Puppies come with a lot of energy and a lot of curiosity. The calmer ones still have moments where all they want to do is chew and run and have fun! So, what can we do to prepare for having a puppy in the house? There is a collection of things you will need to do, and some of them depend heavily on your lifestyle and the layout of your home. However, there are at least three things every soon-to-be puppy owner can do to puppy-proof their house. Let’s take a look!
Pick Up and Clean Up
First, you need to pick up and clean up. This refers to the process of cleaning up the house, but it also refers to the literal process of picking things up. The keyword being “up”. Puppies are small, and even the ones that are going to get big learn what is theirs and what is not when they are young. To help them learn, make sure that anything they are not allowed to chew on and destroy is stored up off the ground. If possible, up high enough that they will never be able to reach it, even if they stand on their hind legs when they are fully grown. You can also get furniture that allows you to store things like shoes, computers, and cords inside a cabinet or box so your puppy can’t get to them.
Even though this post isn’t about training, I do need to add that it is important that you train your puppy what it can have and what is off-limits. Simply putting things away and not showing them to your puppy until you are trying to use them can set your puppy up for what I call a “curiosity attack.” When your puppy sees you using or leaving unattended something that they have never seen before, they often become obsessed with figuring out what it is. This is not always the case. Some puppies simply watch. But many will want to get in on the new novel object and explore what it is and why you are using it. Make sure to introduce objects to your puppy’s environment and teach them to ignore these objects. Please do this with the coaching of a trainer, as things like wires can be dangerous.
Build Habits
This brings me to the next thing you must do to prepare your home for a puppy. Build habits. The habits you need to build are things like closing bedroom doors when the room is not in use, putting towels in drowse instead of leaving them hanging on the bottom oven, putting food away when you are not actively using it, and keeping your counters clear of all food and anything that can be turned into a chew toy (this is especially important for large breed dogs who can reach the countertops and breeds like Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers who tend to counter surf).
Cozy Corner
The third thing you need to do is create a space for your puppy. This is extremely important. This is a lot like giving your child their own bedroom and is done for the same reasons. We humans not only need our privacy from time to time, but we also need to learn to self-regulate and sleep at night, wake up on time, and more. Getting our own rooms as children helps with that training process. It is similar with puppies. They need a space where they can go to relax when they want a break, get away from the hustle and bustle of their environment, learn to relax in solitude, and more. It is important that this cozy place is structured in specific ways depending on the stage of life your puppy is in. For example, when your puppy is still potty training, you don’t want it to have too much space, or it will sleep in one corner and pee in the other. As it ages and learns to hold its bladder, you can create a larger space for your puppy. At all stages of life, you can use this place to keep some fun toys, leave a cozy blanket, and overall, just make it nice and comfortable and a place your puppy loves to go.
There is more to do to prepare for a puppy, and not all of it is challenging. Most of it is just making sure you have everything set up and all the gear you need. However, there are other aspects to making sure you are ready for your puppy, including making sure you have outlets for breed-specific behavior and the finances to cover all your puppy’s needs. But amid all the preparation, remember to enjoy yourself and your puppy!
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