Puppy Proofing Tips
Bringing a new puppy into the home is always exciting & we want to congratulate you on the new addition! Preparing for a puppy can be a lot of work, from researching vets, purchasing the necessities (and picking out the cute collars, leashes and toys), and of course making sure your home is safe for puppy. Here are just a few of the key points of any puppy proofing checklist.
Cover or contain cords and outlets.
Electric cords, chargers, and power cables should be stored or covered at all times. A puppy bite to one could lead to quite the shock, burns, or even worse. We always recommend puppy be crated or in a pen when not being supervised, but keeping the cords up or out of the way can help prevent accidents. It’s always good to keep lots of chew toys on hand to help keep puppy entertained and help distract from things they shouldn’t chew on!Plants, poisons, batteries, and more.
Commonly household plants are toxic to pets. The ASPCA has a search engine for finding out if your favorite plant is toxic to dogs or not. Additionally a lot of frequently used household items are toxic to pets, coffee, chewing gum, household cleaners, and most human medicines. Put items up out of reach or behind locked cabinets to help protect your little one.Give them their own space
We highly recommend crate training at Outland K9. Not only will it give your puppy a safe space to retreat to if over stimulated, but in the event of overnight veterinary care puppy will be crated. Starting at a young age will help make sure they view the crate as a fun place and not a stressful environment. Aren’t sure where to start? Give us a call and we’ll be happy to give you some pointers or set up a puppy lesson to come out and teach you how to make the crate a fun and rewarding place for puppy to land.Set limits
Puppies are incredibly curious little creatures, and they’re also easily overwhelmed. Set up baby gates, pens, or keep doors closed to limit exploration to one area at a time. Supervise exploration to help make sure puppy stays safe.Block off heights
Not only are puppies curious, but they’re clumsy. Supervise couch or furniture time and have young children sit on the ground when holding puppy to avoid any accidents. As puppy gets older they’ll become more daring, but try to keep them on the ground as much as possible. Recent studies have shown that most large breed dogs growth plates aren’t closed until around 2 years of age. Limiting jumping and extensive exercise as much as possible can help them close properly and might help prevent health issues later on down the road.
