New Puppy Owner Guide

You have officially fallen in love with your new puppy, and have gotten pretty much everything needed, including shots, so you can feel good about bringing her home. But are you truly prepared? Is your home ready? Getting a new dog is an adventure, but it’s also a big responsibility. You’ll want to make sure your home is well puppy-proofed; meaning you want a safe environment for your puppy to grow up in, but also, you want to keep furniture and precious things protected from your new furry friend. Don’t worry –– you’ve got this. But you’ll need a plan.

Safety checklist for your new puppy

Just as you would prepare your home for a new baby, there are many things to think about when it comes to keeping your puppy safe. Dogs are very curious creatures, and they have a habit of getting into things, even under the best of circumstances. So you’ll want to be sure that anything that might be harmful is tucked away and out of Puppy’s reach. Here’s a quick list of things to consider.

• Household cleaners (consider getting cabinet locks for dogs)

• Medicines (put them away)

• Toilet lid (keep it closed, and keep your puppy penned while cleaning – toilet bowl cleaner is poisonous!)

• Harmful houseplants

• Aloe

• Begonias

• Peace Lily

• Chinese Evergreen

• Devil’s Ivy

• Tomato plants

• Hydrangea

• Cyclamen

• Garbage (keep it secured and out of reach)