away from his
nose, buy a stain and scent remover. This helps in house
training and the maintenance of your house cleanliness.
These are the basic essentials a puppy owner should prepare
when bringing a brand new pup home. Do take the time to
ensure that your house has been `puppy-proofed' and you
will find that the preparation will make socializing your
new puppy a lot easier!
About the Author:
Moses Wright has been a dog lover since young and now he
loves to help fellow dog owners solve their dog problems
whenever he can. You can get a free copy of his book filled
with useful and practical tips here:
http://www.dogsobed
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