In the same way as you’d never let your child play in an unsafe area, as a dog owner, you have to apply similar thinking to your dog.
Puppies are well known for getting into trouble.
Puppies in particular are notorious for getting into things that they shouldn’t. They’ll try to escape from areas that you’ve confined them to and may get into products that could harm them.
Make sure, before you bring them home, that you have puppy-proofed your home just as you would for an infant or toddler. This includes making sure they can’t get into any cabinets as well as the rubbish bins and trash cans.
Although you may not realize it, the ordinary foods disposed of in your rubbish could harm your pet. Many items are toxic and can’t be digested properly by dogs.
This includes any areas of your home where there may be a rubbish bin, such as a bedroom or bathroom. (And dogs just love to root through any trash!)
If they’re allowed to go anywhere else in the home, such as the garage, you want to make sure there are no toxic products that they can get into there as well.
Checking for hazards outside the home is important, too.
Do a walk around on the outside of your house, both in the front garden and back yard. This way, you can make sure there’s nothing that could do any harm to your puppy or adult dog.
On another note, dogs usually prefer to have a space of their own. Even if they do enjoy snuggling with you on the couch or in bed, they still need their own space.
Some dogs may prefer to have a crate that they can retreat to whenever they feel the need – even dogs need a little “me time” now and again.
Some of them may simply want a comfortable dog bed and a blanket to crawl under if and when they feel stressed. Especially during a thunderstorm or when fireworks are going off on the 5th of November (or whenever people have any sort of party, it seems).
When you’re out and about…
If you take your dog to a local dog park, make sure you have evaluated it for the safety of your dog.
If there are any aggressive animals in the dog park, you’ll want to leave and come back another time. No matter how placid your dog might seem, if you or your dog appear threatened things can soon become heated.
This is the same whether you’re in one location or going for a walk on a pavement or country path.
Wherever you go, you may encounter aggressive dogs that pose a threat to you both. So you want to make sure you are safe.
The best way to do this is to be aware of your surroundings all the time – so get off that phone and take a rest from staying in touch.
Protecting dogs isn’t difficult, it just takes a little thought and common sense. This is something that dogs are often lacking in, so rely on you instead.
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