A Beginner's Guide to Dog-Proofing Your Home

Running around after an energetic puppy leaves little spare time - so preparing for their arrival in advance is essential. This involves dog-proofing your house and dog-proofing your garden.

Consult this snappy Doodlebone® guide to protect your pup, safeguard your surroundings, and ensure your newest housemate feels right at home.

Identify the main hazards.

Many potential hazards in the average household (or garden) can be dangerous or even fatal to dogs, and we don’t even realise it. 

Identifying and removing these risks from your home is important in preparation for a new puppy. 

Here is a list, although not exhaustive, of the main culprits you should be keeping your eye out for. 

Toxic plants (and bulbs):

• Alliums
• Azaleas and rhododendrons
• Bergenia
• Bleeding heart (dicentra formosa)
• Delphinium
• Foxgloves
• Hellebores
• Lilies
• Mistletoe
• Nicotiana (tobacco flower)
• Oleander
• Perennial bulbs
• Ragwort
• Sacred bamboo
• Spurge
• Wisteria 
• Yew
  
  

Chemicals in household products:

• Antifreeze
• Bleach
• Insecticides
• Rodenticides
• White spirit.
  
  

Electricals:

• Batteries
• Live wires
  
  

Foods:

• Avocado 
• Chocolate
• Cooked bones
• Corn on the cob
• Grapes and raisins 
• Macadamia nuts 
• Onions, garlic and chives
• Xylitol (sugar-free sweetener) 

If your doggy does encounter or ingest these items, please contact your veterinarian as soon as possible for professional medical advice.

Carve out a Safe Space for Your Dog. 

Once the area is protected, you can start thinking about where to settle your pooch. 

This could be a crate, a dog bed padded with cosy blankets, or a designated room. The idea is to create a calming retreat for your pet to relax - after all, being a puppy is hard work!

Make sure to provide soothing bedding and snuggly toys in this space, as this will encourage your pup to unwind and associate the area with safety.

Our fabulous faux fur and fleece blankets will do the trick. They’re super soft, durable and washable at 30°C. 

As well as snuggly blankets, we’d recommend placing puppy pads or layers of newspaper down in this area and other rooms around the house. This makes cleaning up after your dog easier and helps with puppy potty training. 

Final Security Checks

Now is the time to make any final adjustments, seal gaps to prevent escapee dogs and shield any beloved furniture or belongings. 

Although puppies are incredibly cute, they can also cause a lot of damage, especially as they’re teething. 

While it's impossible to stay angry at them for long, it can still be painful to see your favourite furniture chewed up and your precious belongings destroyed.

If you don't take preventative measures now, we’re afraid you may end up learning the hard way. 

To sway your pup from engaging in these undesirable habits, provide them with appropriate toys and rewards to keep them mentally stimulated, engaged and positively reinforced. 

For extra help, visit our handy guide for Training your Dog.

To assist with training, our delicious Nuri Soft Bites go down a treat and are packed with nutrients perfect for any growing pup.

Choose from three mouth-watering flavours: Brilliant Beef, Delishy Duck and Super Salmon.

You can even find these treats amongst our incredible Fuchsia and Aqua bundles.

This exceptional offer includes all the essential items you need to get started with your new puppy, including a dog harness, collar, lead and, of course, tail-wagging treats!

Discover more Doodlebone® essentials.

With this guide in mind, your home and garden should be well and truly dog-proofed. 

All your canine needs now is a whole lot of love, which we’re sure you’re more than willing to give them.

For more ways to look after your pet, shop all Doodlebone® products and spoil your pup with fun and fabulous supplies. 

If you have any questions regarding this article or any of our items, please feel free to contact us. A friendly member of our team is always happy to help.