Have a puppy? There will soon be a time when you will be exhausted from your dog chewing on your favorite shoes or raiding your closets.
One of the saddest narratives I heard was of Saddie, who was electrocuted by chewing on an electric cord and eventually passed away. Obviously, my first emotion was compassion for the friend who lost his beloved. Gradually the compassion turned into the inquisition about how he had the means to chew on an electric cord. Had they puppy-proofed and kept the cords in containment, they would not have lost Saddie.
The top priority on the to-do list is to keep your dog safe and your belonging intact. Below listed a couple of things done to achieve this.
1. Baby-proofing the house
Dogs are not human children, yet mostly the instruments that keep children safe can also work effectively for dogs. If you have a baby, then you must be accustomed to the elements of baby proof. However, in case you are not familiar, the options are: baby gates to minimize the entree to the frequently used rooms; coverings for electrical sockets; safety locks for cabinets in bathroom kitchen or any other place; containment for electrical cords and wires.
2. Get a trashcan that can’t be opened by your dog
Most dogs like to raid the trashcan for delicious treats like left over pizza, fast food crumbs, and wrappings. There is twofold misery attached to this behavior. Firstly, heaps of smelly garbage all over the floor. Secondly and yet expensive, you end up a sick dog with diarrhea or intestinal blockage that will make you run off to the vet costing money.
The most optimal option is a pullout trashcan, but it can be very expensive and requires extra space. However, metal trashcans with a step on the lid will also do (for small dogs).
3. Close your doors
If you don’t want to get laid in heaps and piles of poop at night, you need to close the doors. Limited access to rooms does not mean that there won’t be any further surprises in the house, but thankfully it won’t be on the bed or furniture that is used mostly.
4. No more clutter
If you want your possession to be intact, there should be no clutter AT ALL as your dog would love to nibble on your new Louis Vuitton shoes and your branded leather pants. It is inherent that dog loves to chew and if they destroyed any of your belonging, it is entirely your fault to provide them access to it. Time to be acting smart and putting away things that are not to be utilized at the moment. Ensure that medicines and cleaning products are out of your pup's range.
5. Crate the Brute
Dogs can create quite an interesting vision of mischief if left unsupervised at home. You will be welcomed back by shredded curtains, chewed on sofas, soiled carpets and many more. The easiest way to control your dog is to crate the beast when you are not at home to supervise him. Although crate training is quite a pain it is all worth it to keep your house and belongings intact.
Wendy Shore is a parent of two amazing dogs. She is very enthusiastic about pet health and welfare in general. She regularly blogs at Totally Goldens.
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