Welcoming a new puppy into your New Jersey home is an exciting moment. But with the enthusiasm comes responsibility, as your home could pose hazards for the new family member. Let’s explore effective techniques for puppy-proofing your NJ home, so your Furrylicious puppy can enjoy a safe and happy environment.

Understanding Your Puppy

Before we dive into the specifics of puppy-proofing your home, it’s crucial to understand your new puppy’s behavior. Puppies like to explore their surroundings, often by using their mouths (and noses). So, it’s understandable if they chew on your shoes, furniture, or anything else they find intriguing.

Why is Puppy-Proofing Important?

Puppy-proofing protects your belongings and ensures your puppy’s safety. Puppies, just like babies, are curious creatures, and they often don’t understand the difference between toys and potentially dangerous items like power cords or plants with toxic leaves.

How to Puppy-Proof Your Home

Securing Harmful Substances

1. Ensure all medicines, chemicals, and cleaning supplies are stored in secure areas that are inaccessible to your puppy.
2. Many plants may be toxic to dogs. Do some research about your houseplants and either get rid of harmful ones or keep them out of your puppy’s reach.
3. Consider getting a trash can with a secure lid to prevent your puppy from scavenging through potentially hazardous waste.

Securing Furnishings and Belongings

1. Keep your possessions, such as shoes and children’s toys, out of your puppy’s reach to prevent them from becoming chew toys.
2. Invest in pet-friendly furniture covers to protect your upholstery.
3. Use a crate, pet pen, or baby gates to confine your puppy to a safe area, especially over night or when you’re not at home to supervise.

Creating a Safe Play Area

Establish a designated area where your Furrylicious puppy can safely play and explore. Provide stimulating toys and items that they can chew on to satisfy their natural instincts and prevent boredom. A nice set up is a spacious free form “pen” with the smaller crate inside where your puppy can come and go with the crate door open so they learn to love their crate and treat as their “happy” of “safe” place.

FAQs

Should I crate my puppy when I’m not home?

This is definitely recommended for ensuring your puppy’s safety, but it’s essential that the crate is comfortable and large enough for your puppy to move around, stand, and stretch.

How long does the puppy phase last?

Generally, dogs are considered puppies until they’re around one to two years old. But this can vary, and it’s important to maintain proper safety measures even as your dog grows.

Are Furrylicious puppies different from other puppies?

While every Furrylicious puppy is unique and special, their behavior and needs will be similar to other puppies. We do pride ourselves on providing excellent and early socialization for all Furrylicious puppies and giving them an abundance of love, affection, playtime and individual attention, but all puppies will benefit from a puppy-proofed home.

Conclusion

Puppy-proofing your NJ home is an essential step for welcoming a Furrylicious puppy into your family. It’s key to start with understanding their behavior and taking appropriate measures to ensure their safety. With these steps, you can create a happy, healthy, and safe space for your new furry friend to grow and thrive.