Pets deliver so much joy to our lives. Almost 40% of US households have a pet as a household member. Of course, our furry family members also can add a little stress. Pet proofing your home can help you stay on the joyous side of things with your pet.
You have to do your part to make sure you and your fur baby live in harmony. Pet proofing your home can cut back on stress for you and ensure that your pet gets to live a happy safe life as your companion.
Before you get started on pet proofing your home you should speak to your veterinarian. One of the common vet services is sharing tips and idea and let you know what dangers you have to look out for. Your vet is the expert in pet proofing your home.
You can speak to your vet about dog training tips, and make sure your fur baby has a clean bill of health. If you have a healthy pet than you can move forward with pet proofing to make sure they stay healthy.
Address The Dangers in Your Home to Protect Your Pets
Even the most organized home can be full of dangers for a young pet. Protecting your pet from household hazards starts with identifying those things that seem innocuous but can turn into a hazard to a puppy or a kitten.
Here is a simple tip for searching for potential dangers lurking in your home. Get down on all fours and take a look around. This can be the easiest way to spot potential dangers to your pet. It can be hard to see what they see when you are standing up right.
Puppies and kittens are notorious for finding small choking hazards on the floor, under the couch, and behind furniture. Getting down on their level will help you to see if there is anything that they can get into that would be a danger to them.
It may sound a little strange but you should prepare your new home for your puppy or kitten the same way you would for a toddler. Buy and install childproof cabinet fasteners to make sure your puppy or kitten cannot get into areas where you keep household chemicals.
Make sure electronic cords are not dangling so that they can grab them or get tangled up in them. Keep cords for blinds and window shades short. Use the child safe outlet covers. Keep tools off the floor so young teeth are not tempted to chew on them and cause dental damage.
Pet proofing your home is not only about protecting your home from pets it is about protecting your pet from the dangers in your home. Kennel training your puppy can help to ease the worry when you are not there to assure good behavior and safety.
Remember young pets are like toddlers they will test the limits of safety to learn about their world. Make sure you are diligent about closing cabinets, pantry doors, and other areas a young pet can get into and wreak havoc.
If you start training your pet early on to stay off the furniture they will grow up in an environment where they understand furniture is off-limits. Of course, there are plenty of people that do not want their pets to stay off the furniture because they love cuddling, but they hate the mess. There is a happy medium.
You can cover furniture with blankets and throws that can easily be put in the washing machine for a quick cleanup. You can also train your pet that they can use one specific piece of furniture that has a slipcover on. You can also buy furniture covers that are made especially for your pet to enjoy the furniture with you without damaging the piece underneath.
Fabric odor eliminators can help to keep that dog or cat scent away. Cats pose a unique threat to your furniture. Many a kitty thinks there is nothing better than sharpening their claws on the corner of the couch. You can offset this behavior with commercial prepared sprays and repellents. You can also correct the unwanted behavior by keeping a scratching post nearby and redirecting your cat anytime you catch them.
It would be a falsehood to say that persuading a cat not to scratch the furniture is easy, it is not but you can try the following:
- Use plastic shields on furniture or sandpaper
- Buy plastic caps for their claws
- Use double-sided sticky tape to cover their favorite area
Plastic guards can be made from a wide range of materials. Try plastic floor runners with the knobby side stick out. You can also purchase caps to cover their claws or try double-sided sticky tape. Usually, you will have to cover the area with some sort of plastic and provide a scratching post nearby to really change the behavior.
The Number One Problem with Pets As Reported By Pet Owners
Most of the stuff pets do, does not really seem to bother owners, but there is one thing that every owner complains about. Pet accidents in the house. Pet proofing your home against pet accidents is a multi-layered process.
If and older fully trained pet starts eliminating in the house, you should make a vet appointment. Pets do not usually backslide from being outdoor potty trained into eliminating in the house again unless there is a health issue.
Unfortunately one of the prices you pay for having the unconditional love of a pet is that when they are young they are going to have accidents. Never fear there are ways that pet proofing your home can work to keep the accidents at the very least contained.
One of the most important things you can do when your pet has an accident is to clean it up thoroughly. If you leave their scent behind you can be sure that they will head right on back to that spot the next go-round. There are homemade cleaning recipes that can help to get the spot clean and scent-free. White vinegar is a great cleaning agent for pet stains. White vinegar and baking soda can work wonders on carpet pet stains.
Of course, feel free to purchase a commercially available pet stain remover but you do want to make sure (especially with cats) that you remove the odor with a good enzymatic cleaner. Clean the area well then do this for dogs:
- Stock up on treats and keep them buy the door
- Use puppy training pads in a designated area
- Take them out 30 minutes after they eat every time
Every time your pet walks goes to the bathroom outside give them a treat. Never scold your pet after the accident. If you catch your pet having an accident remove them from the area and bring them outside immediately. Yelling at your pet will not stop them from having an accident in the home.
Puppy training pads can be used with both puppies, kittens and elderly animals. Set them up in a designated area when you know that you are not going to be home so that your pet can relieve themselves without causing damage to your floors.
Every time your pet eats take them outside. They will get the idea that this is how things work and will learn not to eliminate in the home.
The kitchen is an exciting place for your cat and your dog. Lots of good things come out of the kitchen and it is such a busy place with a lot of activity happening. Of course, it can also be a danger zone.
Invest in a good trash can with a tight-fitting lid. Young dogs especially like nothing better than the opportunity to knock a trash can over and save all that delicious trash from the landfill. There are things in the trash that can make your pet very sick and of course, who wants to come home and find trash scattered around the kitchen.
If you have a large breed dog or a very curious cat train them not to approach the stove. A large breed dog can easily jump up on the stove and engage one of the burners. A cat, of course, can jump on a hot stove and get burned. Burner covers and pet-proof knobs can help. You can also invest in childproof knob covers. You may have to struggle every time you cook to turn the knobs on, but they can greatly reduce risk.
As mentioned before keep all cleaners safely stored. Do not leave sponges or rags where a pup can grab them. Remember every item is a potential toy to your pup or kitten. It is up to you to make sure anything you do not want them to have or they should not have is out of reach.
Having an outdoor space for your pets is great as long as you take certain steps to protect your pet and protect your outdoor spaces. You never want to just open up the backdoor and let your pet outside unless the outdoor area is secured.
Fence installation cost is well worth the investment if you have a pet you would like to let outdoors. A fence is a great way to keep your pet safe and a great way to create separate spaces for your pet. If you are going to leave your dog outside for extended periods of time, invest in a good dog house so they will have shelter. An Amish dog house is a good option. They are long-lasting, durable, and look great in the backyard.
You want to make sure outside as you did inside that the safe is space for your pet and protected from your pet. While you do not have to get down on all fours to do a tour, you do want to make sure that you look under and behind things to ensure there are no hazards around.
On the outside you have other things to look out for. It is a myth that dogs and cats are immune to stinging insects and other insects. Make sure your curious young pup or kitty cannot get into any type of insect nest. Ant control, wasp control, and other insect control products can be dangerous to dogs and cats, so do be careful if you are using these chemicals.
Make sure fertilizers and other yard chemicals are out of the way where your pets cannot get into them. Keep yard tools out of the way as well. Rakes, shovels, power tools, and more can be an interesting find to your pet but a tremendous danger.
Once you have all the safety concerns managed you can move on to pet-proofing your home outdoors to keep your outdoor living space safe from your pet. Start with flower beds. Pups love to dig. It is fun for them, but it can be a disaster for your new garden.
Use small garden fences as a barrier and train your pup not to cross the barrier. Every time they go near the barrier clap your hands together. The sound will startle them and will get their attention. Once you have their attention a firm “no” and a redirection to the area that they can play in can help them to understand the garden is off-limits.
Clear Expectations
Part of pet proofing your home really is training. You can do all the things that you need to, to keep your pet out of trouble but without training, you are only doing half the job. If you do not want that dreaded letter from the dog bite lawyer because your dog bit the mailman, socialize your pets, train them, and spend time with them.
You can live in harmony with your pet. Follow the advice for pet proofing your home and set clear expectations.
