Puppy-Proofing
What do you need to do about your new puppy or kitty and your home? Pet-proof it! Be sure there are no paper clips, tacks, pins, or rubber bands around. Be sure that there are no pills that a puppy or kitten could get into. Leashes should not be worn in the home. There are now breakaway collars available. Keep in mind the plants around your home too. Lilies are toxic and cactus is never a good idea in a home with a mobile pet. A few more tips are: installing a baby gate near stairs, putting table edge guards on sharp points of furniture, and to shuffle your feet when walking. Be sure to watch this film for more tips.
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Step 1:
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Puppy Proofing
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Having a new puppy or kitten in the home can be fun and rewarding. But be careful: Just like children, puppies and kittens love to explore and get into just about everything. If a puppy finds something on the ground, chances are, he'll try and eat it.
You'll need to pet-proof every inch of floor space. Look for any small objects that could cause choking. Tacks or paper clips can puncture internal organs. Rubber bands, if swallowed, can tangle internally. In the bathroom, be careful around the medicine cabinet. Pills made for humans can kill puppies and kitties.
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Step 2:
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Breakaway Collars.
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Kera here is a puppy wearing a choke collar attached to a leash. She should not be left at home unattended. She could tangle herself up, and her natural reaction is to pull. It could strangle her. A better alternative is one of these new breakaway collars. It simply snaps apart if she gets tangled up.
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Step 3:
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Plants can be dangerous.
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Be especially careful with what kinds of plants you keep in your home. All lilies are toxic to cats. Cactuses are never a good idea when there are rambunctious kittens or puppies at play.
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Step 4:
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Tips
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Here are a few more puppy- and kitty-proofing tips. If you live in a two-story house, get a baby gate; puppies have poor coordination and can easily fall down stairs. Install table edge guards to protect pets from sharp corners of furniture. And shuffle your feet when walking. You can also purchase special electrical cords that shut off current if the outer sheath is chewed through.
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Step 5:
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Keep pets occupied.
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The key is to keep puppies and kittens occupied. For puppies, get a toy like the Kong that you can hide treats inside. They'll work at it for hours, and it'll keep them out of trouble.
For the Pet Report, I'm Mitch Wilder.
