ARTICLE: Home Decor

Someone knocks at the door....your dog jumps up, tears through the living room scattering rugs, potted plants and bookcases behind him. Well now...time for some dog proofing!
Puppies usually need more attention to details so we’ll begin with keeping them out of as much trouble as possible and work our way up to adult dogs. I always leash a new dog or puppy to me for a few days which is the best way to house train and learn about his/her habits plus you can train as you walk around the house.

First order of business is to get rid of any notions of order--for the puppy...For you, I hope you’re neat and like to put your things away! A puppy is chaos on paws. Pups want to explore their world, and like babies, get a better idea of that world by putting things in their mouth. Electrical cords should be tied up with a pony tail holder or other safe-to-find-later item. Then tuck the cords behind the end tables or some other large object close by.

Quite a few puppy owners find crates a great tool for house training and they are a safe haven for the pup, often lasting into adulthood. These can be used as end tables. Toss a piece of plywood (or marble if you’re fancy) over it with a cloth and voila, dog den and coffee table in one.

If you like matched sets of socks it’s a good idea to keep them off the floor, along with your pants, shirts, dresses, children’s toys, boots, shoes.....need I go on? If you are VERY, (stress very) well trained about supervising the pup you can make corrections every time the pup has some beloved object in its mouth although this often abuses the word NO and you’ll find yourself following the pup around everywhere like a...a....puppy! It’s easier emotionally to be neat for at least a year! The puppy will teach you how to clean up after yourself...and may turn you into Felix Unger in about a day.

Replace all your stuff that was on the floor with puppy safe stuff. For teething, a damp frozen twisted facecloth is fun and ice cubes will keep them occupied for awhile especially on a flat slippery surface. There are many toys to choose from in stores, just be sure the pup/dog cannot chew it up and/or swallow it. If you choose to buy rawhide chew treats you should always supervise in case the dog chokes or it lodges in their teeth. According to Kathy Bauch (from HSUS), the rawhide made in Taiwan contains cat DNA. I would only purchase this product if made in the USA. Online see HSUS.org for more information.

It’s best if food and water bowls are made of stainless steel. The kind of bowls that won’t tip are your favorites, trust me. Plastics and non-USA produced ceramics may contain toxins (lead in ceramics primarily) that cause cancer in the mouth and nose area.

Keep the bowls in a place that has minimal traffic so they aren't tripped over or spilled constantly. I put a towel around the water bowl so my drooler is more likely to let the flood out on that, (sure she is) than the linoleum. Puppies may find the towel a great toy though, so use your judgement on that one.
Many online sites point out that raised food and water bowls can increase your dogs chances of bloating (stomach torsion) if your dog already has a predisposition towards that occurring.
Is your pet allowed on furniture? Since my dogs are allowed on my couches I have old quilts or quilts purchased at yard sales tucked in around the cushions and over the back. They are easy to clean. I have unmatched quilts over my living room couches which makes for a quaint bohemian atmosphere. Putting a quilt or blanket on one spot just for the dog will keep the rest of the couch free of hair. Well.....free of a LOT of hair.

If you aren’t allowing your dog on the furniture, the dog should have a dog pillow, bed, blanket or crate. It’s only fair...you have the couch!
Dogs are pack animals and are most happy when following their alpha (you) around. They will want to be in the same room with you as much as possible. Sleeping arrangements are a personal matter. Some very dominant dogs shouldn't be allowed on a bed or couch depending on their attitude. Anytime they think they own the furniture and you don't they should be taught "off".

Many dog owners that use crates swear by them. The dog has a safe haven from children, from traffic, from company and it’s their own personal bedroom. It is not wise to use a crate as a punishment, it should be a haven for retreat.

Another simple way to confine dogs is a baby gate. For pups you may want to purchase the ones with metal lattice, rather than plastic. I was fostering 3 puppies in my bathroom for a few months and had a plastic lattice gate. We were watching television one night when two puppies came running happily out from under my futon.....it turns out that all those “little plastic things” I kept finding on the bathroom floor were part of the gate and the little rascals had patiently busted their way out of jail!

For adult dogs you want to be sure their tail isn’t going to wag something off your tables. Keeping food and drink out of reach is mandatory, would you turn down an orphaned truffle? Anything that gets knocked over once should be moved permanently....unless it didn’t survive, of course.

I never leave food unattended on the kitchen counters. Counter food is a big attraction, so there is never food there to investigate. If an animal steals food from your table or counter, roll up a newspaper and whack yourself on the head for being such a dolt!

Garbage should be out of reach. At my house it’s under the sink behind a door and cat litter should be hidden away as well. Dogs seem to think cat droppings are some sort of delicacy. Clumping litter is particularly dangerous for a dog to ingest as it will clump in their stomachs or intestines and in most cases must be removed surgically.

Free feeding means leaving a bowl of food on the floor all day, so you may need to find a quiet spot in the house for this, a place where you can keep an eye on the food levels. I choose to feed twice a day so bowl placement is less important as long as they are placed several feet from each other to reduce food fights in multiple dog homes.

Never, never feed a dog cooked bones of any kind, they can sliver and cause enough damage to kill your four legged companion. Raw is better, still pork is a no-no. Research more about raw feeding if you're interested in it.

Always keep a clear route to the outside door, one never knows how quickly one must make an exit with a dog in a hurry! Some people prefer doggie doors but I found that wild animals can find their way inside- plus I prefer to pick-up on delivery. I always train my dogs to wait until I say "ok" before exiting the front door or the car. They have to wait because it's safer for them.

Home Décor for Dog Owners