A puppy at home; what should you consider?

What fun, a new puppy in the house! Once you have a puppy in the house, coziness, atmosphere, love and attention come into play. Apart from the fact that it's great fun to have a puppy in the house, there are some things to take into account. Things will have to change in your own planning and of course you also have to provide a safe environment for the puppy. In this blog you will read the do's and don'ts of making your home puppy-proof.

Making your house puppyproof

You probably already have several items in the house to welcome your little four-legged friend. There will surely be a nice soft dog basket ready and the pup will not be short of toys. But are you aware that a curious puppy does not yet understand that he can only play with his toys and will most likely investigate things to chew on by himself? It is therefore very important that there is nothing in your house that is dangerous for your puppy and that he can reach. Below we share with you some tips on what you should consider in a safe environment for your puppy:

Get loose things off the ground

Dogs discover the world with their mouths. Therefore, it is important to make sure there are no dangerous things on the ground or anywhere else your pup can reach. This prevents a pup from chewing or even eating dangerous things. Think of cleaning products, medicines, children's toys, food (read here what a dog may and may not eat), sockets and loose (electricity) cables. Also pay attention to plants, both in the house and in the garden. In fact, there are quite a few plants toxic to dogs. Which plants are toxic to dogs, you can read here.

Install safety gates

Place safety gates in front of stairs or areas where your four-legged friend is not allowed. With the height, of course, pay attention to how big the dog is and how high he can jump.

Puppy pen

Do you have a larger home? Then a puppy pen can be a godsend. With a puppy pen you can cordon off part of the room. This way, your puppy can move freely and explore with peace of mind in a safe environment, even if you're not around to watch him for a while.

Correct substrate

Do you have a smooth (wooden) floor in your home? Then put down a large rug. A puppy's bones and joints are still very fragile. If a puppy walks too much on a slippery surface, he may suffer from this later in life.

Suitable chew toys and snacks.

Dogs love to chew, so, of course, do puppies. Therefore, chances are that a puppy will sink his teeth into certain objects around the house. Since you would surely rather not have a puppy start chewing on your furniture, it is wise to get toys in the house. Make sure you buy toys that are safe for a puppy, and don't give a puppy a toy he can choke on. Check if the size of the toy is big enough for your dog and assess if the material is not dangerous. For example, watch out for balls that are (too) small because of choking hazards or plush toys; a puppy can pull them apart and thus accidentally eat the contents. So make sure you provide strong and safe chew toys, this is also pleasant for puppies during the teething process. In addition, an added benefit is that a puppy who is sufficiently challenged to play with suitable toys is less likely to get bored. This makes him less likely to go on a demolition spree.

If you want to spoil your puppy with snacks, pay close attention to whether they are suitable for puppies. Riverwood's semi-moist and crunchy snacks are suitable for puppies as young as 10 weeks. The meat strips and chewy snacks from the Butcher Series snack line are suitable for puppies as young as 4 months.

Don't forget the garden

If you have a garden, you will probably use it when house training your puppy. So don't forget to also make sure the garden is puppy-proof. Make sure the garden is well enclosed so your puppy can't run away. If you have a pond or other body of water in the yard, make sure you cover or cordon it off so your puppy can't get near it. Also clear away sticks, old wooden planks and other obstacles that your puppy could reach and chew on. We mentioned it a moment ago, but we can't repeat it often enough: remove poisonous plants from the garden.

Welcome sweet puppy!

With the above tips, your home should be puppy-proofed and you can start enjoying yourselves! We wish you lots of fun, love and happiness with your little four-legged friend!

Many dogs already enjoy Riverwood every day. Would you like your dog to enjoy our delicious food and are you curious which variety would suit your dog best? Then answer a few questions about your dog here and order an inexpensive sample pack right away.