Five Ways To Puppy Proof Your Home Before Bringing Home A German Shepherd Puppy
Posted on: 15 June 2017
German shepherds as adults are loyal, courageous, intelligent, and devoted. German shepherd puppies naturally grow into these characteristics, but they also naturally get into trouble. One thing that most German shepherd puppies do is bite and nip. It's how they learn about their environment. It's also how they create messes and, unfortunately, get injured. Before bringing your German shepherd puppy home, here are 5 ways to puppy-proof your house so your little pooch doesn't get injured.
Get Rid of Poisonous Plants
Your puppy will explore your home... and use their teeth and mouth to do it. Some plants can cause gastrointestinal distress, and some plants can cause death. While most of these plants are not dangerous to humans (because people don't have a tendency to bite the plants), they are poisonous to dogs, cats, and other pets. Compare this list to the plants you have in and around your home. If you have any poisonous plants in your home, you'll want to get rid of them or, at the very least, put them high up and out of reach. If you do choose to keep your plants, be careful to quickly remove any leaves and other plant parts if they fall onto an area where your dog can reach. Any poisonous plants outdoors should be removed or encased in a small fence to keep your dog out.
Cover Electrical Cords
Cover all exposed electrical cords to prevent your puppy from biting them. Biting an electrical cord could cause your puppy to get burned in the mouth, get an electrical shock, or get electrocuted to death. You can purchase spiral cable wrap and cord concealers from any major electronics store or home improvement center. Alternatively, insert the cords into PVC piping. If there's no easy way to cover the cords with these types of devices, especially near the wall outlets, consider rearranging your furniture to hide as many of the cords as possible so the cords are out of reach.
Buy a New Laundry Hamper
If you think you have missing socks now, just wait until you have a puppy roaming around the house. Puppies love to chew on socks, especially smelly ones. You'll need to prevent your puppy from being able to chew on socks. If you currently have a typical short laundry basket with holes in it on your bathroom or bedroom floor, buy a new laundry hamper. You'll want your new laundry hampers to have a lid, be sturdy and tall, and have no holes.
Dog-Proof the Trash
Another thing that puppies love to get into is the trash, both in the kitchen and in the bathroom. In kitchen trash, they dig around looking for something to munch on. Not only would you have a big mess to clean up, your pup may eat something that could cause them to get very ill, such as chicken bones or chocolate. In bathroom trash, pups like to pull out used feminine hygiene products, baby wipes, and diapers. Disposed razors could injure your puppy. Purchase new sturdy trash containers with lids that only open by pressing on a button.
Store Chemicals Out of Reach
Household chemicals and chemicals that are typically stored in the garage should be placed out of reach. This is particularly true for anti-freeze, which has a sweet odor that makes pooches curious enough to taste. Don't underestimate your pup's ability to break open plastic containers with their teeth. German shepherds have very strong teeth and jaws, even when they are puppies. Store your chemicals up high on a shelf or inside a cabinet secured with a latch.
For more information, contact local professionals like Von Anna German Shepherds, LLC.
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