Before you bring your puppy home it’s a good idea to check the designated areas it will use are puppy-proof.  You’ve got to see the world from its ‘point of view’, so it’s best to crouch down on your hands and knees and do a tour of the relevant areas.  If nothing else it will provide entertainment to other members of your household or visitors who happen to pop by at that moment!

All puppies love to chew and anything is fair game, including legs of chairs and tables and electrical cords are particularly tempting.  Chewing may intensify at 4 -5 months as this is when puppies lose their milk teeth and try to alleviate the pain and anxiety through chewing. 

A puppy’s curiosity is limitless and any item it sees is worth investigating and if possible chewing and swallowing.  Some common harmful items to keep out of its reach are: bathroom and kitchen cleaning agents, insect repellents, fertilisers, paint removers, all types of medicine, toiletries, pens, pencils, houseplants (especially poinsettia, ivy, dumb cane) – basically anything you wouldn’t want a crawling baby to ingest!

Limit access to un-safe areas with the aid of baby gates.  It is quite easy for a pup to climb to great heights and if distracted it can lose balance and fall, ultimately resulting in injuries and a trip to the vet.

The garden/back yard is another wonderful place for your puppy to explore and also full of potentially dangerous items.  Just as in the house, try to look at your garden from your puppy’s point of view and ensure there are no harmful products and items to tempt it.  Remember a lot of garden plants are poisonous to puppies so be sure to restrict its access to tempting foliage.

Garden-Proofing

Noises and smells in the outside world also raise the curiosity of a puppy.  Ensure that it is kept in an enclosed area.  If there is a small hole in your fence or gate, a puppy can chew away at this until the hole is sufficient for it to escape.

If it’s too costly or difficult to puppy-proof your entire fence, consider building a puppy run.  This is also much safer than chaining up your puppy for long periods of time which can be a traumatic experience for your dog!  6m x 2m is usually adequate – even for larger dogs.  Be sure to provide an area that is shaded at all times of the day and also a place where the dog can lie down and rest.  This can be the perfect solution if you have intricate landscaping and exotic plants which are harmful to your puppy.