Is your new home ready to welcome a puppy? Puppies are cuddly, adorable, and will add immense happiness to your life, but they don’t come without a unique set of challenges. Let’s talk about how you can puppy-proof your new home to provide the best environment for you and your new best friend. Puppy proofing a home is a lot like childproofing a home! You will want to have all the supplies you will need on hand for a new puppy while also taking measures to protect them from any dangers around your home.
Provide Puppy Supplies
- Pet Crate – Enclosed spaces create a shelter for your puppy to rest and relax. Dogs instinctively seek small spaces to create protective shelters for themselves. A pet crate is also a major tool to help you housetrain your puppy. Dogs don’t like to soil their sleeping quarters, so they learn to hold their bladder while they’re in their crate. The crates will also keep your curious puppy safe when you’re not able to supervise them. Just be sure to include a pet bed or padding in the crate for more comfort.
- Pet Gate – A gate can section off an entire room dedicated to your puppy. This will give your puppy more room to exercise and explore without compromising your whole home. It is better than closing the door in the room where your puppy is playing because it lets you to supervise them and allows airflow between rooms. Choose a room with dog-friendly flooring and minimal furniture to chew on or scratch.
- Pet Camera – If you are spending time away from your puppy while at work, it can give you peace of mind to invest in a pet camera. Some even allow you to talk to your pets or dispense treats for good behavior while you are away.
Provide Protection
- Keep exterior doors and windows closed and locked to prevent your puppy from escaping.
- Make sure all electrical cords are taped down or out of reach. There is a risk of electrocution for puppies that chew on an electrical cord. A playful puppy might be able to pull a heavy item on top of themselves when playing with or getting caught in a dangling cord.
- Watch out for choking hazards. Small items like batteries, jewelry, toys, office supplies, and more can cause your puppy to choke if they chew on them. Keep these items high enough where your pet can’t reach them or store them in a secure container.
- The trash can is an area of temptation for curious puppies, so it is vital to keep your trash secure. Pets can find all sorts of dangerous objects in the trash can, such as raw or spoiled food, household chemicals, or choking hazards.
- Store cleaning supplies and other chemicals locked away or out of reach. Antifreeze is a particular danger because it smells sweet to pets and is deadly to them.
- Keep over-the-counter medicines, prescriptions medicines, and vitamins up and away from your puppy. Plus, keep all medications in their original child-resistant containers relocking safety caps after each use.
- Update your pet tag or pet chip with your contact information as soon as possible. If your puppy gets lost, you will want to be able to be contacted right away.
We hope these tips help you and your new furry friend get off to a great start in your new home! If you are planning a make a move soon, give Zippy Shell a call today! We can service moves of many sizes and even offer storage options during the course of your move. Contact us today for a free quote and see how we can make moving and storage simple for you!