Dog-proofing your home simply involves eliminating potential risk factors or issues that may cause harm to your dog. It also involves taking measures to prevent your pup from causing damage to your property or belongings. After you bring in your new dog, it becomes a part of your household. It is therefore important to provide it with a safe environment. To eliminate any dangers, there are various steps that you ought to take. Regardless of their age, dogs can be inquisitive and sometimes very investigative. They sometimes tend to behave like so on things that would appear dangerous to you. Some can be overly playful, whereas others can be aggressive. Below are some tips on how to make a home dog proof, mostly focusing on specific areas within the home.
How to Make a Home Dog Proof – 6 Areas
1. Dog Proofing the Living Room
Your living room is most likely your pet pup’s favorite room. The very first item on our list is the heating and cooling units. Ensure that HVAC units are properly covered. It’s also important to ensure that HVAC temperatures aren’t set too high or too low. Extreme temperatures may affect the health of the dog. Also, your living room most probably contains most of the home appliances, most of them electric. Ensure that the wires are not dangling from them.
After the kids are done with their toys or other playing pieces, keep them away. They can choke puppy. The various fragile decorations should be above reach to avoid being knocked over and breaking. On the same note, aesthetic plants in the living room should be out of reach. Always ensure that a plant isn’t poisonous to your dog before bringing it home or potting it.
2. The Bathroom
Ensure that the soaps, detergents or any other cleaning supplies are put in locked shelves or high above reach. Dogs can be curious and can outwit you. Make sure your shelving and bathroom cabinetry has childproof latches. Additionally, after using the bathroom, keep the toilet sit down. And you might want to check to see if your pup is taking a nap there before using laundry equipment. Bleaches, detergents, and other bathroom supplies can be poisonous if ingested so keep them locked away when not in use.
3. The Kitchen
It’s not that you are preventing the dog from the food, the packaging could pose a threat to your dog. Some supplies in the kitchen can cause harm to your dog like some spices, for instance. Always keep the trash cans well covered, possibly away when you can. It isn’t unusual for pet parents to sometimes become too occupied to pay enough attention to their pup friends. Kitchen tasks are a good example of such times. A dog gate may also come in handy as a way to confine your canine if you have to.
4. The Bedroom
This is where you most probably store your cosmetics, medicine, knitting needles, and buttons. Ensure that these are out of your dog’s reach. If not, always ensure that the doors are shut upon entry and on exit. Before you shut the closet doors you may want to check and make sure the dog is not inside. If strings, buttons or shoe polish are ingested by the dog, they may choke him or cause other serious problems. Always be mindful to dog proof your precious sleeping room and keep your dog safe.
5. The Garage
Whether you have a dog or not in your home, garage safety is important to be keen on. All the sharp tools should be kept in their respective toolboxes, if not places inaccessible to your dog. Any chemicals in the garage should be above reach or in latched shelves. Ensure that the garage floor is clean and any spilled oils are wiped off. Better still, you may want to consider making the garage a no-go zone for your canine friend.
6. The Backyard
All the plants in your backyard should be safe and nonpoisonous. Ensure that any space that your dog can squeeze itself out is patched up or space boarded. This will prevent your dog from wandering off. Also, you may want to install a fence to keep the dog from digging in your flowerbeds.
In addition to adhering to the steps above, always ensure that your home is clean. By any chance, keep the volume of your TV or radio on average. Loud noises may disturb your dog or cause behavioral changes.