When you own an indoor dog, its a good idea to pet-proof your house. Like child proofing, pet-proofing consists of making a sweep of each room to which your dog has access and removing anything that poses a potential danger. Some items may be dangerous to one dog while not to another. For example, electrical cords may be dangerous to the dog that enjoys chewing, but for a dog that isn't into sharpening his teeth on household objects, electrical cords may not be a threat. You'll be able to detect additional hazards once you've discovered what activities your dog may enjoy.
1. Watch Out for Small Items - Like children, dogs love to put things in their mouths. If swallowed, the object of their curiosity can become lodged within their digestive tract and cause damage. In some cases, surgery may be the only way to remove the offensive item. To avoid this, keep small items out of reach. Such items may include pens, pencils, rubber bands, coins, paper clips, staples, nails and screws, pieces of string, yarn, thread, or dental floss, earrings and other small jewelry, bells, small balls, sewing needles, pins, and the eyes pets may pull off pet toys.
2. Chocolate and Dogs Don't Mix - Chocolate contains the active ingredient theobromine, which can be toxic to dogs if enough is ingested. It is difficult to estimate how much is required to cause death to a dog because the concentration of theobromine varies with the formulation of the chocolate; for example, milk chocolate will have less theobromine than baker's chocolate. To keep your dog safe, be sure not allow him to eat any chocolate!
3. Watch the Tags - Your dog's ID tag can pose a choking danger to your dog if it gets caught on anything. Keep your dog's tags from getting caught in a heating grate when he lies down by using a Pet Pocket. The Pet Pocket attaches to his collar and lies flat rather than having his tags dangle from a collar.
4. A Shocking Danger - To keep your dog from chewing electrical wires, you must conceal the wires in some way. One way to do this is by buying a plastic decorator shower rod cover and inserting the wires inside the rod cover. Plastic rod covers can be cut to size. Another way to cover electrical wires is by purchasing concealing strips. These strips are specially designed to conceal wires running across floors, across baseboards, and up walls. You can find these concealing strips in hardware or office supply stores. They come in a variety of colors and they can be cut to size. There is also a newer product that has come on the market to protect your dog from wires. It is a "power strip with a brain" that detects insulation aging, damage, and penetration by such things as dogs' teeth. If your dog tries to take a bite out of this type of cord, the cord will shut off and prevent your dog from getting shocked. This can also be found in a hardware store.
5. Blue Water is Bad - If you use an automatic toilet bowl cleaner or "toilet tablets", be sure to put the seat down so that your dog won't be able to drink the water. The blue water can be poisonous to your dog. You can sew a large pom-pom to your toilet seat cover to prevent the lid from staying up in case you forget to lower it.
6. Keep Cleaning Products Out of Reach - Be sure to keep chemical cleaning products out of your dog's reach. If possible, consider substituting nontoxic cleaners such as vinegar and water mixtures or baking soda.
Felix Senhouse is a contributor for http://www.familydogcare.com Family Dog Care is your complete resource for dog related news and information, covering topics that range from dog training to dog nutrition. |
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