Pet Safety – Household Items

When you are bringing home your first dog or puppy you might not be completely aware of the things you need to keep your new family member away from. Our goal today is to put together a list of household items that can be harmful to your dog and should be kept away.




Pet Safety Household Items to be aware of
Young dogs love to chew! While your work shoes might not be the best option they generally will not cause a harmful reaction.

1. Electrical Cords – these can sometimes look like dog chew ropes so keep them bundled and secure to the floor or wall.

2. Kitchen Appliances – a new puppy or small dog might have a difficult time getting up on counters but a bigger dog will counter surf if the object of their desire is important enough. Fresh ground peanut butter still in the blender could cut your dog’s tongue while they try to lick it out. A piece of bread still sticking out of the toaster could burn your dog. Make sure to use caution when in the kitchen.

3. Most anything you would store in your garage. A bored dog will get into anything just to occupy its mind. Put the paint cans on a shelf they cannot reach. Put the fertilizer in a sealed container. Put your tools into drawers or create a space where your dog cannot accidentally get to them.

4. Curtains – They might seem harmless but to a dog trying to get see out a window they can get caught in the blinds or curtains resulting in damage to the curtains or themselves.

5. Indoor plants – Hopefully you have checked to make sure that any plant you are growing indoors is safe. But have you checked to make sure that your dog by sniffing around in the pot or climbing up on it cannot flip it over? Secure indoor plants with a heavy rock at the bottom of the pot or grow them on counter tops out of the way of your dog’s reach.

Sometimes the most innocent looking household items can be harmful to your dog. Be vigilant and watch your new dog to see what sorts of things it tries to get into and then figure out a solution to make the situation safe. Even if you have had a dog for years and they ignore an electrical cord it might all of a sudden become interesting if it moves in a strange way or a computer wire is dangling from your desk and looks like the snake they saw in the yard yesterday. You can teach your dog to keep away from dangers but will need regular reminders to stay away.