A Guide to Puppy-Proofing Your House

Besides preparing food, bedding and other products, you should puppy proof the inside and outside of your house before puppy arrives home.

It may seem overly cautious, but remember that your puppy is in many ways like a toddler! They’ll explore, chew on things and end up in all sorts of predicaments. To make sure your puppy is as safe and secure as possible around the house, here’s what you should focus on in each area of the home:

Indoor hazards

Kitchen

• Rubbish bins: they’ll smell fascinating to your puppy, but some rubbish items can be toxic when ingested. Keep your trash under wraps and the lid secured at all times.
• Household cleaners: if you’re storing these in your kitchen, make sure they’re well out of reach from puppy - even if the product is in a bottle, they could still chew through it!
• Food scraps on countertops: don’t give your puppy an opportunity to jump up and try to drag food off the bench as this could result in other objects falling on top of them. Some common human foods are also toxic to dogs.

Living room

• Household plants: Some indoor plants appear innocuous, but are highly poisonous to your puppy. These include the sago palm, alocasia and aloe (just to name a few).
• Electrical cords: Any kind of loose cord could be a chance for your pup to chew on while playing. Tie up or wrap your cords, and keep them busy with a fun chew toy instead.
• Furniture: If you have a fold up bed or reclining sofa in the living room, be sure to leave them closed as puppies can get stuck or crawl inside.
• Curtains and blinds cords: If these are dangling too close to the ground they may present a strangulation risk to your pup. Make sure they are tied up out of reach.
• Batteries: Any remote controls or gadgets containing batteries should be picked up and stored out of reach. These are small, which means they’re easy to swallow and choke on.

Bedroom

• Bags, purses, backpacks etc. lying around the room: can contain items like creams or xylitol gum which are toxic to your puppy. Hang these up or keep them in a cupboard when not in use.
• Clothes and shoes: Puppies love to have a nibble on loose clothing and especially shoes! Don’t let your clothes become their chew toy - it’s much better to use actual chew toys instead.
• Small objects: Objects like coins, jewellery, sewing kit needles etc. that can be gobbled up by puppy should be cleared and stored in a safe place.

Outdoor hazards

Backyard

• Fencing: Some breeds like Huskies, require higher fencing to prevent escape attempts. Make sure that your fence is completely secure so that puppy cannot jump over or dig under.
• Garage: Sheds and garages are full of toxic substances like paint, petrol and insecticides. Keep these locked when not in use and store these substances in containers away from puppy’s reach.
• Pools, ponds or water features: If possible, fence these off so that your puppy can’t fall in.