Congratulations You've Become
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Put Away The Cleaners & The Toxic Foods |
To help you with this transformation, I have put together a list of tips that will help you prepare your home with some basic pet proofing and keep your furry friend from getting into mischief. Start with checking under your kitchen sink or bathroom sink or where ever you store your chemicals and cleaning supplies.
Then make sure you put a child proof or pet proof lock or cabinet in place so that your pet cannot access them. I would also like to make the suggestion that you think about switching to an all natural cleaning product as many of those are not harmful to children or pets or the environment.
Here is a list of what to look for in your cabinets:
- Cleaning Supplies
- Anti-Freeze
- Pesticides
- Pest Poisons
- Fabric Softener Sheets
- Mothballs
Remember there are also common household items that should be kept away from pets:
- Medications
- Alcohol
- Coffee Grounds
- Chocolate, Raisins, Onions,
- Cigarettes
- Potpourri and Fragrance Oils
If your dog has eaten something you believe to be toxic to them, you need to get them to a vet immediately for treatment.
Supplies You'll Need |
If you are bringing a new pet home, especially a new puppy or a shelter or rescue dog, then expect to have a some accidents before you get them house trained. It's also possible they may vomit at first while they are adjusting to their new diet and they may be nervous and get upset in their new surroundings. To prepare for this, you need to have the following pet proofing supplies on hand.
I suggest that you start with a pet stain and odor remover that is specifically designed to remove urine and feces. Regular cleaning products are fine for the cleanup but they just don't clean up the urine smell and you don't want your dog peeing over and over in that same spot because it smells like urine and you certainly don't want to smell it either.
The differences in the cleaning products is that these special pet urine cleaners are enzyme cleaners and actually remove the urine odor not just cover it up.
If you are really concerned about your carpet or maybe you have a weak stomach, there are handy little pet carpet cleaner machines now called SpotBot to name one, that you can just sit on the spot and they do the rest of the work.
Seriously, you literally just need to set this handy little machine on the soiled area and it has a hands-free operation that does the dirty work for you! It's definitely a purchase worth considering and adding to your pet proofing supplies before you bring a pet into your home.
Where To Start |
So where do you start when you are looking for things to put away around the house? First of all, think of it a couple of ways. How would you child-proof for a toddler because pet proofing is very similar. Small things that they will chew on must go.
Next, get down on the floor because that's where your pet is going to be and that's where they see things from. Look around and see what they see. Look for dropped items like candy, money, medicine, electric cords, food wrappers, cigarettes, toys not meant for pets and other loose items that may be a temptation for chewing.
It's also important to close off any small openings that your pet could squeeze in or through and become lost or trapped.
Puppy Potty |
It's so important for you to be patient and pet proofing prepared when potty training you're your dog. You'll want to have those potty accident supplies on hand ahead of time. Expect accidents and don't overreact by screaming or hitting your dog.
This will send the wrong message to your pet and actually make them think that they aren't suppose to potty in front of you, so then they will start hiding it and potty in secret behind furniture or in another room – NOT COOL! Imagine finding those messes a few days later. The right correction is to change the tone of your voice and use a stern “NO!” Then take them outside where you want them to use the bathroom. Use the same place so they start associating that area with using the bathroom.
If they are having trouble connecting what to do, pick up some of their potty and poop mess and with gloves and paper towels and take it out to the bathroom spot and leave it there. This will help the dog identify what you are wanting from them. Remember to praise them and even reward them with a small treat for having a successful outdoor potty.
The Importance of Good Chew Toys |
Not only do dogs love to chew on most anything, but for them, chewing is a form of relaxation and playtime. If you are not giving them proper chew toys and chew bones and allowing them chew time, you could be causing their bad behavior and anxiety issues.
Keep in mind that you should always choose a safe, quality chew toy that's appropriate for your dog's size and age. Keeping good toys in your home for your dog will keep them from chewing on your furniture and everything else.
Here are a few tips when choosing toys and dog chews:
- Rawhide chews can upset some dogs stomachs, try looking for pressed bones or whole bones. Chewing on bones improves your dog's teeth and gums.
- Do not give your dog household items to chew on even if they are old and worn out. For example if you give them an old sock or shoe to chew on, they will think it's ok to chew on any sock or shoe.
- Be careful about feeding fowl bones as they can splinter and lead to choking. However, most bones are ok for larger dogs as long as they have not been cooked. Cooked bones tend to splinter more and increase the choking hazard.
TIP#1: If you are having trouble with your dog chewing on things they shouldn't, here are a couple of easy tips. Try sprinkling chili powder over the item you don't want chewed or over an area, such as a garden, that you don't want them in.
TIP#2: Another tip I've heard of but never tried is using lemon juice on items to keep them from chewing on them. They said they just put it in a spray bottle and spray away. Both would be very economical choices and would not harm your pet.
Being prepared and having these pet proofing items on hand ahead of time will be super helpful when you are faced with one of these situation. You will not have to wait or search for a solution. So shop ahead of time.
Be Prepared For Shedding |
I have two short haired Border Collies now and after raising Norwegian Elkhounds for twenty years, I thought having Border Collies with nice short coats would be a breeze. I was wrong. Lol It turns out they shed just as much if not more and they have these short little white hairs that stick to everything! At first, they were making me crazy but as time has gone by, I've figured out how to deal with it better.
First of all, I've had to go back to vacuuming like I did when my kids were little. You remember 2-3-4 times a week. You just can't make it a whole week without a good vacuum. I then found the new This little tool is a lifesaver. You just rub it side to side across your furniture and it picks up your pet hair and stores it in a clear plastic holding section. It amazing how much hair there can be. It's like one giant hair ball! Lol! They compare it 145 of the stick roller sheets and I would easily agree and I think it works better.
I also keep washable blankets and pillow cases on my couch so that I can run those through the wash frequently. In between washes I will run them through the dryer with a freshening sheet to freshen them and remove excess pet hair. It's a terrific quick fix if you have guest coming over.
BONUS TIP#3: Here's an extra pet proof tip that I use all of the time. If your new dog comes in smelling like a wet dog from the rain and you don't have time for a bath, use a dryer sheet and give them a quick rub down. They'll smell better in no time!
BONUS TIP#4: For another quick clean pet proof tip, buy a small hand held vacuum or dust buster that's made for pet hair for those quick clean up messes. Beats hauling out the big vacuum every day.
Toilets Are Off Limits |
Remember to always keep your toilet lid closed. The cleaning chemicals that you clean with most likely contain chemicals that will not only make your pet sick but could actually kill them over time.
I had a friend many years ago who had a cat that started getting sick and losing weight. They could not figure out what was going on, until one day she walked in the bathroom to find her kitty drinking out of the toilet.
Well she used one of those cleaning tablets to keep her toilet clean, so it was always a nice shade of blue and of course everytime it was flushed it was nice fresh cool water for the cat. In other words, the cat was slowly being poisoned.
She took the tablet out, started closing the bathroom door and put the cat on a flushing system diet. Within a few months, the cat was back to his old self. You can always put one of those child proof or pet proof locking clips on the bathroom door so that your dog or other pet can't just push the door open but you can easily enter. I understand they also make child or pet proofing lock clips for the toilet itself!
Training, Training, Training |
The Most Important Thing Your Pet Needs – Training!So many people go into pet ownership with visions of Lassie or some other perfect animal running through their mind, only to be sorely disappointed when their new pet doesn't obey on command when they bring them home. What they failed to realize was that these perfect animals that they have seen or fantasized over, have spent many hours training with their owners or specialized trainers.
That's why it's so important to include training in your pet proofing plan. For a pet to be happy and for their pet parents to be happy, it's so important for everyone to start training from day one. It doesn't have to be some drawn out two hour session everyday. You can work a few minutes in here and there everyday.
The point is that you have to do it so that you can make your pet the one you've been dreaming about. For dog training tips:Dog Training
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