Congratulations on the new addition to your family! It is usually an exciting time for a household bringing home a new puppy dog. But it may also mean the start of a stressful, sleepless time for the family. This stress can be lessened by taking the time to properly prep your home for the new arrival. The key is to do an intensive job of this before you bring puppy home. Naturally there are always things puppy will get into that are trickier to anticipate, but here are some pointers that will stop most accidents in your home.

Puppy-proofing your home comes in 3 sections:

1. Making your home safe for a new pet. Removing all risks, anything posing a safety risk for puppy dog.

2. Protecting your stuff. Doing all that you can to protect your personal items against curious paws, fangs and mess.

3. Coaching your dog. Teaching your dog to safely and properly act in your house. This has to start day one.

This article is going to mainly concentrate on sections 1 and 2, what can be done before puppy dog arrives to form the best environment possible for both you and your pet. To get some more information on section 3, coaching your new puppy, refer to further articles.

Puppy Proofing Do's

- Walk around your home and look at everything through the eyes of a puppy. Check for dangerous items that may be damaged or pose a safety hazard, and remove the items or secure them so that they are beyond puppy's reach.

- Identify areas of the house where you can't simply remove potentially hazardous items and consider where you might put up dog gates to keep puppy dog out of hazardous areas of the home.

- Consider getting a crate to use when you have to constrict puppy dog to a safe place and can't be available to keep a constant eye on him.

- When the puppy isn't crated and you are available, keep close, consistent supervision over your the puppy.

- Place safety catches on cupboards, drawers, compartments, doors that occupy objects puppy dog shouldn't be sticking a nose in.

- Ensure all electric cords are beyond reach of puppy dog. These pose a pretty serious safety threat to a young, teething puppy dog. If you cannot just remove them from the area, try covering the cords in rubber tubes.

- Similarly make sure all loose cords, such as those on window treatments, are shorter than 7 inches and are out of pup's reach. These pose choking risks and other perils.

- Spray all areas that might encourage chewing with a sour tasting deterrent spray. This works very well for lower walls, banisters, cords, furniture, and more.

- Give your the puppy some chew-toys. These will keep them busy and ease them when they are teething along with providing an alternative to gnawing your costly furniture and shoes.

- Lock up your shoes and other items that may be fun for puppy dog to chew on. Anything puppy dog has got accessibility to could seem like a fun chew toy to puppy dog and puppy dog does not know the most notable difference between a toy and an Italian loafer.

- Protect your breakables. These can be threatening for the puppy and irreplaceable for you. Best to put them way up high, out of the puppy's reach or move them to a secure part of the house where the puppy can't get at them

- Do not tempt puppy dog by leaving food round the house. Clear away food as soon as you are finished with it and be particularly conscious of food that's hazardous to puppy dog. It's just natural that puppy dog will take any chance to mow down.

- Beware of any potential places puppy dog might fall from such as a staircase or a balcony. Put up a dog gate to barricade any hazardous areas and make sure the gate is securely installed.

- Check for dangerous plants. Now's an excellent time for a botany lesson. Check to make certain that all plants in the house are not poisonous or otherwise dangerous to puppy.

- Use puppy-proof garbage bins and/or keep them beyond reach of puppy dog.

- Watch out for anything puppy dog could burn or cut themselves on. Pay total attention to objects like ashtrays and candles, fires, heaters, and anything with pointed edges.

- Lock up all hazardous chemicals, cleaning supplies, perfumes, etc.

- Keep doors to the oven, refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, washing machine and dryer closed at all times. You might like to place notes on those items to remind family members to peek inside before using them. Puppies love tumble dryers.

- Keep the toilet lid down, or just keep the bathroom door closed at all times. Puppies love drinking from the toilet, and worse, can drown in toilets or baths.

- Remove long hanging table cloths. Puppy dog will yank this down and the rest with it.

- Plastic shopping bags are a dangerous item for puppies. They pose a risk of choking and suffocation.

- Maintain clean, clear kitchen counters. This may prevent your the puppy from being tempted to search, and most likely find something yummy.

Many of these tips will also set the puppy up for positive behavior habits. Keeping food clear, and counters clean will help prevent your dog from getting into the practice of begging and eating scraps, or scrounging for them. Spraying a sour tasting deterrent on things that might be enticing to chew will help stop your puppy dog from seeking this out also.

Following these steps is a great start to making sure you and your puppy will be comfortable once he arrives. Happy training!