How Do I Puppy-Proof My Kitchen?

• Keep your cupboards or pantry doors closed. 
• Cover your trash! 
• Clear counters of scraps and crumbs.
• Put any human food in cupboards, the fridge, or your pantry.
• Avoid keeping supplements or medications on countertops.
• Keep cleaning products stashed away.
• Secure or store any food in closed cupboards, drawers, or the pantry to prevent your dog from eating anything potentially toxic. Xylitol, chocolate, grapes, raisins, onions, and people foods are toxic to dogs and can present life-threatening issues if not properly stored.
• Clean off your counters to make sure they’re clear of food, and make sure to do so after any food preparation. Snacks and crumbs present tasty treats to any dog, and they’ll follow their nose to scraps.
• Secure your garbage! Your dog does not know the definition of trash and will always enjoy a good dumpster dive. Get a trash can with a secure lid and put a weight at the bottom to prevent your dog from knocking it over and enjoying the new treats.
• Store and safe keep your kitchen cleaning products and detergents. Unlike children, a child-proof cap doesn’t stand a chance compared to a dog’s chewing, so keep these out of reach and out of sight.

How Do I Puppy-Proof My Living Room and Bedroom?

• Cover up your electric cords and cables. 
• Store any bags, shoes, and coats in closets.
• Keep your candles up high! 
• Be careful with essential oils and potpourri – some can be toxic to dogs. 
• Ensure none of your plants are toxic to dogs. 
• Clear potentially dangerous objects from side tables and nightstands.
• Hide or remove any mothballs (silicone drying packets).
• Shut medications in cupboards or drawers.
• Place precious and/or breakable items out of jumping reach.
• Cover up or store electrical or cable cords. Everyone knows both puppies and adult dogs find chewing on these irresistible! Bundling these cords and cables up and covering them can prevent chewing. You can put away your phone or laptop chargers when not in use as well. These cords and cables can cause electric shock with burns and breathing difficulties if your pup gets a nibble.
• Remove toxic plants from the environment. Many common houseplants, such as Sago Palms, Cyclamen, and Autumn Crocus can be poisonous to dogs, so it’s best to look up dog-friendly plants before expanding your indoor garden!
• If using candles or essential oil diffusers, keep them up and out of reach. Your dog can knock over a lit candle and start a fire, or ingest scented essential oils, causing massive problems. And if you use essential oils, make sure the scent isn’t something that can be harmful or irritating to your dog’s skin, nose, or eyes.
• Hang and put away coats or bags. Dogs are natural explorers and will sniff away at anything in your coat or bag pockets. Toxic items like nicotine products, medication, or xylitol in sugar-free gum are dangerous treats to find.

How Do I Puppy-Proof My Laundry Room and Garage?

• Store laundry products out of reach. Cleaning products, laundry detergents, dryer sheets, and many other common laundry products can be toxic to your new pup, so keep them out of reach on a high shelf. Store or hide any toxic garage products. Many things you would keep in your garage, from anti-freeze and rodent poison to slug baits and de-icers, are extremely dangerous for pets. If pet-safer versions are available, use those – if not, store and hide!
• Keep your dirty laundry to yourself! Dogs love laundry diving and carrying in embarrassing items at the worst times. But aside from a joke, socks, underwear, washcloths, and any other small items can cause intestinal blockage and other health issues if they’re eaten. Get a laundry basket with a secured lid to keep prying noses out.

How Do I Puppy-Proof My Bathroom?

• Always keep the door to the bathroom closed.
• Cover up your bathroom trashcan! 
• Use your medicine cabinet! 
• Keep the toilet seat lid down. 
• Your medicine cabinet is your best friend. Human medication is almost always fatal for dogs – keeping them stored in a closed medicine cabinet keeps your puppy or dog out! Making sure your medicine is dog-proof is key!
• Cover your trash! Bathroom trash cans can be especially enticing to your dog. Lidden cans are great options for kitchen and bathroom trash cans.
• Close your bathroom door! Unwanted guests during bathroom time can be common, but when you’re outside the bathroom, a closed bathroom door can prevent your dog from playing with toilet paper rolls or pulling out all your tissues.

How Do I Puppy-Proof My Home?

• Use pet gates or child gates to block off areas of the house.
• Use puppy pee pads to help with potty training.
• Invest in a dog crate and work on crate training.
• Provide plenty of chew toys for teething.
• Cover furniture legs with anti-chew spray if needed.
• You can use gates to block off certain off-limit rooms or areas. Your new puppy will be very curious, and likely not housetrained. Pet gates or child gates can keep them in dog-proofed and safe areas to keep unwanted accidents to a minimum.
• Your puppy is an adventurous new creature, so make sure you always have an eye on them! For safety, and the sake of house and potty training, supervision will be required. If you must step away, keep them in a crate or puppy pen to reduce the possibility of a roaming pup.
• Your puppy would love to be on the couch or bed with you if you will allow them! But your puppy’s bones are still developing, and big leaps or falls can be dangerous. Dog steps, ramps, or any other climbing device can prevent these injuries.
• Training can never start early enough! Focus on teaching them ‘Leave it’ and ‘Drop it,’ as these essential skills can help teach them boundaries within their new home and encourage them to stay away from dangerous things. 
• Puppy Pads are accident insurance you’ll be glad to have. Sometimes you won’t be able to stick around all day – if you must go, consider using puppy pads to offer an easy-to-clean place for your puppy to use the bathroom when they can no longer hold it in.