Puppy proofing your apartment is a complex task that you should approach responsibly. It’s not just about the safety of your furniture or plants; it’s also about making the home experience of your puppy painless.
Sometimes our beloved dogs can attack the house plants and chairs for no reason; they just want to play and stay active throughout the day. Of course, it’s hard to watch them while being at work. That’s why we prepared an extensive list of ideas on how you can dog-proof your apartment.
Primarily it’s essential for you to know these best practices while being a tenant. Keeping your rental in the perfect condition will help you get back your security deposit. Let’s see what you can do!
Use no chew spray
Dogs love to chew everything. Literally. Sometimes they’ll chew your sneakers or eat half of your plant. And sometimes they may attack chairs, sofas, and wallpapers for no reason. That’s the way the play and that’s the thing you’ll have to deal with.
It’s great that there are lots of non-harmful options to stop your pet from chewing in 2019. You can buy one of the popular sprays and use it on everything you don’t want your puppy to chew.
No worries, they do not include anything that would harm your dog. But we still recommend you reading what each particular spray consists of to avoid allergic reaction in the family.
Pick pet-friendly plants or move them
There are home plants that may harm your dog; they shouldn’t eat it at all.
Here is the list of the most popular plants that may affect your puppy in a wrong way:
- Lilies
- Aloe Vera
- Ivy (Hedera Helix)
- Jade (Crassula Ovata)
- Dumb Cane (Dieffenbachia)
- Elephant Ear (Caladium)
- Pothos/Devil’s Ivy (Epipremnum Aureum)
- ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas)
Your best bet will be running thorough research on google before buying any house plant. Also, make sure you google those you already have to ensure the safety of your puppy.
Prepare everything for cleaning
Cleaning tools are not making your home dog-proof, but it’s something that will make it dirt-proof. You should keep them ready, cause sometimes dogs can create a total mess. We bet you’ve mentioned in your pet resume that you’ll keep your rental clean and shiny, right? Don’t forget to keep up with your promises to a landlord.
Puppy proofing your wires — hide cords and chargers from your puppy
Unfortunately, some no chew sprays may not work. Also, spraying and making your chargers and cords wet is not really a great idea. That’s why we recommend you keeping all the electronics away from your dog.
Whenever you leave the house — just hide every charger and puppy proof electrical cords you have, so you wouldn’t have to worry that your dog will try to chew them and play with them.
Leave toys and something chewable while you’re away
In case the spray doesn’t work on your dog, you can distract the puppy’s attention. Buying a few chewable toys is the ultimate solution. You’re not just keeping him away from the cords; you’re also making his life more fun while you’re away.
These toys may include:
- Nylabone Turkey
- Ball Chew Toy
- Pet Rope Toy
- Big Chew Bone
- Chew Wishbone
- Chew Knot
- etc.
Hide your food and appliances in the kitchen
No matter how much dog food you leave at home while you’re out. Puppies will still explore your kitchen and look for something to eat, chew and crush.
Hide your food to the fridge and storage units that have doors you can close. As for the appliances, it’s also a matter of safety. If you leave knives, forks and other sharp things, it will be too risky for the dog’s health.
Try baby gates or a dog proof door to secure the area
In case you don’t want to waste your time on hiding every plant, knife and other things when you leave home, you can try using baby gates to secure the house.
The won’t give your dog to leave the designated area, but in this case, you’ll have to make sure she’ll have enough toys, food, and water to play in there.
Also, it all depends on how big your puppy is and how high he can jump. Consider these things while choosing the gates.
Conclusion
Pet proofing your home is not that hard. Getting a dog is a very serious decision, and you have to remember that it’s up to you to keep him safe and happy. Using individual dog rooms in houses is an option, but we recommend you wasting some time on puppy proofing your home to make your pet’s life more free and fun.
The safety of your home is in your hands, make sure you do it without hurting the dog’s freedom and entertainment.
About Alex Tkachenko:
Alex Tkachenko is an editor in chief of
