Introduction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Before welcoming your new puppy into its forever home, there are a few things you need to take care of. Owning a dog comes with a lot of responsibility, but puppies especially come with a never-ending curiosity which can sometimes lead to trouble. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Specialists at tails.<\/a>com<\/a> have put together 10 handy tips on how to protect yourself, your puppy, and your home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Training pads can be a useful part of trying to toilet train your puppy. The younger your puppy is, the harder they find it to control their bladder, so if they\u2019ve got to go – they\u2019ve got to go. Using either training pads, a waterproof bed, or a combination of both can prevent unfortunate accidents, ruined furniture, and slippery floors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n (Wilma \u2013 the best toilet training means starting by taking your pup outside every half an hour and especially if they have just woken up or eaten. Stay outside until they have gone to the toilet, use a command they can recognise to mean that \u2013 we understand \u2018go\u2019 in our house. Then praise your puppy. The length of time between taking the puppy out can be built up slowly as they grow and their bladder muscles strengthen. Usually, if they fail it is the fault of the human and not the fault of the puppy \u2013 It is NOT something to tell the puppy off for. If you need to leave it longer between going out, then training the puppy to use a training pad can be very useful.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Puppy gates are the best way to keep your new four-legged friend out of a room, or away from any other pets or children that could potentially cause them harm. As we mentioned, puppies come with newfound curiosity and if you have to leave them alone at any point (and you should for short periods, to increase their independence) using a puppy gate is the most effective method to keep them confined to a safe area. (Wilma \u2013 do bear in mind some dogs, such as me, will learn to jump over gates at any height. As a breed we are also renowned for climbing out of puppy pens, so always consider the safety of your puppy.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n When getting a new puppy it\u2019s important to make sure both the inside and outside of your home is free from any plants or flowers that could be poisonous and toxic, such as lavender, eucalyptus, and peonies. Different types of plants and flowers bloom depending on the season, so it\u2019s crucial to regularly check your garden and any plants you might buy for the inside of your home too. (Wilma \u2013 this is really really important. Don\u2019t assume that if it\u2019s safe for you then it\u2019s safe for us. Remember we have a tendency to put things in our mouths so please check everything.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n A new pup comes with a lot of new mess, however, even though you might find yourself cleaning up more than usual – it\u2019s extremely important to make sure that your cleaning products don\u2019t contain any chemicals that can be harmful to your dog. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Check cleaning products for any ingredients such as the likes of bleach. Ammonia, formaldehyde, glycol ethers, and chlorine can be toxic to your puppy even once they\u2019ve been put away due to the vapours left behind. You can get cleaning products that are made specifically to be pet safe. (Wilma \u2013 you need to think about this in the garden too. It is by far the safest to avoid the use of chemical products in the garden. Weedkiller, fertilizer, pest control products \u2013 can all be highly dangerous to animals and that includes us!)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s not just cleaning products that can pose a threat, the likes of medicine and food can also be highly toxic to your pups. Make sure that they can\u2019t get into your kitchen cupboards, onto the countertops and any medication is kept high up, out of reach. (Wilma \u2013 don\u2019t just hide them, lock them away and don\u2019t tell us where the key is. If you have those kitchen cupboards with magnetic opening, please bear in mind it took Aristotle a few seconds to work those out at a friend\u2019s house. He then went round opening all the doors to see what he could find! Also, don\u2019t ever keep out treats in the same cupboard as anything we shouldn\u2019t have. The treat cupboard is the most likely one we will learn to open.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s not uncommon to have wires lying around but these are a huge risk to your pup. Keep cords and wires safe by using secure cord covers, or keep them completely out of reach if it\u2019s possible. (Wilma \u2013 this is true in your car too. One of our friends did \u00a35000 damage, chewing through the car\u2019s electrics!)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n You can also use puppy deterrent spray to keep them away from electrical items or anything else you don\u2019t want them sinking their teeth into. (Wilma \u2013 please bear in mind, these do not always work, so don\u2019t use them as an excuse not to keep things safe.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Small toys aren\u2019t just a choking hazard to babies, but dogs too. Make sure you keep your home tidy inside and out. Especially ensuring that anything small or sharp, such as kids\u2019 toys or garden tools are tidied away. (Wilma \u2013 the same is true of kitchen knives and DIY equipment. If you have cut food with a knife make sure it is not left on the side. You don\u2019t want us trying to lick it.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Young puppies have fragile bones, so jumping or falling from high heights can put them at a pretty big risk of injury. Keep chairs far enough from tables so that your pup can\u2019t try to climb, and if they\u2019re sitting on the couch or bed with you, make sure they\u2019re supervised at all times. (Wilma \u2013 bear in mind we will be like small children looking for any opportunity to find mischief.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n We know (and understand) that dogs can be disgusting, never ending exploring and running around can work up quite a thirsty appetite in a young puppy, keep them safe by making sure your toilet lid is shut, remnants of bleach or other toilet cleaning products can be highly toxic. (Wilma \u2013 we could fall in too! Also bear in mind we don\u2019t always grow out of this one.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Whilst those viral videos of a very guilty looking dog with your bin\u2019s contents spilled all over the kitchen floor is funny, your dog getting into your bin can be extremely dangerous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Make sure your dog can\u2019t open your bin, by either keeping it out of reach or purchasing a bin with a special lid to keep your puppy out. It not only relieves the risk of your pup eating anything sharp, toxic or something they could choke on – it also saves you from a very messy, very smelly house. (Wilma \u2013 especially if you have put us on a diet for any reason!)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nTraining Pads<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nPuppy Gate <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Check Your Plants<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Non-Toxic Cleaning Products<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Hide Toxic Household Items<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nKeep Cords and Wires Tidy <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Remove Dangerous Items<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Keep Chairs Away From Tables <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Close The Toilet Lid<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nKeep Bins Covered <\/h2>\n\n\n\n