How to dog-proof your home

Dogs like to get their noses into anything and everything. They can’t help it. They are hard-wired to sniff and hunt things out. While this may have been an invaluable survival skill for many years, around the modern house it can be a cause for concern.

Making your home safe for dogs is similar to baby proofing in a lot of ways. It’s best to start in one room and work your way around the house. Some areas will have obvious hazards while others might require a bit more thought. You might feel a bit silly doing it, but if you’ve got a smaller dog, it can be worthwhile getting down on your hands and knees so you can view the room from their height. This will allow you to spot any hidden dangers you hadn’t noticed before, like trailing electrical cables or long-forgotten batteries down the back of the sofa.

Start by making sure that all toxic cleaning products for your kitchen and bathroom are hidden well away. If possible, move them to a high cupboard that is completely out of reach of your dog, or if they are kept in a lower cupboard, consider fitting child locks. If your house has stairs and you have an older dog or an excitable new puppy, it may be worth fitting stair gates to prevent them from falling. Make sure you are clued up on which common households plants can be poisonous for your pets and place them far from reach or consider donating them to a friend or family member.

If you’ve got a really inquisitive dog, it might be a good idea to limit the number of rooms they have access to by keeping the doors shut. This is a particularly good idea if you want to keep your pet off your soft furnishings, like your bed or your sofas. You could also buy an appropriately sized cage that will not only keep your dog away from any hazards but also provide a safe place for them to retreat to if they get scared or overexcited by things like fireworks or new visitors.

By using common sense and regularly checking your house for hazards, you’ll be able to keep your pup safe and well. For more advice on common household items that could poison your pet, read our previous blog post here.

Fri Aug 10 2018