Your dog is part of the family, and although undoubtedly more precious than your possessions, that doesn’t mean that you don’t want to protect your much-loved shoes or furniture from your canine’s eager canines!

Aside from dog-proofing your home to avoid damage to your possessions and property, it is also important to protect your dog from hurting itself with the toxic or otherwise dangerous items found in and around your home.

So, with that said we have summed up three really easy steps that you can take in order to dog-proof your home.

Baby-proof the house:

Whether you’re a human and pet parent, or just a pet parent, (human) baby-proofing your home is just as relevant to dogs.

• Baby gates: These only work for smaller dogs that can’t make the leap to the forbidden area. Install baby gates to areas that pose a risk to your pet, or rooms that you don’t want your pet to have free reign in.
• Plug covers: Just as your toddler could get shocked by fiddling in an electrical outlet, so could your curious canine.
• Electrical cord protection: Those mazes and tangles of electrical cords may drive you crazy, but for your dog they look like toy heaven! Your local hardware store will sell containment systems for electrical cords which will keep them safe from eager pups.
• Safety locks for kitchen, cleaning supply and bathroom cabinets: Protecting your kitchen cabinets against crafty dogs is important for obvious reasons – you don’t want your dinner to become their stolen delight! However, there are also some human foods that are toxic to dogs and should be kept away from your pet at all costs. If your dog gets into your cleaning supplies or bathroom cabinets he could land up eating toxic chemicals or medication that is poisonous. It’s a horrific reality that too many pets perish each year as a result of consuming cleaning chemicals and human medication.
• Bedroom cupboard door locks: Although this could have belonged in the category above, it deserves its own place on the list. After all, if you don’t protect your shoes, socks and handbags, they’ll likely be the first victims of your dog’s chewing penchant.
• Toilet lid lock: Just as you may find your tot peering into the toilet, waving at their toy that is now ‘swimming,’ your dog can find great pleasure in the depths of your toilet bowl. Although there won’t be too much harm done if your dog prefers to drink from your lavatory, it’s best that he doesn’t as the cleaning chemicals and germs are definitely not good for him. If you or someone in your household keeps forgetting to close the bathroom door, a toilet lid safety lock will come in handy. However, making it a household rule to keep the toilet door closed also protects your toilet paper from being ripped to shreds.

Fortunately, (dog) baby-proofing your home isn’t too costly, and the abovementioned items can be found at your local baby goods store.

Rubbish bin protection:

Ah, the time old, ‘dog’s been at the rubbish again!’ refrain. There’s just something about the pungent odor of rotting food that attracts dogs like moths to a flame. If possible, install a cupboard, pull-out bin that your dog can’t access. If not, ensure that you have a clip-on lid for your rubbish bin. At all costs, avoid leaving plain plastic rubbish bags out for your dog’s perusing pleasure.

Some more dog-proofing tips:

• Dogs love to have a window seat so to say and will likely damage window dressings in their efforts to see what’s going on outside their house. Blinds are usually fare the worst, so it may be a better idea to have curtains that are tied back.
• Never use any pest control measures in your home, unless they are 100% approved non-toxic to house pets. This includes moth balls for your clothes cupboards. Weed-killing chemicals used in the garden also pose a risk to your pets.
• Banish any and all clutter. Leaving loose bits and bobs around the house leaves them at the mercy of your dog. This includes books, shoes, small items such as makeup and hairpins.
• Protecting furniture can be a bit tougher – and may extend to you needing to keep your pet locked out of certain rooms when you are not around to supervise.

Although it might seem like it takes considerable effort and expense to dog-proof your home, it is invaluable in ensuring the safety of both your pet and your possessions.

Should your dog happen to eat any toxic ingredients found in your home, be sure to take them straight to the vet for. If you are worried about the high-costs of vet bills you should Sign up for pet insurance with Oneplan Pet today.