# Puppy Proofing your home... tips and suggestions?



## Eddiemoto (May 4, 2013)

I haven't had a puppy in about 15 years. Any tips?

I'm probably most concerned for my 17 year old son. He is our human puppy that leave crap all over the place. I keep telling him that if he wants to keep it, he better get used to putting things where they belong.

Other concerns...


[li]Pile of shoes at the front door.[/li]
[li]That server I've been meaning to move for about 2 years.[/li]
[li]Furniture... who knows what he will find tasty.[/li]
[li]Pee Hazards? Is there anything that a male puppy feels he absolutely must marK?[/li]


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## trevor1000 (Sep 20, 2013)

I'm sure if your son has a few things that get chewed on it may change his habits? 
I know my 2 girls learned pretty fast to put stuff away.
We have been lucky so far as our boy likes to hold our stuff in his mouth but he doesn't chew it.
We have been closing all of our doors as well, bedrooms, bathrooms; and any other room we don't want him in.
Maybe have a variety of things that he is allowed to chew on.
We leave his chew toys all over the place so when we catch him nibbling on stuff we don’t have to go far to get something to direct him to that he can chew on.
I don’t think there is any particular "item" that puppies have to mark.
House training the pup is one thing and him marking is another.
I'd say get some good sanitizer for when you are cleaning up after him and get rid of all the scent.

Make sure you post pics


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## dextersmom (Oct 29, 2013)

Put everything away 

Just kidding, well not really, haha! Some things we still can't have out...

*Shoes (just put them in a hall closet)
*Cords (charging cords for phones, laptops, etc. as our major appliance ones are already hidden. not a favorite of his but it only takes one quick puncture if he goes to check it out to damage it. and apple cords are not cheap)
*Towels (this is probably the one thing Dexter really destroyed of ours. anything hanging - like coats too - get pulled down and sometimes ripped in the process. he probably would have done the same to curtains if we had them)
*Toilet Paper (get used to reaching up for it or in a cabinet!)

Dexter put anything in reach in his mouth as a pup (still does to some extent). So you've got to make sure you're stuff isn't damaged AND they don't swallow anything harmful. Maybe make a junk drawer for all the stuff in your son's pockets, etc. you don't want laying around (like paperclips, change, etc.) We found it was easiest to puppy proof at different stages as he grew. At first, anything above like knee height was safe. But as they get taller, they start to reach counters, etc. and you have to do another whole wave of puppy proofing.

We have an almost new, pricey couch so we put down waterproof sheets (flannel with a rubber layer underneath) on the cushions to protect against accidents too. I don't believe puppies actually "mark" until adolescence though?

Get some bitter apple spray (works like a charm for us, though you have to saturate it pretty well. but it would break his habit right away and he never went for our furniture, trim, etc. again) and Nature's Miracle if you haven't already!


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## dextersmom (Oct 29, 2013)

Also... I thought we did a great job puppy proofing but found out the hard way it's really kind of a daily thing. One day I emptied the dishwasher and put our glass blender jar upside down on the counter to dry some more. Not even thinking I put paper towel down under it. We hardly ever left Dexter unsupervised as a pup, but that day I ran in the bedroom to hang up a shirt because Dexter was completely asleep on the couch. Sure enough, I heard a crash of broken glass :-[ It was terrifying. I came out and there were huge, thick shards of glass everywhere and a very confused (though not very scared!) puppy in the middle of it all. Not a scratch on him, if you can believe it. To my knowledge, he'd never even seen the paper towel on the counter until I left the room. So he managed to wake up, run to the kitchen, spy the towel, and pull it out from under the jug within a couple minutes. So sneaky. Needless to say, I was aware of things he'd go for (like the paper towel) but never thought about what else he might take down to get to it (like a heavy glass jug).


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## MeandMy3 (Feb 27, 2013)

Just when you think you're done puppy proofing your house, your pup will find something you didn't.


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## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

You might try asking your 17 year old to get down on hands and knees to view the main puppy places from the puppy's perspective. Have him evaluate anything within reach that will be smelled, tasted, texture tested (soft chew, hard chew, crunchy, squishy, etc.), and tugged (like dish towels hanging over a cabinet door). See what he finds.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Don't worry about that pile of shoes, they will be chewed, and gone in no time. Mainly keep all doors closed that lead to other rooms. Put all cleaning supplies up high in cabinets. Electrical cords are a big hazard that should be placed where a pup can't get to them. These pups love remotes, I don't know why but they are drawn to them.
Batteries and magnets kept in drawers. They will also snag medicine off a nightstand, or out of your wife's purse. 
Chairs need to stay under the table, pups learn to use them to get on the table. Certain food is bad for them, and they will figure out a way to get to it, if its left out. Watch what you put un the trash, they will get into it. Razor blades put in a bathroom trash can wreck havoc on a pup. Lids stay down on the commodes. Long list of plants that are poison. so check you yard, because they love to chew up plants. 

Its just easiest to only have the pup out when you have eyes on them, or they can get in trouble quick.


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## aliciavp (Mar 14, 2014)

We found a quick solution for the shoes... a small storage ottoman that you can leave at the front door!!


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## Eddiemoto (May 4, 2013)

So much great advise so far. Thanks. 

I think I will print this and put it on the kitchen table. Good cereal reading


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