A new puppy is an exciting addition to your family and home life. Puppies offer endless hours of love, support and fun, but they are also incredibly vulnerable just as a young child would be. Before you bring your new puppy home it’s important to safety proof your backyard.
- Get down on your hands and knees and crawl through your backyard from a puppy’s perspective. Look for small items that can easily be ingested by your new puppy and remove them.
- If you have any landscaping stone, make sure that it isn’t small enough to be swallowed as it can cause blockages in your puppy’s stomach.
- There are many outdoor plants that are toxic to animals. Do research on all of the plants in your backyard. If you aren’t sure, then it’s best to get rid of the plant.
- Keep all of your fertilizers and pesticides locked away securely. Most of these products are poisonous to dogs.
- Make sure the paint on your outdoor patio furniture sets isn’t toxic. If your furniture is constructed of wood materials your puppy may try to chew on it. Keep an eye on your puppy during his/her teething stage to avoid ingesting harmful paint chemical.
- Make sure that you backyard doesn’t have any residual anti-freeze. Dogs are attracted to the sweet smell and taste, but it is deadly if ingested.
- Sharp tools used for gardening or home maintenance should be properly stored and not left on the ground.
- Make sure that you have a secured fence to keep your puppy safely in your backyard area. Check for breakage and make sure that it is both high enough and low enough to keep your puppy inside.
