How to Dog Proof Your House

Dog proofing your home is a great way to prevent harm to your puppy and your valuables. Ideally, dog proofing should occur before you bring your dog home. If you don't like to be disappointed (who does?), then consider this a fact: everything that can be chewed will be chewed. That being said, get down on the floor at your dog's level (feel free to close any shades so your neighbours don't think you've lost your mind) and crawl around your house. Is that a dangerous electrical wire  on the floor? How about your autographed sneakers ? Remove all valuables and dangerous items and keep them out of your dog's reach. Closets  are convenient for storing these precious valuables, but you may want to consider having one room with a "no dogs allowed" sign on the door. If you have a lot of valuables, keep them in a safe room with a door  that can be shut. If you want to limit your dog to only part of a house but closing doors off isn't an option, try getting a few doggy gates . These are great for puppies and dogs that are not yet housebroken and are considered a more humane alternative to crates and cages. You may want to restrict your pooch from entering rooms with carpets .

Dog Proofing Checklist

• Keep plants  out of reach. Many plants are dangerous, even fatal, to dogs. Even if a plant won't hurt your dog, there is a good chance your dog will hurt the plant!
• Hide, cover, or roll up electrical cords to prevent electrical shock.
• Keep cords from blinds  out of reach. Watch out for anything that dangles, like cords from blinds or shades . Dogs can strangle themselves if these are left unattended.
• Make sure medicine  is locked up. One of the leading causes of accident-related deaths for pets is ingesting medicine meant for humans.
• Keep food  out of reach. Obviously it's alright for your dog to eat out of his own dish , but watch out for that roast you left on the counter to cool.
• Keep string ,thread ,yarn ,ribbons ,rubber bands , and dental floss  far, far away from dogs. If ingested, these items can block the intestines.
• Make sure fragile items, like glass  and lamps , are out of your dog's reach. If knocked over, not only will you need to replace something and clean up a mess, but your pooch could get seriously injured. Be careful Fido!
• Keep chemicals  and cleaners  out of reach.
• Make sure all trash cans  have lids ! Digging through the garbage may just be a mess in the movies, but in real life your pooch can get into harmful foods and products in the trash can!
• Keep socks  out of reach. Dogs love to chew on socks and shoes , so make sure all footwear related items are locked up!

Dog Proofing Supplies

Restricting Areas
Doggy gates  are a humane alternative to crates  and cages . You may only use them until your pup is housebroken, or you could keep Fido out of your art studio for years to come. These gates are commonly made from plastic , although they are sometimes made out of steel  or other metal  materials.	Doggy doors  are cute and a great way to allow your dog to pass from room to room without needing to open the door every time. Usually people just have one in their home, allowing their canine friend to pass from the house to outside. Doggy doors usually have a flap  made of plastic to prevent bugs from entering and heat (or air conditioning) from escaping. The actual doggy door is usually made out of metal and can be installed by a handyman, installed yourself, or purchased with the door  (this is a bit hard to find, however). Doggy doors can be tricky to install yourself, but with a little elbow grease it isn't impossible.

Can't put away or block off? Make it unattractive!

Have something that can't be put away? Fido still chewing on your good sofa? Try a pet repellent  to discourage chewing. These come in "icky" flavours, like bitter apple , to make your dog think twice about chewing on furniture . Some people recommend good old fashioned rubbing alcohol  or white vinegar  to repel dogs as well. Make sure you test whatever you decide to use on fabrics  and wood  before applying. Make sure your pet has plenty of toys ! This will prevent chewing out of boredom and give your pet something that is alright to teeth on.

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