Make sure you give your dog only appropriate treats and toys.
Rawhide chews are especially bad because they can splinter and cause choking or stomach problems.
Remember your puppy can't tell the difference between the old shoe you gave him to chew on and your eight hundred dollar Prada sandals! Socks are also bad.
Puppies who swallow socks can experience extreme abdominal distress! Ask your veterinarian for a list of appropriate toys and keep them where your puppy can play with them.
As a general rule of thumb, it's best to purchase toys at the pet store rather than making your own.
Ask your vet for a list of plants that are toxic to pets.
Some common houseplants can be deadly to your dog.
A few of them are: Rhododendrons, Japanese Yews, and Lily of the Valley.
Be aware, also, that pits from fruits can be toxic as well, especially cherry and peach pits.
It's not good for your plants or your pets if your animals are chewing on your greenery.
Keep all plants well out of reach of your new pup.
View a compiled list of poisonous plants on the safety resources section of the Bulldog Smarts website.
Make sure cigarette butts, stairs and swimming pools are out of reach of your pup.
Cigarette butts can be deadly to dogs.
If you smoke, make sure your ashtrays are emptied as often as possible and are kept well out of reach of your puppy.
If you smoke in your pup's exercise area, make sure you keep your butts picked up.
Make sure cellar doors and upper floor windows are closed.
Puppies are just as apt to fall down as small children are.
You can use child gates to prevent falls on stairs and even to screen off windows.
Swimming pools are especially dangerous to small pups.
They don't have the endurance or the education to swim for very long and can easily drown.
If you have a swimming pool, either fence it off or never let your pup out of your sight when he's near it.
Your pup should wear an appropriate collar under supervision.
Collars can be very hazardous.
While collars do have the advantage of allowing your dog to wear tags, they can easily get caught on just about anything.
The best solution to this problem is two-fold.
Make sure that you supervise your dog anytime he's wearing his collar.
If you need to leave your dog unsupervised (especially as a pup), either take the collar off or make sure there is no way for him to get it caught on anything in his play area.
If you leave your dog's collar off most of the time, it's not a bad idea to consider microchip implantation.
For a minimal fee, you can have a chip implanted in your dog's neck that contains all the vital information about your animal.
It doesn't seem to hurt the dogs and it does come in handy.
Every Humane Society in the United States and most veterinarians have scanners that can read the chip.
A pet locator sticker on your house window could save your dog's life.
In case of a fire when you're not at home, place a pet locator sticker on your window.
These stickers are available at most fire departments and they let the fire fighters know that your pet could be in your house.
At the end of this book I have compiled a list of First Aid and Emergency Care Resources.
Constantly keeping an eye on your pup is the best secret to puppy proofing your home.
There is no way to make a comprehensive list of everything an unsupervised animal can get into! Use common sense and put any items that you are unsure of away.
"If you don't know, stow.
" The more time you spend with your pup, the safer he will be.
Spending time with your pup allows you to create a strong bond with him during his formative months.
Knowing your puppy is a great way to help keep him healthy and the best way to keep him happy.