How To Get Your Home Ready For a Dog

A variety of common flowers and plants can make your dog seriously ill if eaten. Before taking your dog home, remove all dangerous plants from your house!

Your dog might love having the run of your yard, but make sure to keep him out of the garden. If you are using an electric fence or dog run to keep your pet in the yard, make sure that garden areas are out of his reach.

Go easy on the lawn treatments—any kind of yard chemicals such as pesticides or fertilizers can make your dog sick, especially with repeated exposure.

Cover your garbage, especially in kitchen and bathroom areas. Use trash containers with secure lids, or keep your trash in a closed cabinet. And while you’re at it, make a habit of putting the toilet lid down so your dog drinks from his clean water bowl.

Some common foods can be poisonous or nauseating to dogs. Be especially careful to prevent your pooch from eating foods containing onions, garlic, fruit, or chocolate.

Keep your house clean. Plastic wrappers, hairclips, needles, coins, small toys, and plastic bags are among the many household items that could harm your dog when they are left in his reach.

Watch out for chemicals. Keep bathroom and garage doors closed, and secure all cleaners and medications.

Purchase your pup a dog crate with a cozy dog bed (or a pile of towels) in it. This will give your dog a place where he can sleep at night and rest undisturbed during the day.

Splurge on a few toys for Fido, but make sure that they don’t have any small pieces he could accidentally swallow.