Before you can bring a puppy home, it is essential to ensure that the whole place is safe and pet-friendly. Getting some toys, bowls for water and dog food, and puppy pads are crucial, but not enough.
If you are planning on becoming a pet owner any time soon, this article is for you! Below, you will find 6 things you should do to make your house puppy-proof, ranging from securing door and window screens, removing any toxic objects, and stocking up on pet supplies to consulting with your veterinarian about some separation anxiety remedies and cleaning the entire house, among other things. Read on and make your pup safe and happy!
Secure the Doors and Windows
When you bring a puppy home, you will want to make sure that all the doors and windows are safe and secure for the pup. You should also make sure that all your doors are securely locked so that your puppy cannot sneak out of them. To do this, you can use dog door stoppers that will lock the door when it is closed. Remember that your puppy will not be able to open doors on its own at the beginning, so you can use a doggie door stopper if your puppy is already house trained and you are sure it understands how to use the doggie door or until he/she learns how to open doors on its own.
Consult With Your Veterinarian About Separation Anxiety Remedies
If you are planning on bringing a puppy home soon, it is essential to consult with a veterinarian beforehand about how to deal with separation anxiety issues that may arise during the first few weeks after the puppy arrives home. Usually, separation anxiety occurs between 14 days and 3 months after a dog has been adopted into a new family. When this happens, some puppies begin to whine excessively or bark when they are left alone at home and try desperately to get attention when they see someone looking at them through a window or mirror.
If you have never owned a dog before and do not know what separation anxiety looks like, you may notice that your puppy barks at odd hours while he or she is alone or seems depressed while being separated from you or other family members. When your pup cries excessively when left home alone, you can try installing a video monitor so you can see what he/she is doing while you are away. You could purchase calming CBD chews for dogs or leave some soothing music playing as well as a radio tuned into a station that plays calming music. If nothing else works, start leaving him/her home alone for shorter periods of time until he/she gets used to being alone again.
Remove Anything Toxic From Your House
Another thing you should do before bringing your puppy home is removing any toxic objects from your house so that your dog cannot eat them. There are many toxic things that can harm your puppy, such as cleaning products, drugs, toiletries, cosmetics, plants, medications, dyed or treated fabrics, and other things that you may not even know are poisonous. Keep in mind that dogs are more likely than humans to eat something toxic because they are curious and easily tempted by food. Furthermore, some objects, such as plastic bags and balloons, can cause serious choking, blockages, and damage to the digestive system.
All these considerations should make you think twice before placing anything that is not edible in a place where your dog can easily get to it. For example, keep pet medications separate from human medications and out of reach of your dogs and children. When it comes to plants, it is better not to have them around at all if you do not know if they are toxic to dogs or not. As for other toxic items, remove them entirely from the house or put them in sealed containers that an adult can only open.
Stock Up on Puppy Supplies
In order to ensure that your puppy will be safe from its first day at home, stock up on supplies such as bowls for water and food, food bins, training pads, pet shampoo and conditioner, grooming tools, toys, rawhide chews, and treats. Your puppy will need a lot of attention but also proper care when it comes to keeping it healthy. It is essential to enroll your puppy in obedience training classes from the very beginning so that it will learn how to respond to commands and behave properly around people and other dogs.
Remove Potential Hazards From Your House
You should also take into account potential hazards that may be present in your house that might injure or hurt your puppy. For example, since puppies tend to jump and bound about trying to play, it is essential to make sure there are no fragile objects around them because they may fall over and get injured as a result. You should also avoid leaving things such as cords or strings within their reach because they become entangled in these objects and suffocate or choke on them. You should also avoid having drapes or curtains in rooms where you usually let your puppy roam freely because they are often used for chewing!
Clean Your House From Floor to Ceiling Before Bringing Your Puppy Home
Your veterinarian may advise you to clean every room in your house top to bottom before bringing your puppy home so that your dog will be free of any existing parasites (fleas, ticks, mites, worms) that could potentially harm it or infect it when it comes into contact with them while exploring the house on its own. In addition, cleaning up the entire house will help keep it safe from any chemical residue left behind by cleaners or pets and will improve its smell significantly so that your puppy will feel more comfortable in its new home. If you have carpeting throughout your house, consider renting a carpet cleaner before bringing your puppy home, so the house smells fresh and clean!
In Conclusion
You may find out that 6 things you should do to prepare your house for a puppy are not as simple as you thought. However, the peace of mind that comes with knowing you have taken every step possible to ensure your puppy’s safety and comfort is well worth the effort! We hope this article has been helpful and informative in preparing you for bringing home a new puppy.