Home Dog Care Puppies

Puppy Proofing Your Home

Before bringing your puppy home, you'll need to "puppy proof" your house. Puppies are like babies: they want to explore every corner of your house, and they want to put everything into their mouths.

Poisonous household items

Make sure all poisonous household items are securely stored out of the puppy's reach.

Place all household cleaners, insecticides, fertilizers, mothballs, antifreeze, insect poisons, rat poisons and other items in cabinets or on high shelves. Remember, as your new puppy grows, he will be able to explore higher places and be tempted to jump up on shelves.

Check your plants

Many plants in and around your house can be harmful to your pup. Did you know that the pits of apricots and peaches, as well as spinach and tomato vines, can make your puppy sick and, in large dosages, can even be fatal? Click here to learn about the plants that should be kept away from your furry companion. For a more complete list of plants that are dangerous to dogs, consult your veterinarian.

Take a Puppy's-Eye View

Get down on all fours and look around. Are there any dangling electric cords, loose nails, plastic bags or other tempting objects that will be in puppy's reach? If there are, be sure to put them away immediately.

Keep your toilet lid down

Puppies are often tempted to play in toilet bowl water. This can be a hard habit to break and toilet cleanser may be harmful if swallowed.

Some Additional Tips

• Never leave your puppy unsupervised inside or outside, and keep him off balconies, upper porches and high decks where he can slip through openings and fall.
• Unplug, remove or cover any electrical cords in your puppy's confinement area. It is also a good idea to cover electrical outlets, when they are not in use.
• Keep buttons, string, sewing needles, pins and other sharp objects out of your puppy's reach.
• Tying ribbons around your puppy's neck could choke him if the ribbon gets caught on a fence or other object.
• A good rule to follow is that anything that is not safe for children is not safe for pets.

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