How to Puppy Proof Your House

Looking into getting yourself a new puppy to welcome to your household? Afraid of your new puppy breaking your house? We know the feeling. It is best for potential dog owners to puppy-proof their homes before welcoming their new family members.

To help you out, we have comprised a list of 15 puppy house proofing tips that you can use today to help you to prevent any accidents and be better prepared for the unexpected.

Tip #1 – Keep Away! Keep your valuables out of their reach. Anything that you do not want to be damaged you should think about keeping it as far away from your puppy as possible because anything that they can fit in their mouths will try to rip it apart.

Having lots of chew toys can usually solve the problem by giving your dog something else to chew on besides your valuables. Biting objects is usually a sign of a teething pup.

Trust me, there have been many times where I left my shoes unattended with my dog for short periods of time and I would come back to find that my dog had turned my husband’s church shoes into beach sandals.

Tip #2 – In-Home-Fencing. Controlling your dog’s whereabouts should be considered if you live in a house with particularly more important rooms such as a home office. An adjustable fence (link to Amazon) will act as a physical control device that simply does not allow your dog access to various parts of the house.

This will keep you at ease knowing your rooms are safe from the wrath of your little furry friend and will also keep them out of trouble.

Tip #3 – Monitoring. Never leave them alone at home unless you have made successful advancements towards properly house training them. I am convinced that dogs carry around a list of all the things they want to destroy in your house and whenever you leave them alone in the house is when they start checking things off of that list.

If at all possible then you should consider asking relatives or close friends if it’s possible that they can watch your puppy until you return. By doing this you’ll be saving yourself so much heartache than if you were to come home to meet your puppy inside your bathroom with toilet paper littered everywhere.

Tip #4 – Protect the carpet. Is your puppy potty trained yet? If you have not begun implementing any potty-training activities for your puppy as of yet then have no fear the puppy diaper is here for you.

Puppy diapers are designed for dogs that have not yet been introduced to any potty training or have just not gotten the hang of using puppy training pads (link to Amazon).

The diapers will allow you to do you, without worrying about your puppy going potty somewhere in your house.

Tip #5 – Shedding is unstoppable but manageable. Most dogs shed. This is a fact. Although, some dogs do shed more than others. I have found a simple hack that you can use to easily control your dog’s shedding. Cooking Oil. Shedding starts first within the skin. If you live in colder climates with short-haired dogs, then you will much easily notice bald patches on their skin due to dryness.

Use 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and massage it into your dogs’ fur or add a teaspoon of it to their food. This will solve their shedding problem as well as moisturize their skin.

Tip #6 – Dog Crates. Many people think that giving their puppies a ton of freedom and the ability to go anywhere they want to is okay. I understand you want to get your dog comfortable but, this will actually hurt you in the long run when you begin crate training your pup.

They will be less willing to cooperate with you and will not want to feel locked up or restricted.

Also, do not buy your dog a crate that is too large for them. A crate is not a place for relaxing. It is for training your dog or putting them in a timeout.

Tip #7 – Spying on your dog. If you work often and find it hard to be there for your dog all of the time, then you can use a dog camera to watch your dog from your phone from anywhere you can connect to the internet.

My favorite is the Furbo Dog Camera (link to Amazon). It allows for two-way audio and can even toss treats to your dog at the push of a button. I love it because it helps me to better interact with my dog even while I’m at work.

Tip #8 – Cord/Cable Management – Use floor cord covers if you have any long cables or electrical wires in your house. This can prevent any damage to your devices as well as any shocking accidents caused by your dog nibbling on these cords.

I learned this the hard way by coming back home to find that the cables for both my modem and router had been completely destroyed by my dog, luckily, he was unharmed.

Tip #9 – Bedding. Because this is where your puppy is likely to spend a huge chunk of their time it is best to get them a bed that they will love. Whenever I’m taking my dogs to get new beds, I bring them along with me to either Pet Smart or Petco to pick out the perfect bed for them.

P.s. puppies have a huge biting problem during their first few months of life. This is normal. Be sure to invest in a bed that will stand the test of time even when your pup is feeling a bit nippy.

My recommendation is the indestructible bed (link to Amazon). I bought it for my dogs over two years ago and they’re still here to this very day. Best purchase ever!

Alternatively, having some old towels or blankets around can be some very comfortable temporary backup beds.

Tip #10 – Invest in Training. Training your puppy is essential to having proper home management. Your dog’s ability to operate in a home where there are several other family members is important as well because the entire household should all be on one accord with your dog’s training schedule, diet, and routine.

Tip #11 – Pet Insurance. Although it is unlikely that your dog will cause an unhealthy amount of damages to your household (I hope) having pet insurance for your home can be a great backup plan. I have seen instances where dogs have actually put holes into walls and torn window screens just due to their overactive and excited behaviors.

Tip #12 – Use trash cans with enclosed lids. Everybody knows that a dog’s favorite place to play is in the trash! Using trash cans with enclosed lids will save you a ton of time and energy on clean-up.

Tip #13 – Automatic Food Dispensers – This one is for all the busy dog owners out there. If you’re anything like me then sometimes you’re going to forget to feed your dog every day. When I was feeding them every day manually, I found that I would change their food/water bowls about 21 times per week. When I transferred to using automatic feeders (link to Amazon). I took it down to about 4 times a week. Though, these numbers will vary depending on your dog’s appetite.

Tip #14 – Walking. If you’re planning on leash training your puppy then having a comfortable harness and leash will make your new puppy so much happier. We do not recommend using a collar on puppies because without any training they may be very harmful to your dog’s throat if they’re pulling on it.

Tip #15 – Mental Stimulation Toys – Your puppy requires some brain training. Whether its nose work exercises or basic treat reward systems, some mental exercises need to be taken.

My pup loves the Kong Classic rolling ball (link to Amazon). This stimulates them mentally when they knock it around to get the treats to fall out.

Your new puppy will love the initiative you’re taking to prepare for their welcome party, and you’ll enjoy the benefits as well. It takes a village and a whole lot of patience to raise a puppy.

Good luck prospective puppy owners and may the force be with you.