Making your house Dog Friendly

Dogs have sharp claws, sharp teeth, and unlimited amount of energy and curiosity.  The combination can be very dangerous, especially when they are left unsupervised.  The following are recommendations that you can take to prevent accidents from happening and to keep your dog safe around the house.

1.  Keep all garbage cans closed.  If possible, make sure that they are tightly closed and out of reach.  This includes garbage cans inside and outside of your house.  To an average dog, the contents of your garbage cans are like a gourmet meal, the smellier it is, the more he will go after it.

2.  Keep all household products and chemicals out of sight, especially antifreeze and pesticides which are very toxic to dogs.  Clean up spills immediately before your dog gets a chance to clean it up himself.

3.  Dogs, especially puppies, will chew and bite into almost anything, including electrical cords.  It is very important to unplug appliances when you are not using them.  You should also cover exposed cords using a strip wide electrical tape which makes them harder to chew.

4.  Keep all medicines and medicine cabinets closed.  Remember that just because they are child-proof does not mean they are dog-proof.

5.  Keep your dog away from water unless he is supervised.  Although he is capable of swimming, he may have difficulty climbing back out if he falls.