We have five tips on how to make your house secure for that new puppy!

Jim and I are very excited to be welcoming puppy Gifford to our house a few days early, but now we have to puppy-proof! I'd planned to do a lot of this over the weekend but, when we were given the chance to pick Giff up on Friday, we jumped at the chance. So, my afternoons until then will be spent preparing for his arrival.

We have tips for puppy-proofing the house, but don't forget the outside. Make sure your fence is secure or his lead is strong enough to deal with his growing body. Pools are another danger, so make sure the pup can't find a way in. Clean up spills of antifreeze and motor oil, and make sure all toxic chemical substances are on a high shelf or securely locked away. Now...for the house!

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    1

    Secure Electrical Wires And Outlets

    Puppy-proofing is often a lot like child-proofing. Pick up some of those electrical outlet covers so your pup doesn't get a shock when he or she tries to lick them. Because, at some point, they will! And secure your wires, either by tying them up, as much as you can, or by blocking any area with a lot of wires. Remember, puppies will chew anything, including electrical wires.

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    Put Trash Out Of Reach

    Puppies love trash cans! I mean, it's like a treasure chest for them, full of everything from food scraps to paper. So, it's important to make sure your trash is either in a tightly lidded container or, better yet, moved into the pantry or behind a closed door, especially when the pup's left alone. And, before he/she gets there, take a walk around the house and look closely at the floor, picking up anything the pup can chew, eat, or destroy.

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    Hide Your Medication

    The cap on your medication may be child-proof, but it isn't puppy-proof! Chewing the cover off the bottle or just piercing the bottle with sharp teeth is easy. And that little dog will gobble up those pills like they were kibble! So put your medications on a high shelf or in a drawer where the puppy can't get to them. This goes for prescription meds and the over-the-counter stuff that comes in boxes and blister packs.

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    Furniture And Household Items

    This is another area where you have to look at your house like a puppy, and find the possible hazards, like lamps that can get knocked over, or bookshelves that aren't secured and could fall when bumped. Move any open baskets or containers, like that craft basket you have in the corner, up to a high shelf because all those supplies are potential chew toys. Coins, shoes, bathroom soap or poufs need to be moved too. And you might want to cover the furniture temporarily until puppies are trained.

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    Cleaning Supplies

    Many of us tend to keep our cleaning supplies under the sink or on the floor of the pantry. But, with a new puppy around, you'll want to move those to a higher shelf. It's also a good idea, if you have food or anything perishable or chewable in lower cabinets, to invest in some child-proof locks. A curious puppy is pretty resourceful if they think they can find something to eat or play with. This may all seem overwhelming, but they're simple fixes so that you can relax and enjoy all the energy and puppy breath!

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