Puppy proofing your home

About a month before Gobi came home, we started to puppy proof our apartment. We live on the third floor and we wanted to make sure everything was predictable when we brought Gobi home. We wanted to keep her safe and prevent her from any dangerous accidents. Here are some tips and tricks that helped us prepare for our puppy’s arrival.

Figure out where your puppy will be spending most of his/her time

We wanted Gobi to get used to the living room first and set up her crate and play pen in the middle. We got her crate and play-pen off Facebook Marketplace. We weren’t sure how she was going to like it and didn’t want to spend too much money.
We got her some bedding from Marshalls although we didn’t introduce this to her right away. We wanted to get used to her crate first.
We built her a crate topper so she would feel cozy in her crate. I painted it to match the aesthetic of our home. Puppies in general like dark, cozy places. Stay tuned for a DIY post coming up!

Block access to other parts of the house

We blocked off the access to the bedrooms and kitchen and slowly introduced her to those rooms over the course of a few months. This was mainly so we could always keep an eye on her as she got accustomed to our home. We didn’t want her to wander around the house unsupervised.

Get down on your hands and knees

Act like a puppy yourself and see what could be at their eye level. Puppies are naturally curious and want to chew on everything. Make sure there aren’t any rogue electrical wires or open air vents. If a puppy gets chewing on an electrical cord, there is a chance of burns or electrical shock! We also bought the covers for our outlets just in case Gobi got interested in them. Keep cleaning supplies and medicines stored away as well. Keep toilet lids closed, move houseplants, raise blinds, tie up curtains and close doors to other rooms. Ensure small items like jewelry and paper clips are put away as these could be a choking hazard. Lastly, secure trash cans! Don’t want your puppy sniffing in there!

Check the flooring situation

If you have carpet, invest in a steam cleaner/vacuum. The Bissell Pet Cleaner was a lifesaver for us as our entire home had carpet. We used this in combination with the enzymatic cleaner, Nature’s Miracle.
If you have hardwood or laminate flooring, make sure you get a good mop/sweeper. You will find a number of DIY cleaners but ensure these are safe for your flooring. Some cleaners might damage the wood by stripping natural oils or color.
We will leave potty training to you and your trainer. But one thing we found helpful is getting a black-light flashlight. It can be used to see old and new pet urine on carpet and hardwood flooring. This can ensure you are cleaning all urine spots. Any lingering traces of the accident might attract the puppy to urinate in the same spot.

Buy the puppy biting repellent spray

Puppies are growing new teeth and those teeth are sharp! One day, we turned to see Gobi chomping away at one of the dining chair legs. We borrowed this repellent spray from our neighbor and she never came near the chair leg again. We took the liberty of spraying this on exposed electrical cords, couch legs, and any other furniture we felt she might start nibbling at. Fair warning- wear gloves and spray onto a paper towel directly before applying it to the area. This repellent is VERY bitter and can remain on your fingers for hours.

Figure out where the bathroom is for the puppy

We live on the third floor and were very nervous about where Gobi would call the bathroom. Before she got here, we mapped out all possible paths from our door to the closest patch of clean grass. Since she didn’t have all her shots, we couldn’t take her out of our building. When she got here, we had a potty schedule and took her to the same spot every time. Now that she is nearing adulthood, she still uses that same spot!

We hope this helps you plan out your place before your little bundle of joy comes home. There's already so much to think about when you receive your puppy; make it easier on yourself by making it comfortable for both you and your puppy!

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