Puppy Housebreaking Involves Safety Proofing the Home and Yard

Puppy training involves more than teaching the pup where to eliminate (outside or on a puppy training pad). The goal is to have a dog that is a pleasant member of the family to have around. The puppy must be taught what is and is not acceptable behavior in all areas of the home. As the puppy explores, vigilance is needed to be able to correct unacceptable behavior, like chewing on the couch. But it is difficult to always be vigilant. For this reason, it is important to safety proof the house and yard for the puppy in much the same way as it done for baby and toddler humans.

Puppies like to chew, and dogs in general like to chew on plants. It is imperative to check that all houseplants and yard landscaping plants are nontoxic to dogs before bringing home a new puppy. Plants are toxic to dogs should be protected or removed in order to stop the puppy in training from getting hold of them. Even a small amount of a toxic plant can be ingested quickly and can cause the puppy a lot of illness and discomfort. This is an avoidable situation with a little research and preparation.

Along the same lines, household cleaners should be carefully locked away or put on a high shelf where puppies, and even grown dogs, cannot reach them. Many cleaners, such as laundry detergents, are attractive to animals. Even the built up drips on the side of a bottle of liquid laundry detergent might entice the puppy to lick it off. These chemical cleaning agents can be very hazardous when ingested, and the same precautions should be taken to protect animals from them as are taken to protect children. Vehicle antifreeze is among the most toxic of common household chemicals and should always be cleaned up promptly and appropriately, and kept in a high, locked cabinet. It is because of the dangers of chemicals that many puppy training pads are made of toxin-free, natural materials. This protects the puppy in the event that it decides to play and chew on the wee wee puppy pads instead of using them for the intended purpose.

It is easier to safety proof for a puppy from the ground level. Consider what a human toddler might be attracted to- chances are good that a puppy will be as well. Though many dogs are great natural swimmers, many puppies do not yet have the coordination to swim well. Swimming pools and hot tubs can also be very difficult for dogs to get out of, as they usually can't use a vertical ladder. The same safety equipment that is used to keep children out of pools and hot tubs usually works for puppies as well.

Like children, puppies are often known to pull things down on them, causing crushing injuries. The tassel dangling off a table runner might be an interesting thing to chew on, and in the action a puppy might pull down a heavy lamp. While puppy housebreaking, it is important to reduce the possible safety dangers to a pup who does not yet know how to behave well. Paying attention to what the puppy is interested in will help the owner to safety proof before accidents can happen.