Keeping Your Puppy Safe in His First Year

Keeping Your Puppy Safe should be a priority. As a pet sitting business owner, one of the most common complaints I hear from new dog owners is that the puppy is chewing everything, getting into things he shouldn’t, and being mischievous.

This is not only difficult to manage, but also very dangerous for the puppy. They do not have a built-in safety mechanism that tells them which plants are toxic or how to avoid breaking a leg when jumping down a steep flight of stairs. This is why it is crucial to invest time to build secure spaces in your house and keeping the puppy safe.

Crate Training Your Puppy

Crates are a great way to keep puppies safe when they cannot be supervised, such as at night. They are also perfect for car rides.

It is important to invest sometime and crate train your puppy – this means to show him that the crate is a safe and happy place. Do not just shove him in there whenever you want him to rest. Instead, use treats to reward him for going into his crate. You can also feed his meals in the crate.

Puppy Baby Gates

Baby gates are a great and easy way to block off the puppy’s access to areas he shouldn’t enter. Use them for your office for example – a room with a ton of cables and expensive hardware is not a place for your new family member.

You can also use them for the kitchen so that your puppy isn’t underfoot when you are cooking or to block off access to your kids’ rooms that have many toys that he could chew on.

Exercise Pens

Exercise pens are a way to keep the puppy contained in a certain area, and they can be moved easily. This makes them perfect for keeping your fur-baby close to you while at the same time making sure he cannot take off for his own adventures.

You can even take them outside with you and use them to supervise your puppy while you are doing yard work close by

Picking Up For Your Puppy

Puppies are experts at finding items they shouldn’t and trying to eat or chew them. Avoid costly surgery by being proactive and picking up anything you wouldn’t want him to have. You cannot rely on the puppy to not get into anything – if it is on the floor or within his reach, it is fair game!

Little Legs, Little Bones

Even though puppies can play pretty rough with each other and seem to have no self-preservation, they are prone to get injured if challenged too much. Injuries at a young age unfortunately often mean that the dog will have life-long effects (such as a slight limp). Avoid any activities that could result in the puppy getting hurt – for example making him jump over home-made obstacles or having him chase a ball across slippery floors. The best places to play are soft surfaces with a lot of traction, such as carpet or grass.

Supervise Your Puppy With Other Pets

Supervise your puppy whenever he is around other pets – whether this is your adult family dog, a cat, or even your kid’s rabbit. Puppies can be pushy and bold and overstep other pets’ boundaries pretty quickly. In addition, even the youngest puppy has some prey drive inside him and could really harm smaller pets when trying to chase and catch them.

Hiring a Pet Sitter

Be sure to hire a pet sitter to get to know your puppy. This way when you want to travel or work long hours, you will always have someone to call. They can help care for your pup when you are unable to be there. Love and Kisses Pet Sitting has a great reputation. If you live in the Union County area of South Charlotte NC. They are fully insured and bonded and have been in business since 2006.