October is National Animal Safety and Protection Month, and our team at Anasazi Animal Clinic in Gilbert wants to help you create a safe and fun environment for your new puppy. Adopting a new puppy is an exciting adventure! While your puppy is sure to bring boundless love and joy into your home, puppies are also known for mischief! It’s important to take time to puppy proof your home before bringing your new fur baby home. Puppy proofing your home will not only keep your possessions and valuables from being chewed on and destroyed, but it will keep your puppy safe. We would like to offer a few simple tips for creating a safe environment for your pup:
1. Put Dangerous Items Away.
Puppies view nearly everything around them as chew toys, including dangerous items like electrical cords, sharp objects, and poisonous/toxic household items. First, take a look around your living space and consider everything from a puppy’s perspective. Almost anything can become a puppy’s chew toy, so consider each object in your space and whether or not it could be hazardous to your pup.
- Tie up your window blind cords and curtain tassels.
- Make sure to remove electrical cords where they are not necessary.
- Make sure your trash can is secured with a lid and put away so puppy can’t knock it over and consume hazardous objects.
- Tuck existing cords away from puppy’s reach or run them through a cord protector.
- Store toxic items, like household cleaners and medications, in a locked cabinet or on a high shelf where puppy cannot reach them.
- Put your houseplants high out of puppy’s reach and keep your chocolate stash stored away in a high cabinet.
2. Secure Your Possessions.
Consider that all of your possessions look like a tasty snack to your new puppy, and make sure to put away any items you do not want to be destroyed. Make sure to throw dirty laundry in a laundry basket behind a closed door so your puppy doesn’t swallow your socks, which could cause a dangerous intestinal blockage. Use a no-chew spray like Bitter Yuck on furniture, rugs, houseplants, and other items you don’t want your puppy to chew on.
3. Consider All Possible Escape Routes.
Make sure your puppy is safely secured inside your home and unable to escape outside where she can get lost or find her way to busy roads. Keep all outside doors shut and secured, and make sure your puppy is crated when you are going in and out of the house or gathering groceries and other items from outside. If you have a fenced yard, consider installing a doggy door so your puppy can come and go as she pleases in a safe and controlled manner. Making sure your puppy is microchipped will increase the likelihood that she will be reunited with you in the event that she does accidentally escape.
4. Create a Safe Space Just for Puppy
One tip for creating a harmonious environment for you and your new puppy is to create a safe space that is sectioned off just for your puppy. One of the easiest ways to create this type of space is to buy a large foldable playpen that can be placed in one area of your house. Put your puppy’s soft blanket or bed and all of her toys in the play pen. This allows your puppy to be in your space with you, but in a way that is safe and comfortable for her. She can become accustomed to her new environment in your home, all while minimizing potential damage to your possessions and danger to your puppy.
Bringing a new puppy into your home is an exciting life event, and our team at Anasazi Animal Clinic wants you to have a safe and smooth transition as you welcome your new pet! By following a few simple steps, you can puppy proof your home and create a safe, joyful, and harmonious environment for you and your new puppy.
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