By Eric Shannon

While excitement and anticipation will be at the top of the list when bringing home a new puppy for the first time, preparing for his arrival should rank highly on the list. Just as you would have to prepare a home when you have a toddler, pet owners also have to take certain precautions when “puppy-proofing.”

Before you begin preparing your home for a puppy, you should think about the front yard and garden. First, check fences and gates to be sure there are no holes massive enough for him to get his head stuck in or escape through. Watch for litter and trash cans, which can be knocked over, giving your new puppy the opportunity to eat things that might make him sick. Also, know where you are treating your lawn and garden with pesticides, and then don't let your puppy in that area. In addition, produce sure that all chemicals and more harmful products are put away out of your new child's reach.

Next, you will have to inspect your home as if a strange toddler is coming to live with you! Just like toddlers, puppies will think everything is new and exciting. They don’t know when something is dangerous or can’t tell if that “interesting” remote control will get them into trouble.

In addition, when restructuring your home for the new puppy, you should keep these tips in mind:

· Make sure all electrical and cable wires are either in a space your puppy will not have access to, or hide them under rugs or carpets. Don't keep wires where your puppy may gnaw or chew on them.
· Just like a toddler, your puppy will investigate each element, including low cupboards. Just when you believed having a puppy was simpler than an infant, he'll learn to pull those cupboard doors open! Think about installing locks or "child-proof" devices.

So far, so good, right? Well, that’s only if you remember that in reality your puppy has the brain of a little kid. Soon you’ll be getting ready for afternoon walks to the park, three a.m. trips to the bathroom, (more officially, outside) and lots of snuggling. So, while preparing your home for your puppy, think of him as a member of your family. Get him a bed that is chew resistant. Line it with comfortable, washable, bedding and then place it in a favorite place just for him. Be sure it's somewhere he'll be safe and comfortable.

Preparing your home for your new puppy is a lot to handle, so you can look at buying a puppy pen until everything settles down. Just like a baby’s playpen, a puppy pen will offer an area for him to play without roaming the home. By doing this, you are also saving your furniture and more objects from being chewed on. (Don’t worry—he’ll hopefully grow out of this!)

One last thing to think about when preparing your home for your puppy is any stairs that you might have in the home. If you have an open basement or even 2nd floor, utilize toddler gates to confine his run area to avoid accidents. Infants and puppies aren't aware of danger and don’t understand that they may fall down steps and get hurt.

The bottom line to think about while preparing your home for the new puppy is, just like a baby, they will require cuddling, attention and there will obviously be a lot of wet kisses!


About the author:
Eric Shannon is a freelance author who also publishes the Dog Lovers Report, which is a biweekly newsletter with a very large readership. He also runs Beds For Doggies, which carries a large selection of Dog Beds, Dog Couches, and Dog Furniture.




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