Bringing a brand-new puppy to your home can be an exciting new venture but it can also be an unfamiliar challenge if you have never experienced it before. Puppies are like toddlers, they are very energetic and full of curiosity. Because of this, it would be a smart to prepare your home before bringing them into a potentially harmful environment. Puppy proofing isn’t always a piece of cake but these simple tips will help minimize dangers and keep your puppy safer and happier.

• Younger puppies will need to teethe so it’s important to keep any items that could possibly harm them out of reach. This includes electrical cords, poisonous house plants, or any wooden furnishings that could splinter. Supplying teething toys can greatly reduce chewing on household items.
• Keep any medications, vitamins or pharmaceuticals out of reach from puppies, these can be extremely dangerous to dogs of any size.
• Trashcans are going to be a big curiosity for pups so it’s important to keep them in a place where they can’t be rummaged through, many discarded items can be dangerous if ingested.
• If your puppy is still not familiar with the layout of the house, putting baby gates at the top of stairwells temporarily can help reduce any tumbles or trips down the stairs.
• If you own any other pets that use litter boxes it will be very important to close these off to a new puppy, ingesting feces is not only gross but can cause many medical issues.
• Make sure all doors and windows are secured to the point where there is no chance of a puppy escaping when not supervised.
• Avoid table scraps if you are not familiar with what foods could pose danger to a young dog.

These tips may seem like they are common sense but a lot of them can be forgotten in the excitement of a new addition to the family. It’s very important that you make sure you bring your new best friend into a safe environment! #sofetch