So you’ve got yourself a cute, little puppy! First of all, congratulations on welcoming a new, furry member to your family. Dogs are loyal and lovable companions, so you and the rest of your family will certainly develop a close bond with your new buddy.
Now comes the time to think about more practical matters. How should you feed the puppy? When can it start to go out for walks? And how can you make sure that it’s safe in your house?
For the first, we can tell you that there are plenty of different options of dog food specially made for puppies, with all the nutrients they need to grow strong and healthy. Regarding their walks, usually the recommendation is to follow the instructions of the vet, but consider that when it reaches 16 weeks of age it can commonly start going out. And about how you can make your house puppy proof, there’s a lot of different things that you can do to make sure that your puppy will be safe and comfortable in your house. Here we are going to tell you in detail everything you need to know about this! So be sure to read along and get the answers to your questions.
Think as a puppy
In order to know how to make your house puppy proof, a good way to start is to think as a puppy. What places can a puppy reach and what places it cannot? Everything that is on top shelves or at a certain height will be out of reach for the tiny canine, but pay attention to what you have at the ground level, such as rugs, plugs or shoes.
What do puppies like to do best? That’s an easy one: bite things! Puppies bite a lot because this is the way that they get to know the world around them and understand the environment. This is why you should pay attention to not have any dangerous items close to the puppy, nor items that you don’t want to be destroyed either.
Last but not least, puppies are just like human babies in many senses, and also in the sense that they poop and pee several times a day. During the first weeks or even months, the puppy will not be going outside the house, so everything it does will be inside! Get ready for this by finding possible solutions and ideas that can help protect the floors and rugs of your house, such as special pads, old newspapers or paper towels.
Be careful with the plants
Plants are beautiful and they fill our houses of life, beauty and joy. Nevertheless, if you bring a puppy to your house, it’s important to handle the plants that you own. This is due to several reasons. Firstly, there are some types of plants which, even though they are harmless for humans, can be very toxic and dangerous for dogs and especially for puppies.
Due to this, it’s important that you do some research to see which plants are toxic for puppies and dogs. In case you do have plants that can be dangerous for them, place them somewhere out of their reach or consider replacing them with other non-toxic plants. Moreover, many puppies like to bite and play around plants, so take this into account if there are some plants that you don’t want to be destroyed, and place them out of reach of the puppies as well!
Scan through your furniture
Puppies are so tiny that even a simple, everyday item as a chair can be dangerous for them. This is why we advise you to scan through your furniture before the new member arrives.
Do you have any rocking chairs? Be careful, because they could easily hurt the puppy’s tiny paws or tail. Remember, also, to always look under the couch or the bed: puppies can easily crawl under these and other small spaces. Make sure that your decoration is safely located and that the risks of a jar falling off a shelf or a painting falling off a wall are minimum. Moreover, as we have mentioned, puppies like to bite to investigate their surroundings, so be prepared to have the legs of your table, chairs and cloth of the couch bitten or scratched.
Electricity awareness
Plugs and wires are one of the main risks that puppies can encounter in the house, so this is a very important thing to be aware of before receiving your new buddy in your house. Chewing on electric cords can be extremely dangerous for puppies, so our advice is to keep away the cords and wires from them. Of course, this is not always 100% possible, but it’s essential that you are conscious of the risk and pay attention to protect your puppy from this potential hazard.
Where did my shoe go?
If you have just adopted a puppy and, all of a sudden, you are missing a shoe, there’s a fair chance that you already know who’s guilty. So, pay attention to where you leave your shoes and clothing items, because there’s a great possibility that your new puppy will want to bite or scratch them.
Swallowing a piece of cloth or shoe can be potentially dangerous for the puppy, so it’s important to keep an eye on this to keep them safe. Moreover, if there’s any piece of clothing or pair of shoes that you are especially fond of, be aware not to leave them lying around the house! For example, you can lock up certain cabins, so that your puppy can’t get to this stuff.
Making a safe place out of your garden or yard
If you have an outer space in your house, whether it’s a yard, a garden or a balcony, it’s essential that you take all the safety measures necessary to keep your puppy safe before welcoming it to its new home.
If your balcony is very high, be sure that there’s a good fence or barrier protection that will keep the puppy safe. You don’t want your puppy to fall off! As for the yard or garden, it’s essential that it is correctly fenced and that there are no holes or tiny spaces left open. Puppies are very versatile and tiny, so they can escape through even the smallest spaces. Moreover, as we mentioned above, be also aware of the plants that you have in your outer spaces to ensure that they are not toxic for dogs and puppies.
To sum up, as you can see, there are many different aspects to take into consideration in order to ensure that your house is safe for puppies. It’s very important that you think about these issues way before the puppy arrives at your house, so you have enough time to take all the measurements you need to guarantee a safe and comfortable environment for the new member of your family.
Make sure that your puppy can’t chew on wires, or your favorite clothing or shoes. It is also important that you make sure your puppy can’t eat your plants. If you have tips or want to share your experiences, please comment below! We would like to hear your stories.
References
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/puppy-information/puppy-proofing-tips-for-your-home-and-yard/
https://www.preventivevet.com/dogs/checklist-for-puppy-proofing-your-home
https://www.vetwest.com.au/pet-library/20-tips-to-puppy-proof-your-home
https://www.nylabone.com/dog101/how-to-puppy-proof-your-house
https://pupford.com/puppy-proofing-tips/
