Golden Retriever Training: Jul 10, Puppy-Proofing Your Home

A thorough job of puppy-proofing serves two purposes: You'll keep your home from being destroyed by a pint-size canine chewing machine, and you'll protect that curious pup from things that can hurt or kill him.

Have you ever had to baby-proof your home before your babies started crawling?

How about when you're expecting visitors with energetic toddlers?

Either situation sends you scurrying to put potentially dangerous items out of harm's way.

A puppy is just like a baby when you consider the amount of trouble he can get into in the blink of an eye.

So let's get busy puppy-proofing your home.

When you don't have time to follow Puppy Pete from room to room (for those brief home tours after he's safely emptied his bladder outside), pet gates are an excellent way to cut down on the number of "Oh no!" events.

Even a sturdy wooden or metal pet gate may only serve to slow down a pup determined to see what's on the other side of the barricade.

But it's a good place to start.

Proper use of a puppy-size kennel or crate is another great way to keep Puppy Pete out of trouble and safely out from under foot.

Puppies are attracted to anything that might be at their level.

But they can reach even more forbidden areas if they jump or stand on their hind legs.

And that area of "reach" will grow as the puppy grows.

Small objects they might swallow and choke on should be kept out of their reach.

If there are small children in the house, you need to put away all toys small enough for your puppy to swallow, or chew to bits and then swallow (easier said than done, I know).

Unfortunately, such things as tables and chairs can't be kept out of reach of puppy teeth.

When your puppy takes an interest in furniture, your best puppy-proofing ally will be a bottle of Bitter Apple spray for dogs.

Simply apply it to all surfaces within reach of Puppy Pete.

Bitter Apple is a really effective chew deterrent that won't hurt your pup, and it'll keep your furniture intact.

Electrical outlets, plugs, and trailing wires present an almost irresistible temptation to most curious puppies. Your pup doesn't know he can get a nasty shock, a burned mouth, or worse, so it's up to you to protect him.

Golden Retriever Puppy Make sure electrical cords don't become your pup's teething toy by taking these precautions: Keep power cords and strips as far out of reach and sight as possible Encase any visible cords in thick plastic sleeves Unplug anything you're not using right now Plug outlets with childproof outlet covers Coat anything within reach with Bitter Apple spray for dogs Rearrange furniture to cover as many outlets as possible
Poisonous house plants come in all shapes and sizes, so keep them waaaaaay up high on tall shelves or even hang them from the ceiling.

You can also give them a squirt of Bitter Apple spray for dogs to make sure your pup will abandon his quest after one nasty nibble.

If you have a huge potted tree that you can't bear to part with, try sprinkling large amounts of ground black pepper over the soil. That should keep Puppy Pete from practicing his digging skills in the house.

Of course, if you flunked Easy House Plants 101--like me--your house is full of plastic flowers and plants anyway. I think they're just as pretty, and they're a lot safer for dogs.

If you're using the kitchen for a puppy corral because it has a linoleum floor, you need to be extra-careful when you're cooking (or put the pup somewhere else during meal prep times).

Any time Puppy Pete's in the kitchen, turn pot handles facing inward on the stove top.

That way, your playful pup can't jump up and tip over a pot full of hot liquid or grease and burn himself. (This puppy-proofing tip is also great advice for keeping kids safe in the kitchen.)

Some puppies are skillful at opening cabinets, so be sure they're kept tightly closed. Installing childproof cabinet latches on all lower cabinets would be a good idea, too.

And you might want to move your cleaning supplies up higher--just in case.

Kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, office, garage, the works!

Most Golden Retriever puppies are natural garbage explorers and will dig out chicken bones and other rotten stuff with serious potential for choking or tearing up his insides.

If all your trashcans don't have tight-fitting lids, replace them with cans that do.

Is there a baby in the house? Keep the diaper pail lid shut tight.

There's not a dog afoot who doesn't love to ruminate in soiled diapers.

It's not only disgusting, it's dangerous. Dogs have actually died from eating dirty disposable diapers.

They may vomit up part of the material, but the remaining toxins can send his body into a prolonged death spiral.

Don't worry about what you think Puppy Pete might like to chew--worry about what he can chew!

Some of the favorite items that dogs chew and swallow are steel wool pads (especially if used to clean a roasting pan), razor blades, remote controls, the padding under rugs, pencils, glasses, underwear and pantyhose.

Throw rugs will be chewed. You might as well just remove them all for now, so your pup won't learn the joys of unraveling carpeting.

Golden Retriever Puppy Dogs will eat dental floss, rope, string, yarn, pantyhose and the like. If you see some such item appearing at the other end of your dog, DON'T PULL IT OUT.

You could hurt your dog, as these things often get tangled up with his intestines. Take him to the vet immediately.

Anything that has touched your body is of interest to your pup. Puppies may appear to be "out to get you" when they eat your favorite things.

But they're simply drawn to things that smell like you. For a pup, carrying around your sock is like having a snapshot of you.

Dogs can and have jumped out of open windows that were many floors up. Install window grills or make sure you only open them from the top.

Ingested cigarettes can lead to nicotine poisoning. Keep those ashtrays clean. Better yet, give up smoking. Second hand smoke is bad for your dog's health.

A curious puppy can be amazingly creative. He can dig into it-will-never-happen places, and then chew apart and swallow last week's paint roller along with your ickiest paint brush.

Check your garage for any of these poisonous materials, and put them on a very high shelf: Snail bait Mouse and rat poison Pesticides and herbicides Paint and paint thinner Fenced Golden Retriever Puppy Pete will explore every corner of his yard, so you have to make it totally escape-proof.

Your adorable puppy is a tiny Houdini, able to squeeze through incredibly small places.

Whether you have a small yard or extensive acreage, patrolling the perimeter and filling in every small gap along the fence is the best way to keep your dog in his own yard.

Make sure all gates close securely and can't be pushed open by a curious, persistent dog. If there's even a really skinny gap at the bottom of a gate, your pup will find a way to dig or shimmy underneath and escape into the wide world beyond.

Finish puppy-proofing your yard by attaching chicken wire fencing at the bottom of all gates.

Just when you thought you'd managed to protect your pup from dangerous plants in your house, you realize you have a whole yard full of lovely greenery in all sizes and shapes.

Lily of the valley, oleander, peony, rhododendron, and Japanese yews are just a few of more than 80 varieties of common house and yard plants that are toxic if eaten.

If the worst happens and your puppy chomps on some forbidden plant or flower, call your veterinarian for instant help, and then rush your pup to the clinic. If possible, take along a sample of the ingested plant.

Treated lumber used in decks and landscaping has been preserved with chemicals that are toxic and can be fatal for a dog who chews or eats the wood.

Bright green, sweet and fatal--antifreeze is in many garages and under parked cars. This is a life-and-death emergency if you think your dog might have drunk some.

Certain varieties of acorns are so toxic to dogs that just one nut can cause death within a few hours.

Birdbaths are also risky. The water contaminated from bird droppings can be dangerous or fatal.

Dogs can absorb herbicides through the pores in their paws for several days after you've sprayed it on your lawn. If you use lawn chemicals, keep your dogs off all treated areas for a few days or until after the next cutting.

Here's the bottom line, both inside and outside the house: If you wouldn't want your kids playing with it, don't let your puppy near it, either.