ing a new pet home is an exciting time but there is plenty of preparation needed from everyone involved. Whether you’re bringing home your family’s first puppy or rescuing an older dog so they can live in a loving home, you’ll need to prepare your home to make it safe and comfortable for your new pet.
Here’s a list of things you will need to do to in order to pet-proof your home before the big day.......
Choose a room for your new pet
Your dog will need somewhere to escape to at the beginning while they get used to their new surroundings. They need somewhere to sleep and their food and water bowls shouldn’t be too far away so all their needs are in one area. This will just be for the few weeks as once they get comfortable with their new home, you’ll be able to move their bed if you want to and let them explore more areas of your home.
This is where crate training comes in, it’s a great and effective way of providing a comfortable safe space for your dog and with help with toilet training.
Pet-proof your home
You might think your home is safe for a new pet, but you’ll be surprised at the hazards that can lurk inside our four walls. To keep your dog as safe as possible it’s important to be aware of the potential dangers around your home, here are some tips on how to pet-proof your home:
- Invest in baby gates to keep dogs out of certain rooms
- Block up gaps behind and under kitchen appliances or cupboards
- Make sure to screen off your fireplace
- Keep any hazardous material, like medicines, in a secure cupboard
- Look out for any loose wires and cables that could be chewed by teething pets
- Remove any fragile items like ornaments or vases for the time being
- Keep things that could be chewed (books or children’s toys) out of reach
- Keep any toxic food out of sight and reach
Don’t disregard the garden
The garden can be just as dangerous for pets as your home, so taking steps to pet-proof your outside area can make things safer for your new family member. Here are some of the potential hazards that you might need to consider before letting your dog run loose outside:
- Cover or fence off any ponds or pools
- Make sure flowers and plants are safe for pets
- Remove any hazardous bulbs, flowers and plants
- Keep poisonous materials (like slug pellets and antifreeze) out of reach
- Make sure any fence or gates are secure to prevent escape
- Check any hedges for holes or gaps, and block if necessary to prevent escape
- Check any manholes to make sure they’re safe and secure
- Provide shady spots for sunny days
- Block balcony railings to prevent falls. Using netting is an effect way of doing this. This can be removed once they are older.
Pet-proofing your house and garden will help keep your new pet safe at home so it’s definitely worth doing. You might have more to add to the list as you learn about your dog, and their mischievousness!
You should keep a close eye on young puppies at all times, watch where they go, what areas interest them and look for additional hazards, remember everything is new to them so they will want to explore and will find a chew toy just as exciting as a phone charging cable to begin with.