Preparing Your House For a New Puppy Articles | Dogs

By: Matthew Hick

It’s an exciting time! You’re bringing a new puppy home! The anticipation is overwhelming and although it’s a happy time, it is also a time that requires much work. Preparing your house for a new puppy will take some time and effort. It can be likened to when a baby starts walking or crawling. The gates go up, locks appear on the doors, and those priceless collectables get put out of reach. Well, just as you would baby-proof a house, preparing your house for a new puppy will demand some puppy-proofing.

Puppies are loveable and playful, and it’s not just enough to give them affection and attention. Like a toddler, they really don’t know any better. They need you to keep the house safe for them as they launch their lives full of exploration and curiosity. When preparing your house for a new puppy, one of the best things you can do is get down on their level. Crawl around on your hands and knees and look for potential hazards, which will come into their view.

Also like a child, everything a puppy encounters will eventually end up in his mouth. While preparing your house for a new puppy, make sure all detergents, chemicals, poisons and cleaning supplies are out of reach. As puppies push and nudge, they may eventually be able to open lower cabinets, so keep only safe items there, unless you install locks. Plastic bags and aluminum cans are also harmful if a puppy begins chewing on them. Electric cords and cable wires should also be kept out of access, by unplugging or covering them when preparing your house for new puppy. Chewing on these can cause the puppy to get severely burned or even electrocuted.

Look for things of value the puppy could knock over or shred. Puppies could smash to pieces your great grandmother’s antique vase and physically injure themselves, as well as your mementos. Neither scenario would be appealing. Preparing your house for a new puppy may also include installing gates on stairs, to keep them from potentially falling or to keep them confined.

The yard should also be considered when preparing your house for a new puppy. If it is fenced in, check the fence and gate for any possible holes they can squeeze through. Also, check for trashcans, which can be tipped over and become chewing items for the puppy. If you apply any pesticides to your lawn, keep the puppy out of this area.

Preparing puppy for new home will also require some supplies. Buy him or her a bed made of plastic and insert comfortable bedding on it. Keep a crate close by until he or she is house trained. Also purchase a food dish, a water dish, appropriate toys, leash, flat buckle collar, id tags, brush, comb, and food.

Preparing your house for a new puppy may be an arduous task, but the safety of your new pet is at stake. You must care for it as you would a child. If your house is not fully prepared for a new puppy when you bring it home, you might consider a puppy pen until it is ready. This way the puppy has a safe place to play before you are equipped to let him roam the house. The only thing left for preparing your house for a new puppy is a ton of hugs and cuddling. Enjoy!