Puppy Proof Your Home

Many new puppies are injured or harmed because their owners are not aware of their habits or how curious they are. But if you imagine your home through the eyes of your puppy, you may notice many seemingly harmless household items that can cause unfortunate problems.

SOME WAYS YOU CAN PUPPY-PROOF YOUR HOME:

Clear papers, magazines, books, nick-nacks, and everything else off your coffee table, counters and other tables while your pup is being properly Chew Trained. If your pup grows up believing that there's never anything interesting to chew on those tables, he won't develop a habit of searching there for fun!

• Until your pup is 8-10 months old, don't leave food, candy, dirty dinner plates, utensils or glasses on your coffee table, countertops or other table surfaces. Remember, if your pup grows up believing that there's never anything interesting to eat or lick on those tables, he won't develop the habit of jumping up on them, "counter-surfing" or otherwise searching inappropriate places for goodies!
• If you don't want your pup to eat toilet paper or bathroom garbage, shut the bathroom door! (Funny puppy fun often develops into annoying adult habit!)
• Make sure kitchen garbage is securely out of puppy access, locked under the sink or behind a shut closet door.
• Don't leave cigarette butts in ash trays where your puppy can get to them. If eaten, cigarette butts can lead to nicotine poisoning.
• Secure electrical cords to baseboards, or make them inaccessible. Apply a taste deterrant to these cords (such as hot sauce, or one of the bitter sprays available at your local pet supply store) If your puppy chews on them, he can suffer electric shock burns and may even die.
• Keep Christmas decorations out of your pup's reach. Crushed glass ornaments can cause nasty cuts.
• Never burn candles where they're accessible to your pup. The flame can attract him.
• Keep medication bottles out of your pup's way. Childproof containers are not enough to keep your puppy out!
• Always keep the toilet lid down if you use toilet bowl cleaners. They are often strongly alkaline and tempting for a puppy to drink. (NOTE: If you ever use antifreeze to keep toilet pipes from freezing, tape the toilet shut with duct tape and put a sign on the toilet: "ANTIFREEZE IN TOILET IS TOXIC TO DOGS!")
• Keep cellar doors and upper story windows closed. A curious puppy is as vulnerable as a young child.
• Dispose of chicken or turkey bones in a puppy-proof manner. Brittle bones can be life-threatening.
• Don't leave needles or pins out where the puppy can get to them; pups often swallow them!
• Be certain anti-freeze is out of reach and ANY drippings are cleaned up completely. All dogs are attracted to its scent. Anti-freeze is HIGHLY TOXIC.
• Use pesticides and rodent poisons with great caution. Hanging strips, fly paper and other exposed toxins must be kept out of reach.
• Keep your puppy away from toxic plants. Rhododendron, Jeapanese yew, and lilly of the valley, as well as peach and cherry pits can all cause problems if eaten.

Got a specific behavior problem not answered here? Click here to send in your question and get a comprehensive, personalized answer, normally within 5 days.