Have you recently added a fur baby to your family but want to protect your home? Your sweet puppy is very cute but can cause damage to your largest asset!
Because there are many things you can do to protect your home, we have broken down how to puppy-proof your home into two easy installment blogs.
Start small and you’ll have great success!
1. Start with a Puppy-Proofing Checklist: Make a checklist of areas in your home that need puppy-proofing, including both indoor and outdoor spaces. Get down on your hands and knees and try viewing your home from their height – you’ll be surprised by what you see.
2. Secure Hazardous Chemicals and Cleaning Products: Store cleaning products, chemicals, mouse poison, cannabis and medications in locked cabinets or high shelves. A puppy explores the world with its mouth, and while you may struggle to get them to take vet-prescribed medication, they’ll eagerly gobble up your Tylenol, heart meds or Viagra.
3. Hide Electrical Cords: Chewing wires and cords are one of any pup’s favourite activities, so invest in cord concealers or wrap cords in protective covers. For cables that can’t be concealed, consider anti-chewing spray – it tastes bad, and most dogs will avoid anything it’s sprayed on.
4. Store Valuable Items: If you aren’t OK with your puppy destroying a valuable or cherished item, store it or make sure it’s out of reach. Everything looks like a toy to a puppy and until he learns the house rules, you’ll need to protect him from himself.
5. Dog or Baby Gates: Many dog trainers advocate introducing your new puppy to one room of your house at a time, and earning additional room privileges as they learn good puppy manners. In the meantime, use baby or dog gates to block off rooms and areas that are off-limits to your puppy.
6. Put Away Small Objects: Pick up small items like coins, buttons, and toys to prevent choking hazards. Check under the couches and in between the couches daily – if something’s there, they’ll find it.
7. Move Toxic Plants: Remove toxic plants or place them out of reach.
8. Invest in Chew Toys: The best way to prevent damage and destruction is to provide plenty of toys to redirect your puppy’s chewing instincts away from furniture, baseboards and shoes. Be especially careful during the teenage months when puppy’s 28 milk teeth are being replaced by 42 adult teeth.
9. Get a Trash Can with a Lid: There’s nothing more fun for a puppy than scavenging through garbage, so reduce the number of bins in your house and ensure every trashcan has a lid. Don’t forget to empty them every day!
10. Staircase Safety: Puppies need to learn to climb and descend stairs, so until that skill is mastered, use stair gates to block access.
11. Secure Windows and Doors: Ensure windows and doors are securely latched and replace any missing or torn screens.
Stay tuned next week when we wrap up our series on how to puppy proof your home!
Have any questions about this topic. Our family have had dogs - from little puppies to adult dogs, and although I certainly am not a dog whisperer or dog expert, can answer a lot of questions new dog owners may have, especially pertaining to your home. Give me a call at 905-683-7800.
Thanks for reading today’s BLOG!!!
Brian Kondo
Sales Representative / Team Leader
The Brian Kondo Real Estate Team
Re/Max Hallmark First Group Realty Ltd.
905-683-7800 office
905-426-7484 direct
brian@briankondo.com
www.BrianKondo.com
www.BrianKondoTeam.com
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