How to dog proof your house
A dog can bring incredible joy into your life and become your best friend. However, a dog can also destroy everything you own and trash your house! Before you bring a new puppy or dog into your home, it’s a good idea to dog-proof your home to prevent some of the worst things that can happen. Then you can think about training your dog to teach him good manners around the house.
Before you bring home your new puppy or dog
If you’re bringing home a new puppy, then it’s a good bet that your pup is at the stage where he wants to chew on everything, investigate everything, and could also be a little clumsy. If you bring home a new dog, of any age, you may not know much about his background. He may or may not have manners around the house. In any case, you can’t take any chances. You need to protect your house and dog proof.
dog proof
To dog-proof your home, you need to look at your house from your dog’s level, literally. That means paying attention to things your puppy or dog can reach on the floor, like electrical cords and shoes. It means keeping items on your coffee table that are within a pup’s reach, such as remote controls, candy dishes, breakables, eyeglasses, purses, and magazines. If you have anything of value laying around, put it away because your pup will try to bite it or your new adult dog will knock it over and break it.
If you have CDs or DVDs where your pup can get to them, he will chew on them, so keep them in a cabinet where he can’t get to them. If you have books on a shelf at your pup’s level, he might be tempted to chew on them. If your pup shows interest in them, you can spray them with bitter apple spray or place a section of glass or plywood in front of them until your pup gets a little older.
If you have anything remotely interesting on your floor, your pup will investigate it and possibly try to eat it, so be careful. If you value something, put it away until your pup is older. This includes fluffy cushions on your couch and anything your pup can play with. Many owners have come home to find that their pup has turned their living room into a onesie room.
You can tape down electrical cords so your pup doesn’t chew on them, or buy cheap plastic cable covers to prevent your pup from chewing on them. Put away shoes and anything else on the floor. Most dog owners learn to do this fairly quickly after their new pup has chewed through a shoe or two.
If your pup is smart, he might learn to open cabinets under your sink or other cabinets. You can install childproof locks on these cabinets to prevent your new puppy or dog from opening them. Some dogs even learn to open the refrigerator. You can also install a child lock on the refrigerator. If your puppy or dog starts to lift the toilet lid to drink, you can also install a childproof lock here.
If your pup is interested in chewing on wood or wooden furniture, you can purchase bitter apple cream or spray at your local pet store or online and apply it. It tastes terrible and will deter most puppies from chewing on wood. It can also be applied to other objects that puppies try to chew on, such as computer cables.
Puppies are very intelligent and inventive. They will scan your home from top to bottom and notice anything new, so dog-proofing your home is an ongoing process. Keep an eye on your puppy as much as possible and watch what he is doing. Remember that if he’s too quiet, he’s probably doing something he shouldn’t be doing! The good news is that puppies outgrow this stage and you can gradually relax again.
Training
As your puppy goes through this inquisitive and destructive stage, you can help him by going to training classes. Teach your pup basic obedience lessons and put him on a good path to learning. Teach him basic house manners so he knows to “leave it” when you tell him to. Make sure he is fully house trained. Teach him to “go to his place” when someone knocks on the door. The more your puppy learns, the better behaved he will be. These lessons will help you just as much as doing a dog test at home.