Your puppy will be coming home soon, but are you sure your home is puppy proof? Find all you need to make sure your puppy's new home will protect him and keep him safe from harm.
You need to be confident that your house and garden are fully puppy proof before you bring your new puppy home.
Take a look around and ask yourself how safe it is from a puppy's viewpoint.
Pretend he's a two-year old toddler; are there any hidden or obvious dangers?
Let's face it, we all know that puppies love to chew, especially when they're teething, and have been known to destroy TV remotes, spectacles, sunglasses, CDs.
I know a little puppy that was partial to chewing false teeth. He managed to chew his way through two sets!
Apart from the obvious loss and inconvenience, your puppy could very easily choke on any of these items, especially if left unsupervised.
Make a special effort to move anything of real value out of his reach; don't leave anything lying around as it will almost certainly be chewed!
Puppy proofing your home is essential to keep your puppy safe and one particular safety hazard for a new puppy is live electrical wires. Wherever possible, hide wires under carpets or use a cable protector to stop your pup biting through wires.
Better still, switch off electrical appliances at the wall if they're not being used.
If you have an open fire, you'll need to be sure you protect your curious little puppy from getting burnt. Use a fire guard that can be secured to the wall to keep your puppy safe from harm.
Burning scented candles can make your home smell wonderful, but they can be dangerous when you have a young puppy around. If you must burn candles, make sure they're on a high shelf, safely out of his reach.
Don't forget to keep the toilet lid closed.
Your little Cocker puppy may be too small to reach just now, but he'll soon grow. As well as keeping your puppy from falling into the toilet, it may also discourage him from using it as his drinking bowl!
When puppy proofing your home, don't for get to check your kitchen for other potential problem areas.
For example, a bored or curious puppy will go all out to try to get into kitchen waste bins and either eat the contents (yuk!) or spread it all over your newly washed kitchen floor.
Also make sure that kitchen cupboards at ground level are kept closed, and can't be easily opened by curious puppies. Especially those that contain household disinfectants and cleaners.
You'll need to take care with small pets such as guinea pigs, and mice. If your puppy has a high prey drive, he may see them as quarry and worry them, or worse! Don't leave your puppy alone with small pets unless you're completely comfortable and confident that he won't harm them.
If you have a fish tank, make sure he can't reach it.
It's important that you do the same puppy proofing 'risk assessment' for your garden.
For example, make sure your puppy can't get out through the gaps in the fence or under the garden gate.
Photo Credits for Puppy proof:
1. Isselee at http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photos-american-cocker-spaniel,-7-months-old-image13816453