Puppy Proofing

Puppy Proofing Your Home

As many of our Old Mill families know, I’ve advised people about puppy proofing for years, but only recently experienced the joy — and challenge — of having a puppy in the house myself.

And, in all honesty, I didn't follow every suggestion on the traditional puppy-proofing list.

I taught my puppy not to climb the stairs rather than blocking them. I taught him to stay out of the trash cans. I put a cute container of puppy toys in each of the three rooms where I knew we would spend the most time. He seemed to learn very quickly that everything in those containers was his to chew, carry, and toss around at will. When he went after something that wasn't his, I redirected or corrected him.

The one temptation I've never allowed?

My shoes. Good heavens, we have to protect the shoes!

The point isn't to turn your house into an empty box. Puppy-proofing is about removing serious hazards, limiting opportunities for trouble, supervising your puppy, and teaching good habits along the way.

Start at Puppy Level

Before your puppy comes home, get down on the floor and take a look around.

You'll be surprised by what you see when you're only a few inches tall. Electrical cords, phone chargers, dropped pills, children's toys, socks, hair ties, and dozens of other interesting objects suddenly become easy to reach.

If it's small enough to swallow, tempting enough to chew, or dangerous enough that you would panic if your puppy grabbed it, put it away.

Indoor Hazards

Electrical cords and chargers. Puppies explore with their mouths. Secure loose electrical cords and chargers, place them out of reach, or use appropriate cord covers. Don't depend on your puppy knowing they're off limits.

Small objects. Coins, rubber bands, hair ties, paper clips, jewelry, small balls, children's toys, craft supplies, sewing materials and similar objects can be swallowed and potentially cause an intestinal blockage. Be particularly careful with anything long and string-like, including thread, yarn and dental floss.

Shoes, socks and clothing. Besides protecting your favorite shoes, clothing can become a real safety issue if pieces are swallowed. Lidded hampers can be very helpful. Teach your puppy what's theirs to chew by keeping plenty of appropriate toys nearby.

Children's rooms and play areas. A child's floor can be a puppy treasure hunt. Small toys, stuffed animals, crayons, craft supplies, and clothing can all be irresistible. Close doors or supervise your puppy in these areas until good habits are established.

Stairs. Young puppies can be awkward, and unrestricted access to stairs also gives them an easy route out of your supervision. You can use a gate or, as I did, teach your puppy that the stairs are off limits. Either way, supervise until you're confident your puppy understands the rules and can safely navigate stairs.

Bathrooms. Keep medications, cosmetics, razors, cleaning products, dental floss, and trash out of reach. Sanitary products, wipes, and other items pulled from a bathroom trash can can be swallowed and cause serious problems. And keep the toilet lid down—especially if you use toilet-cleaning products. Besides, do you really want your puppy drinking from the toilet?

Purses and handbags. We don't always think of these as hazards, but they may contain medications, sugar-free gum, candy, cosmetics, and other things a puppy shouldn't have. Don't leave them on the floor or within easy reach.

Windows and screens. Screens aren't designed to contain an enthusiastic puppy. Secure accessible windows and don't assume a screen will prevent a puppy from falling or pushing through.

The Great Outdoors

Don't leave a young puppy outside unattended. Even a fenced yard deserves inspection. Check for gaps under gates and fencing, sharp objects, potentially dangerous plants, lawn chemicals, and anything small enough to swallow.

Your puppy also needs time to become comfortable with the yard. Go outside together and let your puppy learn the boundaries while you supervise.

Pools and ponds. Never assume a puppy can safely get out of water simply because dogs can swim. Secure pools and ponds, and do not allow young puppies unsupervised access. If you have a pool, teach your dog where and how to exit it.

Garages, barns, and storage sheds. These areas can contain antifreeze, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, rodent products, tools, fishing line and hooks, automotive products, and countless other hazards. Keep them inaccessible unless you're supervising your puppy.

Compost and trash. Outdoor trash and compost can contain spoiled foods, bones, and other materials that are dangerous to dogs. Keep containers securely covered and inaccessible.

Potential Poisons

Medications. Prescription and over-the-counter medications can be dangerous to dogs. Store them securely, and pick up anything dropped on the floor immediately.

Xylitol. Xylitol is extremely dangerous to dogs and can cause a rapid, life-threatening drop in blood sugar and other serious complications. It's commonly found in sugar-free gum and candy but can also be in other products. Check labels and keep anything containing xylitol completely out of reach.

Household and garden chemicals. Store cleaning products, pesticides, fertilizers, automotive products, and other chemicals securely. Clean up spills immediately.

Nicotine and cannabis products. Cigarettes, cigarette butts, nicotine products, vaping liquids, and cannabis products can all pose serious risks to dogs. Keep them securely stored and inaccessible.

Plants. Many common houseplants and landscaping plants can cause problems if eaten. Before bringing your puppy home, check the plants in areas your puppy can access and remove or restrict access to anything potentially toxic.

Food. Chocolate, grapes and raisins, onions and garlic, macadamia nuts, alcohol and products containing xylitol are among the foods that can be dangerous to dogs. Don't assume that something safe for you is safe for your puppy.

Puppy Proofing + Training

No house will ever be 100 percent puppy-proof.

The goal isn't to remove everything your puppy might possibly get into. It's to remove the things that could seriously hurt them while you teach them how to live successfully in your home.

Use gates, closed doors, a crate, or a puppy-safe area when you can't supervise. Keep appropriate toys within easy reach. Redirect your puppy when necessary and begin teaching household boundaries from the start.

Puppy proofing isn't a substitute for training, and training isn't a substitute for puppy proofing. We use both.

And one final time:

Put your shoes away.