Article: Inside & Out
Puppy Proofing Your Palace
Christmas has been and gone and the holiday period is in full swing. It is now a good time to sit down and contemplate in all seriousness whether to go ahead with the purchase of a puppy. And if your decision is positive, then go for it.
PP took the time to speak to the team at Pet Essentials who where helpful as always in giving us some very valuable information before making the purchase.
First and foremost, all puppies need us to help them, like our young children. They do need supervision and proper care.
Take your time with the kids and choose that special puppy together. They will all feel special to be part of the decision making and hopefully they can all get interested in the chores that they will have raising the puppy together as a family. Take the proper time to research on the internet for breeds that work well in a family environment, the care, as well as the grooming of the dog. These are all very important considerations before the actual purchase of a puppy is done.
If you desire a pedigree puppy, finding a reputable dog breeder is a good place to start. Maybe you can visit or ask your veterinarian or local pet shop if they can recommend you to a good breeder or maybe even a friend might know of someone who takes great care in proper breeding of their dogs. Your breeder should be able to give you some kind of health guarantee on different health issues that some breeds are more prone to have.
Another option is visiting a pet shelter, they usually have some beautiful pups that would be so grateful to belong to a family so why not visit your local SPCA!
Puppy proofing your home is akin to having a new toddler in the house. They are inquisitive, playful, always sniffing and licking at various things to get a feel for their new surroundings. That said, caution should be taken before your new dog gets home. Hazards abound in the house for your pet to find and should be dealt with.
Let’s Go Through A Check-List:
1. Electrical cords: remove if not in use or wrap in a protective sleeve such as plastic flexible pipe. Outlets should be covered if not in use.
2. Medications: stored in a safe out of reach cabinet
3. Cleaning products: absolutely out of range for a puppy
4. Chemicals: lawn fertilizers, pesticides, driveway ice melting products, anti-freeze, alcohols
5. Plants: know if your plants are toxic to your pet.
6. Metals: Metals like mercury, and lead based paint chips
7. Poisons: rat killer, insecticides
8. Garbage cans: should have a secure lid
9. Human food: chocolate and all forms of cocoa beans like coffee. For a current list go to foods harmful to dogs
10. Cosmetics: hair dyes, skin-care products, tanning oils
11. Misc: matches, air fresheners, silica, small batteries
Sound like child proofing yet? As you can tell, just about anything and everything a puppy can get into should be examined.
Get down to the pups level and crawl around on the floor(serious) and look for hidden hazards that our puppy may think is found treasure.
Common sense is the best advice here. If you suspect your puppy has ingested something harmful and is showing signs of vomiting, diarrhoea, drinking excessive amounts, seizures, lack of appetite, see a Vet!
Keep your puppy safe and happy!
