How To Make Your Home Dog Friendly

If you are bringing a dog home for the first time too, it is likely that you are concerned about creating a great environment in your house for it. Here are a few things you can do to provide your pet with a safe home.

1. Get on your knees for a dogs eye view

Start by going on your knees to inspect your house from a dogs eye view. It will help you to get rid of any safety hazards and items that are easy to knock over. Put potted plants, carvings, and precious ceramic safely out of your dog’s path. Also get rid of any plants that are poisonous to dogs such as aloe vera plants.

Ensure you baby-proof your cleaning supplies and medicine cabinets to keep your dog from ingesting harmful chemicals. Dogs will chew on or eat anything so keep your floors free of clutter or anything that could be a choking hazard.

It’s also essential that you cover any dangling or exposed electric cords in the home. Have the electrician cover them because dogs have been known to chew through electrical cables and you don’t want that kind of loss in your home. Since dogs will eat anything, it’s vital that you store your food in a secure place such as a locked pantry. Dogs love to eat, and they can do it forever, so if they get into your food stash, it can be a disaster.

The same applies to trash, cover it securely to keep your dog from rummaging through and eating rotten or dangerous food remains such as bones and coffee grounds that could choke or poison them. Use trash cans with a secure lid that your dog cannot pry open even if it drops them.

Dogs love to drink out of toilets, and it’s a good idea to avoid using automatic toilet bowl cleaner in case they access your toilet when the doors are left open. Also, keep items such as soaps and shower gels out of reach.

2. Prepare to train your dog

A new dog coming to your home is a fresh slate for you to write on. It’s up to you to train your dog how to respect you and your home. Dogs are pack animals, and they will respond to the alpha in the home. You as the dog owner are the alpha, and you have to keep it this way by making the rules and enforcing them.

Dogs respond well to routines, treats, praises and other forms of positive reinforcement when learning new behavior. You will have to use this to train your dog on how to behave. If you think it will be hard, find a good dog school for your pooch or employ a professional dog trainer.

3. Do you have time to exercise your dog?

Keep in mind that dogs are social animals. If you keep your dog cooped up in the home with no interaction with you or the outside world, no form of training, electronic dog door, or wireless dog fence will keep it from running off or getting unruly. Make sure you are ready to exercise your dog frequently and spend enough time bonding with it once it comes home. If your dog is bored or depressed, you will have behavioral issues such as trashing your home, chewing your favorite things, barking uncontrollably and other unpleasant behaviors. You can also use joint pain relief for dogs  by petbounce, which is very effective and reliable for your dogs.

4. Buy the right equipment for your dog

It is essential that you buy proper dog equipment for your pet to use once it comes home. These are items you need to keep it secure and comfortable in and outside the home. Here is a list of the things you can buy or prepare.

A wireless dog fence

If your yard has no secure barrier to keep your dog in, ensure you prepare it before you bring your new dog home. To avoid the hassle of building a physical fence, you can buy a wireless dog fence. It is an underground electric fence that keeps your dog from escaping the yard using an electric dog collar.

The collar beeps or sends out a mild shock to your dog each time it tries to pass the wireless fence. The electric shock from a wireless fence dog collar is not harsh. It is just enough to startle the dog each time it tries to leave the yard. It takes about eight weeks to train a dog to honor an electric dog fence, and the training will last for all the days you are together.

Using a wireless dog fence will give you and your dog freedom. You can let it out in the yard to play without supervision. Its also portable and comes in handy anytime you travel to other places such as a cabin or summer place with your dog. The dog fence can also help you keep your dog off sensitive areas such as pools and gardens.

Dog stroller and leash

When you take your new dog for a walk, you will need a non-tangling dog leash. It’s also a good idea to get a dog collar with your dog’s information on it so you can get it back in case it gets lost. If your dog is a puppy or old rescue, you could consider using a dog stroller for your walks.

A dog stroller is similar to a baby stroller but for dogs. It helps protect your pup when its too hot to walk on the pavement or you are going for very long walks. It also works great when going to places where dogs are not allowed on leashes or when taking sensitive trips such as to the vet.

Food dispensers

It’s important to give your dog its spot in the home and its items to use. It helps to keep your dogs nose out of your things. Start by buying it good quality food and water bowls.

You can also buy an automatic dog food dispenser which measures out a certain amount of food regularly throughout the day. It will provide your dog with regular meals, keep it on portion control, and save you the hassle of always filling up its food bowl.

Dog bed and crate

Buy your pooch a dog bed where it can rest during the day and sleep during the night. It’s a good idea to let your dog sleep on a dog bed from the first day it gets home. It will keep it from coming to your bed or sleeping on upholstery in the living room.

Alternatively, you can buy your pooch a dog crate. A dog crate is a safe place for your dog to chill during the day or even sleep in the night. You can leave it in there to keep it from rummaging through the house as many dogs do at night or when left alone in the home. Put a comfort blanket, and some few dog toys in it and your pet will be content.

Electronic dog door

If you want your dog to roam free in the home and compound, then consider installing an electronic dog door. It’s an electric door slot you can fit on your front or back house door to allow your pet to come in and go out as it pleases. It’s only small enough for your pet to go through and works with a collar around your dog’s neck to open and close when necessary.

You should buy a smart electronic dog door that comes with a microchip collar. The microchip in the dog collar is your dogs key, and you can use it to program the time you want to let your dog out. You can even control such doors with a phone app for convenience.

Know any pet owners? If you do there is a very good chance that you may have seen them wearing a dog pin … or a cat pin … or another type of animal pin.

Dog toys

Dogs love to play so you should buy dog toys for your pooch to play with such as chew toys, cuddly toys, and food puzzles. The toys will keep your dog from boredom so that it doesn’t chew your furniture out of frustration. Make sure you buy age-appropriate toys for your dog and ensure they are safe to play with to avoid any unwanted accidents.

You can also buy toys that your dog can play with outside without human interaction. A good example is a dog ball launcher. A ball launcher, will automatically throw balls for your dog and keep it busy chasing and retrieving them in the yard. Such toys come in handy when you are busy and have no time to exercise your pet.

These are a few things you can do and buy to make sure your home is safe and comfortable for your new dog. You may feel items like an electronic dog door are unnecessary, but they will make life easy for you and your pet. Overall, make sure you provide your pooch with a lot of love because that is most important. Good luck with your new pet and enjoy having a loyal friend for life!