How to Puppy Proof Your Home

Puppy proofing is crucial for two main reasons. The first being to avoid a curious puppy ingesting something dangerous, and the second to avoid your puppy practicing unwanted behaviors (like chewing on the TV remote). For the sake of both safety and training, puppy proofing is one of the most important tasks you can do.

Here are some tips on how to puppy proof your home:

1. Get on Their Level

   Get down on your hands and knees and look at your home from your puppy's perspective. This will help you identify any potential hazards that you might miss from standing height.

2. Block off areas

   Closing doors can be used to prevent your puppy from accessing areas you don’t want them going into. If there is no door, use baby/pet gates or playpens to block off areas. Think of areas like the stairs, room with lots of small or delicate items, and cleaning closets with chemicals.

3. Remove Anything you Don’t Want Chewed On and Provide Chew Toys

   Puppies love to chew on things. This is the period where they are losing their puppy teeth and growing in adult teeth, so chewing relieves some teething pain for them and feels good. It is important to provide lots of chew toys for them to relieve the pain, and pick up anything that is not okay to chew on. Think of anything that would be dangerous if they get a hold of items like electrical cords, poisonous plants, or sharp objects. But also items you value and don’t want to make a habit out of chewing out of reach like shoes and the TV remote.

4. Cover up Trash Cans:

   Trash can contents can be dangerous, and many puppies won’t hesitate to explore them. Keep your trash cans covered and out of reach, or use a heavy-duty trash can that your puppy can't knock over.

5. Outdoor Hazards

   Consider not only the safety of in your home, but around it too. If you use salt in the winter time, make sure the kind you are using is pet-safe. Some plants and flowers grown in gardens can be toxic to dogs. So fencing in the area or keeping your puppy leashed in the yard can keep them safe.

6. Supervise Puppy or Contain in Safe Space

   Lastly, puppy proofing the first go is rarely perfect. Puppies are smart and may inevitably find something to get into. This is where supervision comes in. You can take action right away to puppy proof something when you notice your puppy’s curiosity. If you can’t supervise, keep your puppy in a safe space like a crate, playpen, or room with only puppy-safe items.

Puppy-proofing takes some effort, but helps keep your puppy safe and helps teach your puppy good habits by preventing unwanted ones from starting in the first place.

Have a problem puppy? Need help with puppy proofing a specific area in your home? Reach out for a free discovery call!