Once you decide to take care of your pet and make it a part of the family, you’ll need to keep a constant eye on them. In fact, it’s a lot like taking care of a new baby. That’s just how much love your furry friend needs!
But dogs need extra attention because they can enter every area and get out from the smallest spaces. However, different areas of your home could be hiding potential dangers. Hazards like small objects and harmful chemicals can hurt your pet, for example. And this could, in turn, lead to injuries.
Dog-proofing your home is a good way to keep your canine safe. This is especially important if your dog is recovering from injury and needs to stay confined. But on top of that, you can get a cleaner home by dog-proofing while giving your pet a safe space to play.
If you’re eager to start puppy-proofing your home, read on for some helpful tips.
Kitchen
Keep your counter clean
Your dog can find snacks and crumbs on your kitchen counter because of their sharp sense of smell. So make sure you don’t keep food on top of the surfaces and wipe them clean after cooking. Also, don’t place any type of medicine on your countertop in case they end up ingested by your pooch.
Store toxic food
Foods like the sugar substitute Xylitol, chocolate, grapes, and onions can harm your dog’s health. Keep them in a space beyond your dog’s reach. We recommend putting food in a closed cupboard, drawer, or pantry.
Secure your garbage
Put your trash can in a safe area within your kitchen. Make sure the bin has a firm cover, with ample support at the bottom. The weight will help keep the can steady even if your pet accidentally crashes into it and the contents spill over. You wouldn’t want your pooch rummaging in the trash for something to eat, after all.
Cut food bags on both sides
Food bags can choke your pet if they end up poking their head inside. Avoid this scenario by cutting disposed chip or food bags on both sides. This way, you can avoid suffocation hazards. You can also keep food bags in hard-to-reach cupboards.
Don’t forget to clear areas of food packaging, as well. After all, your pet can grab onto or poke their heads inside if you don’t throw them away properly. Lastly, put bagged food in containers by serving chips or popcorn in bowls instead.
Keep toxic chemicals & harmful objects away from reach
Your kitchen or dish cleaners may have child-proof caps but this doesn’t guarantee that your pets are safe. Your dog could bite into these covers so make sure you store these harmful chemicals in hard-to-reach places.
Knives, twist ties, and other kitchenware can injure your dog, too. Make sure to keep these objects away from paw’s reach.
Living Room
Make flammable areas safe
Most of the time, living rooms are safe spaces for pets. But if you have a fireplace, for example, consider installing a screen to protect your pooch from the flames and ashes.
Some living rooms can also have flammable objects lying around like candles or incense sticks. But having these objects lying around could put your dog at risk of accidentally knocking over a lit candle or ingesting a flammable object. So make sure you put your candles, incense, or essential oils in a high place.
Hide cords & cables
Dogs can’t resist digging their teeth into whatever object they find, and in some cases it could end up being an electrical cord. Keep your pet from chewing your cables and cords by organizing them properly and keeping them hidden from view.
If you’re not charging your phone or computer, store the chargers in a safe place. These wires can shock your pet and cause serious injury.
Keep dangerous objects out of reach
Your dog can also run into chewing or choking hazards inside your living room. See to it that your pooch can’t reach for these items. Some harmful objects to keep out of your pet’s paws include:
- Batteries
- Buttons
- Coins
- Paper clips
- Rubber bands
- Sharp items like needles or scissors
- Jewelry
Pet-proof your doors or windows
Sometimes, open doors and windows can lure your pet into stepping outside. Keep your dogs safe by installing screens to your doors and windows. Various types of screens are available, even some that are near-invisible.
Bedroom
Store your bags properly
Sometimes, your bags can contain some toxic objects. If your pooch peeks into your bag, it could end up ingesting cigarette butts, medicine, Xylitol products, or other hazardous objects. So store bags in your closet or hang them on hooks to prevent dog poisoning.
Keep hazards out of sight
Hide your jewelry, hair clips, pins, and bands to prevent any choking injuries. Mothballs are another object to keep out of sight. Make sure to store these harmful items in a hard-to-reach area so that your dog doesn’t ingest them.
Bathroom
Keep medications in a medicine cabinet
Dog poisoning can happen from accidentally swallowing human medicine. Prevent this from happening and keep medications in closed cabinets or drawers. Make sure to seal your medicine bottles properly then put them in your medicine cabinet. Lastly, segregate dog and human medications.
Hide your trash
A trash can in your bathroom could easily topple over if your dog accidentally knocks into it. Make sure your trash bin has a lid so the contents don’t spill over.
Keep your bathroom door closed at all times
A closed door helps you ensure that your pet won’t just randomly enter. You don’t want your pet walking in and playing with objects like toilet paper rolls, after all.
Take your meds over the sink
If you take pills often, there could be times when the medicine could fall out of your hands and on the floor. If you aren’t quick enough to pick it up from the ground, your dog could eat the pill instead. Avoid this from happening by taking your medication over the sink. This way, your pills won’t drop on the bathroom floor for your dog to find.
Avoid untoward bathroom accidents
You can also take extra steps to keep your pet from untoward incidents in the bathroom. For one, make sure your pet doesn’t drink toilet water because it could compromise their health.
Ingesting toilet water isn’t the only threat that the bathroom poses to their health, though. Drowning could also happen if you leave your bathtub with water and your pet finds its way inside the bathroom. Be extra careful and make sure you keep your pet company whenever it enters the tub.
Laundry Room
Keep your laundry away from your dog
Dogs may see your laundry pile as objects to play with. But even though it’s fun rolling around in dirty clothes and chewing on undergarments, ingesting fabric could lead to serious complications like a blocked intestine. Make sure you leave your dirty clothes in a covered laundry basket so they won’t scatter if it topples over.
Close your washing machine or dryer door
Your dog might cozy up and take a nap inside your washing machine or dryer if it’s left open. But this could prove dangerous if the appliance is turned on and they’re inside. Always make sure you shut the machine door after every use.
Garage & Basement
This area of the home is a stockroom. A lot of items kept in storage can include pet dangers like small objects and toxic chemicals. Since you have a pet in the house, store these pet hazards in a hard-to-reach area. Closed cabinets can also be a good place to store chemicals, screws, nuts, and other harmful objects.
Outdoor Areas
Avoid toxic plants
Some plants can trigger health complications in your pet, especially if they turn out to be toxic. Here are some houseplants you should avoid in your home since they could pose a threat to your dog:
- Sago palm
- Castor Bean
- American Yew
- Autumn Crocus
Snail and slug bait are harmful to your pet, as well. You can opt for plant barriers or dog-friendly bait to protect your produce or plants.
Check your latticework
Does your dog love to play outside? Check if your latticework is still intact so it doesn’t end up trapping your pet. Dogs love to crawl into all sorts of spaces and the last thing you’d want is for them to end up stuck and injuring their joints.
Don’t leave fires unattended
Ashes and flames from fire pits and barbecues can be as dangerous as your fireplace. So make sure you don’t leave the fire and your dog unattended. Also, place the lighter fluid in an inaccessible area whenever you’re using your barbecue grill.
Cord off areas with water
Swimming pools and spas could put your dog at risk of drowning if you aren’t careful. Restrict entry into these areas by using covers or fences. Or better yet, encourage your dog to stay indoors.
Start Pet-Proofing Your Home to Ensure Dog Safety
As a pet owner, it’s your responsibility to maintain a pet-friendly home. So make your house a safe place for your dogs to stay in. By dog-proofing your house, you can shield your canine from harm and ensure a better quality of life.
