Last week, we shared 11 ways you can prepare your home for a puppy. Here are another 11 more sure-fire ways to protect your home from puppy accidents!
12. Reorganize Your Pantry: Secure food storage areas to prevent your puppy from helping themselves. Some of the most toxic food for dogs:
• Chocolate
• Grapes, raisins
• Onions and garlic
• Fat trimmings and cooked meat bones
• Xylitol (artificial sweetener often found in candy and gum)
• Avocados, fruit with pits, seeds
• Coffee, tea, caffeinated beverages
• Salty and sugary foods
• Macadamia nuts
• Yeast dough
• Large amounts of baking powder, baking soda
13. Puppy-Proof Your Yard: Your yard presents unlimited adventures and fun for your puppy, but make sure he’s safe! Beyond outdoor supervision, you’ll want to invest in a fence that can’t easily be crawled under or scaled. Make sure your gates are secure and garages or sheds protected from curious pups. Fence off gardens to protect plants and save your pup from toxic tomato and potato plants.
14. Put Away Shoes: Keep your shoes in closed closets or off the floor unless you like them being regularly chewed up. Your puppy will confuse them for toys.
15. Protect Your Remote Controls: Keep remote controls out of reach to avoid chewing. While I personally don’t see the joy in chewing a remote control, there are dogs who mistake remote controls for food or chew treats.
16. Safeguard Your Pool: If you have a swimming pool, this is one of the biggest danger zones for your puppy. Install a pool safety cover or fence to prevent puppy access and never leave your puppy unattended near the pool. When the time is right, teach your puppy pool safety (in other words, how to swim and exit the pool if you fall in).
17. Pet Supply Area: Dedicate one spot in your home for pet supplies – food, treats, toys, grooming supplies – and make sure it’s out of your puppy’s reach.
18. Potty Training Preparation: Potty training is a process, and while you might have a Zero Accidents Policy, inevitably, your puppy will make a mistake. Put away expensive area rugs or invest in washable carpets that will serve you throughout your pet’s life. If you have a small dog and live in a condo or have an unpredictable schedule, you may want to consider pee pads.
19. Pet-Proof Furniture Covers: If your puppy is allowed on the couch – consider pet proof covers to protect against accidents. And those throw pillows might last longer if you temporarily store them during the I-put-everything-in-my-mouth phase.
20. Outdoor Play: Supervision, Shade & Snow Paths: There’s a lot for your puppy to learn before he earns unsupervised time in your yard, so be prepared to accompany him on his backyard adventures. Make sure to provide a shady spot and plenty of water for hot days and be prepared to clear a path for outdoor potty trips during the winter months.
21. Nightime Safety: Invest in reflective collars and harnesses for nighttime walks.
22. Curtains: Again, if it’s within reach, a puppy will think anything is a toy - including a fabric curtain! It’s like a built-in tug-of-war game for them. Keep your curtains out of reach!
If you have any questions about puppy-proofing your home, please reach out. Like I said last week, my family has had both puppies and grown dogs over the years and although we don’t have any dogs right now, I’ve had a lot of experience livingwith dogs (and cats too).
And if you are thinking about selling, buying, or both in this ever-changing market and have questions if now is the time to do it, please reach out by calling me 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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