Puppy Proofing Your House

Overview

If anything is in reach, your puppy will sniff, chew, and probably play with it. So to protect your puppy in her new environment, and to safeguard your belongings, puppy-proof your house.

Kitchens & Bathrooms

  • Keep foods out of reach (even if the food isn't harmful, the wrapper could be. And some foods, like chocolate, can be fatal to dogs)
  • Keep medications, cleaners, chemicals, and laundry supplies on high shelves
  • Keep trash cans covered or inside a latched cabinet
  • Keep toilet lids closed to prevent drowning
  • Use childproof latches to keep curious muzzles from prying open cabinets

Living & Family Rooms

  • Check all the places where your vacuum cleaner doesn't fit, but your puppy does, for dangerous items, like coins and pens
  • Keep kids' toys put away
  • Make sure all heating / air vents have a cover
  • Move plants out of reach (some houseplants are poisonous to animals)
  • Place dangling wires from lamps, VCRs, stereos, TVs, and phones up and out of chewing reach
  • Put away all sewing and craft notions, especially needles and thread

Garage

  • Clean up all antifreeze from the floor and driveway - one lick of most anti-freezes can be lethal to a puppy
  • Keep fishhooks and other sharp objects and tools out of reach
  • Move all chemicals to high shelves or behind secure doors


Bedrooms

  • Keep any medications, lotions, or cosmetics off accessible surfaces (like the bedside table, which can be reached by jumping on the bed)
  • Keep laundry and shoes behind closed doors (drawstrings and buttons can cause major problems)
  • Move wires out of reach of chewing

And look out for paws, noses, and tails when you shut doors behind you or scoot chairs.