Did you just get a dog? If so, there are certain things you should know have the potential to be dangerous for your dog. Especially if you didn’t just get a dog, but you got a puppy. Puppies are especially clumsy, and if yours is anything like this one, you may want to make sure to dog proof your home and keep them safe.
Making the decision to adopt a puppy or dog is a big one. You are making the decision to get a new member of the family, and that means making sure you keep him safe, the same way you would baby proof if you were pregnant.
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Pets have similarities with small kids. They’re naturally curious and go where they are not supposed to. You’re not just doing these things to ensure the safety of the animal, but also to safeguard your things against the damage they can cause to them. That is why we put together a very extensive article you can use to make your home a safer place.
Puppy Proofing Your Home
Puppies are cute, adorable and about every other similar adjective you can come up with, and here are some things you should do to your apartment so that you’re ready for the challenge.
You don’t just want the dog to run around the entire apartment. Instead, keep the dog in a designated area. There will definitely be a mess for you to clean up, and cleaning it up from carpet is a lot harder than other types of flooring options. Keeping the dog on tile surfaces will be a lot easier to clean. If you are keeping the dog in the kitchen, be sure to install a baby gate as to keep it there.
Pets are curious creatures, and they will try and eat anything and everything, including all the things that you do not want them to. This means you’ll need to be very careful in how you store food, so they don’t accidentally eat it. Our dog once managed to eat 5 pounds of cheese. Needless to say, it was not the intention with the cheese.
If you notice that your pet likes chewing on things, you can get a spray from Pet Smart that will stop them from doing it. You can also read this post that scores the different options available.
Make sure that charges, cords and other dangerous things are stored safely, and away from your dogs. You don’t want your pet to start chewing them up and potentially getting electric shocks.
Kitchens
As mentioned, you don’t want your dog to eat all the food that it shuoldn’t eat. Not to mention that there are things that can be dangerous for dogs to eat. One that you probably knew already is chocolate. Did you know that there are a lot of nuts that will cause dogs to vomit, such as walnuts and pecans.
If you cannot hide your trash inside a cabinet, consider getting a trashcan that is dog proof. It is a very common issue that you get home from a long day of work only to find out that your dog took apart your entire trashcan. Even if your dog is well-fed, assuming that it will not go for the trash, is hopeful at best.
The same way that there are foods that your dog cannot eat, make sure to store your cleaning products responsibly. These objects will have interesting smells to a pet, and it could be devastating if they are not stored the right way. Even if you believe they’re out of reach, put them further away.
Some of the other foods that you need to store safely include onions, salt, coffee and tea.
Your dog is an intelligent and intuitive animal, and you may want to put latches on the cabinets in the kitchen. You can go to any baby store or find them online. See how other people have dealt with the situation.
Bathrooms
There are many dangerous objects in the bathroom, that you want to protect your dog against.
These are the steps that you will want to take so that your dog is safe if it makes it to the bathroom.
It might not be ideal, but you may want to consider removing the toilet paper from its roll. It’s called a roll because, well, it rolls, and it is not difficult to imagine that your dog starts pulling the toilet paper until it can do so no more, and then you have toilet paper all over the place. Try storing it so that is not a possibility.
Hair accessories are fun for dogs to chew on, unless you ensure that’s not a possibility for them. Also, some of them are not exactly safe for dogs to play with and could get stuck in its throat.
Medication should only ever be taken when there is a reason for it. If your dog accidentally swallows medication it could be incredibly dangerous for it too. They should be stored away inside the cabinet. Soap, cream and other toiletries should also be stored safely.
If you want your dog not to drink from the toilet, and for your puppy not to fall in it, then make sure to cover it. Always make sure that your dog has a fresh bowl of water so that it won’t be tempted to try going for the toilet. You can even install a latch to make sure your dog is unable to open it.
Electric appliances should also be put inside the cabinet so they cannot be played with, and if your window is reachable, make sure to close it.
Living Room
The living room does not have the same dangers as the bathroom, but there are still things you should be aware of.
If you get a rug with small and dark patterns, there’s a chance your dog will find it interesting.
Here’s how you can secure your fireplace, which includes installing a screen, keeping flammable objects stored away, and using hearth padding.
Address any potential choking hazards. This is not just for dogs but babies also. This includes mall objects such as batteries and toys. Put them inside safe storage boxes. When your dog is by itself, it should not be tempted by those small objects.
Bedroom
You probably have shoes that you don’t want your dog to eat, so make sure to store those so that it is not possible. Additionally, there will be different small objects in your bedroom that you need to address. This includes pins, jewelry and more.
Your clothes should be inside the closet, out of reach for a curious puppy.
If you keep plants in the bedroom, you may want to move it until the dog is a little older to make sure it doesn’t chew on the leaves or knock over the pot.
Since you don’t want your dog to leave all its hair in your bedroom and on the bed, the best solution might simply be to make sure your dog does not get into the bedroom.
Garage
Garages keep tools and other things that aren’t very safe for a dog. You don’t want your dog to accidentally start playing with a knife and manage to cut itself, especially not when you’re not around.
Make sure that chemicals you might have in your garage are stored safely.
Anything sharp such as nails, tacks, staples should be put away. Anything that can be knocked over should be fastened.
At the end of the day, the garage may just be one of those places with weird objects in it, that you want to keep your dog out of.
Although your dogs may not spend a lot of time in your garage, it is one room in your house that you must not overlook when it comes to dog proofing. As you know, other than your car, your garage may be filled with so many things as it is also used as storage. So to keep your dogs safe while in your garage, here are some tips to consider.
Make sure that there is no curious dog that is lying under your car when you start it to go somewhere.
A Fence
Is your fence really as secure as you think? Or are there places where you are simply not capable of setting up an actual fence? In these places you ought to consider an invisible fence to keep your dog on the property.
If you don’t properly fence off your property, a curious dog will find a way to get out. This could not only pose a danger to your pet but also the people on the street.
If your dog will not let go of the fence, you can plant something such as Boxwood next to the fence which will make it hard for the dog to jump up against it.
Some dogs have an unstoppable desire to dig in your yard. Look into installing an L-footer if you have problems with that. What it is is a wire fence that is used against the base of your fence, and the dog therefore won’t be able to go all the way up to the fence to try and dig under it. This should keep most dogs from digging, and if it doesn’t you will need to lay a concrete footer to stop your furry friend.
Is your dog a jumper rather than a digger? Look into coyote rollers. What they basically are is something that prevents your dog from getting a grip at the top of the fence. If your dog makes it up that high, it will roll, causing the animal to lose its grip. They can always be removed if you ever need to move.
Check out this video too
Hedges
When you are planting hedges, there are certain things that you should keep in mind. First of all, be sure that you don’t plant something in your garden that is toxic for your dog. This includes daffodil, aconite and buttercup.
If planting it is done with the purpose of keeping your dog inside your garden, then make sure that whatever you are planting is sufficiently robust for the purpose. Check out this page that has a lot of hedges and plants that are not poisonous for your dog.
Drip Irrigation
A dog breaking an irrigation system is not completely unheard of, just watch the video below.
Dogs are actually often a reason why the sprinkler contractor needs to come by. If you don’t want to spend unnecessary money on repairing it, here are some things for you to consider. To them it may look just like a toy that they want to chew up.
You will want to make sure that the system doesn’t run at a time when the dog is actually outside, or you just might tempt its curiosity. You don’t want to have a dog that learns to dig to find the irrigation system, so do yourself a favor and turn it on at night. Preferably, the dog should not even be able to hear or see what is going on, but if it is outside during the watering, you are waiting for it to dig it up.
Again, you will want to make sure that your dog always has access to fresh water. It will help lessen your dog’s interest in other potential water sources, and you know yourself how uncomfortable it can be to be thirsty for an extended period of time. It’s no different for a dog.
While you can dig down the entire system, there’s nothing that beats actually paying attention to what your dog is doing. If you happen to see it play around with, or chew, something that it is not allowed to, you need to be very consistent in letting it know not to do it. The more consistent you will be in raising the dog, the less problems you will have with it chewing things it’s not supposed to.
Wood Floor
We dedicated a whole section on the best flooring options for dogs. If you are installing a new floor, you should consider going with one of those options.
A Yard
To be able to confidently know that your yard is safe for your dog, there are certain things that you should consider doing.
We already talked about the fact that you need a fence in your yard, and that it can be an invisible one, if you prefer that. Although it may scare the neighbors that you don’t have a physical fence, most dogs generally learn the boundaries with this option.
Should you choose to opt for a different solution, you should make sure that it is a sturdy fence option, and that it is also so tall that your dog won’t just run out.
If you have a major pool of water in your yard, it’s important to have a boundary that stops your dog from going there. Again, training is also an important part of discouraging your dog’s natural curiosity.
Make sure there’s nothing toxic in your yard that your dog could end up consuming, and give your dog a dog house, which will provide a sense of security for it. If the weather is bad and taking your dog inside is not an option, it will also be nice for your dog to have that place to go to. It will also provide some much needed shade during those warm summer months.
Make sure that anything you plant is safe, secure trashcan and any tools you may have lying around outside.
To lower the risk of ticks, make sure to mow your lawn consistently. Here’s an article on how to avoid ticks and deal with them if they’ve already bitten.
Make sure there are no holes on your property, in the fence or any way for your dog to escape and go on its own adventures outside.
If your lawn has recently been treated to get rid of other bugs, you may want to consider keeping your dog off of it, as the chemicals that were used are likely not very healthy for your dog either.
Rugs
Dogs don’t always rugs, and there’s a chance that they may have used one for purposes it was not intended for. When you have a dog at home, you need to be aware that it doesn’t always (ever) take off its shoes at the door, and it could potentially be bringing in a good amount of dirt. If you have a rug that stains easily, you may notice it and have to deal with the consequences, and not all rugs are made equal. Some are very hard to clean.
While the idea may not sound tempting, one possible solution is to use outdoor rugs instead. They are made to be more stain-resistant, easier to clean and able to withstand more force from your pet.
Choose a rug that is patterned and where stains won’t be showing easily, and make sure you buy a good vacuum to deal with the dirt that is going to get dragged into the house. Here’s a guide for finding that vacuum that is able to remove all the dog hair on your floor. When it starts getting warm, if you have a dog with long hair, you also know how it just seems to start shedding from one day to the next.
Deck
There are things you can do to make your deck dog proof.
When you have your deck contractor stain it, make sure it is done with some materials that are as dog-friendly as possible, which includes low odor, as there is definitely a possibility that your dog will be eating something that has been lying on the deck, and you don’t want it to get full of bad chemicals.
The slats should not be so wide that your dog can stick its head through as this could choking or the very least a lot of frustration if your dog is not able to get its head out again.
You need to make sure the condition of the wood is good, as it’ll otherwise start to splinter and this will be extremely painful for your dog. Here’s a guide on treating wood to make sure it doesn’t happen.
Refrigerator
All the way through, we’ve told you about the importance of storing away food. If your dog is really sophisticated and able to open the fridge, you need to ensure it with latches like these. You can also get better at closing the kitchen door.
Trying to open the refrigerator could also be a sign of boredom. Be sure your dog has something to play with, that he’s allowed to play with and he’ll be less likely to get himself in trouble trying to steal your food.
Electrical Cords
One trick is to block your dog’s access to cords. This may be done with furniture, for example, obviously depending on the size of your dog.
Try to also make sure that cables that can, are lifted up over the ground, away from the reach of your pet so they are not able to start chewing on them.
The ideal situation includes hiding them inside the wall. If you have drywall, or you are currently installing new walls in your home, try asking your contractor how difficult it will be to get done, as it will truly make the cables inaccessible to even the most creative pet.
You can put wiring through PVC pipes if none of the other suggestions are possible, however it will also limit the flexibility that you have.
The same way that you applied sprays to your furniture to avoid your pet chewing them, this can be done with cords. If you have run the cords through the wall, it may, however, not be necessary.
Flower Beds
If you take pride in keeping flower beds, you’re probably not wanting your dog to tear them up just because you look away. By now you probably realize that you can fence it off and will very likely need a physical barrier to keep the dog out. However, it could also be a sign that the dog is bored, and you can try addressing that with toys.
Products You May Wish to Consider Getting
As a dog owner, it is your responsibility to provide a safe and comfortable environment for your beloved pet. To help you in dog proofing your home, here are some products that you may want to consider.
- Dog proof raccoon traps – if you have problems with raccoons, know that there are products out there that will not hurt your friend.
- Dog proof window blinds – these blinds can deal with the fact that your pet is not always a model citizen.
- Dog proof bedding – some people truly want to share their bed with their pet, but if you have normal bedding, you also know the devastating effect it could have on your bedding. Get a solution that does not ruin your bedding.
- Dog proof dustbin – you absolutely need a dustbin that cannot be opened by an eager dog. This will surely save you a lot of cleaning and is made so that even the smartest dog cannot open it.
- Dog proof furniture – this means you need to be careful when choosing the material of the furniture. Microfiber or hardworking leather works.
- Dog proof window screens – made from heavy duty fiberglass, no dog can just run through them.
- Dog proof varnish
- Dog pee resistant plants – some plants are more sensitive than others, and your dog may end up peeing on your plants. However, you really don’t want the plants to die as a consequence. Here are good plants when you have a dog.
- Dog proof sliding screen door – made from vinyl coated polyester, it can take a beating, and your dog will gain respect from not just running through the door at rocket speed.
- Dog proof patio furniture – whatever you choose needs to be made from durable and pet-friendly material. Aluminum or iron are good options.
- Dog proof pool liner – you don’t want your dog to fall in the pool, so be sure to use a pool liner to avoid it, especially if the pool is not fenced off.
- Dog proof hardwood floor finish – pets can be tough on floors, so the best option is to go for factory finished wood floors that have been sealed and stained in the factory in various layers of urethane finish and aluminum oxide. This way you get a much more durable finish job of your floor that withstands a lot more.
- Dog safe weed killer – Generally weed killers contain bad chemicals that should not be consumed by a dog. Try finding ones that are safer, since your dog will most likely be running around with its nose in the ground and picking up these particles too. Natural weed killers that can be used include vinegar, sugar and salt, corn meal. For more information, check out the article written by Good Housekeeping.