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Preparing Your House For A New Puppy
Getting a new puppy is a very exciting event, and often the excitement of the moment prevents owners from preparing the house for the new arrival. The result of this oversight is usually chewed up antiques, stained carpets and unhappy owners. By spending a bit of time preparing your house for your puppy you can eliminate most of the problems that often occur when bringing home a new dog.
To see what a puppy sees in your house the best thing to do, while it may seem strange, is to lie down on your stomach in the middle of the room and look around to see what you notice. Watch for:
- Electrical cords that are dangling from lamps, stereo equipment, tvs, computers or other devices. Not only are they costly to replace but they also pose a several hazard to the puppy should he or she decide to chew through a cord.
- Curtain pulls or sashes that are at floor level or at jumping level. These items naturally move when the puppy brushes against them and are great fun to chase and chew. Unfortunately they also can easily become wrapped around a puppy’s neck and can be a fatal choking hazard to the dog.
- Tablecloths or other dangling items from tables or furniture. Again, these are so tempting for the puppy as they are within easy jumping up reach. They can also pose a hazard if larger items can be pulled off the table.
- Remove anything from the puppy’s area that is rare, expensive, unique or has a sentimental value. While the puppy may never touch them it is always a good idea not to tempt fate. A puppy doesn’t know the different between a pair of tennis shoes and a pair of designer leather shoes, so simply removing all chewables is a good idea.
- Consider using electrical plug in covers to cover all outlets. This will prevent the puppy from accidentally licking or biting at an outlet.
- Place baby gates at the top and bottom of all sets of stairs, at least until the puppy is old enough to go up and down stairs by themselves.
- Remove remote controls, cell phones, cordless phones, CDs, videos or other loose items that the puppy may choose to play with. While these are costly to replace they also pose a choking hazard should the puppy bite into them.
- Remove all houseplants from the puppy’s reach. Not only are many of the common houseplants poisonous but they are also a mess to clean up if the leaves and dirt is tracked all over the carpet or floor area.
It is always a good idea to have the puppy supervised at all times when they are loose in the house or living area. Crate training is a great way to contain the puppy in a safe and friendly environment when you cannot supervise them. A dog pen or movable dog cage is also a great idea for a puppy. Be sure if you are keeping them in a kitchen, bathroom or laundry room that all ground level cupboards have door closure devices so the puppy cannot get into toxic cleaning supplies. Keeping the environment for the puppy safe and free from potentially harmful things is the best way to ensure safety during their first experiences in their new home.
By Kelly Marshall, Head Author Oh My Dog Supplies |
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