Adjusting to a New Pet in Your House

By Suzanne Alicie

As firm believers in responsible pet ownership, we never advise giving a pet as a gift unless you are sure it is wanted. Many times parents take advantage of a holiday or birthday to give their children a much desired pet, or one weekend they simply give in to repeated requests for something furry and fun. No matter what the occasion of welcoming a new pet into your home, there are many ways in which your family will have to adjust. There are also ways you can prepare beforehand to make it easier on everyone involved. 

A family discussion of the responsibilities that each person will have once the pet arrives, the doling out of pet chores and preparation of the home for the presence of a pet will help everyone be prepared for the excitement and upheaval that a new pet can cause.

Depending on the age of the children involved, more than likely the kindhearted parents will have to take care of most of the responsibilities of having a new pet, although children enjoy feeling as if they are taking part in caring for their new pet as well. The most common new pets for children are kittens and puppies; there are pros and cons to each of these from the point of view of the caretakers and ultimately responsible parties.

Kittens

Sweet, cuddly little kittens are generally very easy to train to the litter box. This may make you think that there will be no issues with adjusting to a kitten in the house. But in fact, kittens are nosy, they will be underfoot, under the furniture, in the closet and shooting through the door. There are a million things around the home that can be dangerous to kittens, and some careful kitty-proofing will be necessary.

A scratching post and a specified place for food, water and litter box will make the adaptation to a kitty easier. Also, it’s important to keep in mind that baby gates aren’t going to be very effective with a kitten because they can climb, they can swing and they can get wherever they want to go unless there is a solid wall or door between them and that place. Learn more about how to prepare and deal with a kitten by reading Bringing Home a New Kitten or Cat.

Puppies

An adorable puppy will be a challenge for even the most willing parents. You will have to deal with paper training, training the puppy to go outdoors, and teaching the puppy what is and isn’t appropriate to chew on. Plus, the fact that puppies are also nosy will quickly become apparent when you find your puppy in a closet chewing on a favorite shoe or stuck inside a box in the pantry. However, with puppies a baby gate will be your best friend; you will be able to keep the little cutie in a certain area or room! This subject is explained in more detail in our helpful RPO article, Dog Proofing Your Home.

All the members of your household will have to learn to watch where they step, learn how to clean up after the new pet, and always keep an eye on the doors so that the pet doesn’t escape. Pet proofing is important to make sure that your new pet is safe and stays healthy. 

House plants, toys, electronics and wiring are all possible hazards for kittens and puppies. Before bringing a new pet into the home or giving one as a gift, learn about the dangers around your home. Taking the time to prepare your home for a pet can help make sure that your new friend has a forever home, and that you are ready to be a responsible pet owner. 

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Is Your Puppy or Dog Chewing Out of Control?

By Linda Cole

Puppies are so cute, you can't help picking one up and giving it a big hug. But they aren't nearly as cute when you find them chewing their way through your home. Even an older dog is capable of destroying your shoes or that heirloom quilt passed down from your great grandma.

A puppy or dog chewing on your things or furniture isn't doing it to make you mad. They're just doing what's natural for them. Since dogs can't pick things up and see them like we can, they use their mouths to investigate what they find. Sometimes an interesting smell on something causes them to chew. Others chew because they don't know what else to do. A bored dog can dismantle a chair in a single afternoon. I know because I had a really comfy chair that fell prey to a bored dog one day. She completely destroyed my favorite chair.

A puppy or dog chewing on furniture is a serious problem. Not just because they can destroy what they're chewing on, but because it can be dangerous for them if they swallow fabric, small nails, or pieces of the wood. Power cords are extremely dangerous and can cause damage to the dog and your home. Bored dogs have been known to jump through the glass in windows if they see something outside that stimulates them. Any home with a puppy or an adult dog should be dog proofed to avoided unnecessary accidents. Even older dogs can become bored and head for the nearest table leg, couch or laundry basket.

Punishing a dog for chewing up something while you’re gone does no good. He has no idea why he's being punished. If he cowers, it's because he knows you're upset by your tone of voice, the expression on your face and your body language, but he doesn't know it's because of what he did. Just let it go, and find a room that would make a safe area for him to lounge in when you're not home. Responsible pet ownership means providing pets with a place in the home where they can't get into trouble or get hurt.

Puppies chew to make their gums feel better when they're teething. They also use their mouth to learn about things they find while exploring. Adult dogs chew out of boredom, because of separation anxiety, fear, or as a way to get attention. If you have an older dog who has suddenly started chewing, it could means he's developed a behavior problem that you need to deal with or he needs more exercise to help him get rid of excess energy. If it's separation anxiety or fear that causing his chewing, you may need to talk to your vet or an animal behaviorist.

If you have a dog chewing problem, consider a new routine that includes a walk or some playtime before you leave him alone for the day. Leave treat toys filled with CANIDAE Snap-Bits™ to give him something to do while you're away. You can find a wide variety of stimulating toys that can give your little chewer plenty of proper things to chew on that won't get him into hot water. If you allow him to roam freely while you're gone, make sure to keep anything you don't want destroyed picked up and put away. Make sure treat toys are durable enough to hold up to his chewing, and safe with no loose parts that can be swallowed. Anything you give your dog to chew on should be an appropriate size he can easily handle. Chew toys should be avoided when you aren't home to supervise, unless you know your dog won't eat them. For the best chew toys, click here to read Suzanne Alicie's article.

Spending some extra time with a puppy or dog gives them more attention, and even five minutes can make a difference. Take ten minutes to work on basic commands or reinforce what he's already learned. Get up a little earlier so you can take him on a walk. It's a good way to wake up and work off some of your dog's energy. We are the ones who have control over how our dogs behave. Puppy and dog chewing can be controlled. If you can teach your dog to sit, you can teach him to leave your things alone. After all, it's your house, not his.

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How to Dog Proof Your Home

By Ruthie Bently

Before you adopt a puppy or an adult dog, it’s a good idea to evaluate what you need to do to dog proof your home, i.e., to make it safe for your new friend. It’s easy to see why you should “puppy proof” your home, but why do it for an adult dog? An older dog needs the same consideration as a puppy because you may not know the situation the dog came from. If they were primarily an outdoor dog or lived in a kennel, there are many things your new dog may not have encountered before, which may seem like wonderful new toys to them.

So where do you start? Make a list of rooms to check, which should include all those you spend time in, as well as closets, storage rooms and the garage. Next, go room to room and evaluate the dangers or temptations your new dog may encounter. If you know the size of your new companion, getting down to their level to evaluate the room is a good way to find potential temptations. You will find more things by looking at the room from your dog’s eye view than you might by looking at it from your regular height.

In the living room, look for any exposed electrical cords the dog could trip over or chew on. Other items of interest include television remotes, cell phones and computer mice. Any item that contains batteries can be harmful if your dog decides to make it their new chew toy. Check desktops and tables the dog may be able to get to, and move all items that could be dangerous out of the dog’s reach. Window blind and curtain cords can be a strangulation danger for a pet. Check that they are at least 30” off the floor; if they aren’t you can purchase cord shorteners. You may want to move your knick knacks to a higher place, as a dog with a longer tail can empty a tabletop with just a few sweeps of their tail and won’t understand why your face is turning color when they are just happy you are home.

Your new dog will probably be spending time in the kitchen, so remove any temptations here too. Make sure your garbage is behind a door, has a tight fitting lid or is above the level your dog can reach. If you use recycling bins you will want to keep them out of the dog’s way; dogs can cut themselves investigating any cans or broken glass they might find. All cleaning supplies should be stored out of the dog’s reach. If you store your dish detergent and cleaning supplies under the sink, you can purchase cabinet latches that are not only kid proof, but dog proof too.

In the bathroom, move all soaps, toilet bowl cleaners and deodorizers to a safe location, since some dogs are attracted by the scents of these items. I actually had my bathroom and living room “toilet papered” by a dog that loved to play with toilet paper. He’d pull it all off the roll and go racing around the house with it flowing behind him. You can thwart this by getting a toilet paper guard, or hanging the dispenser up high. In the laundry room, install a shelf behind the laundry center for your supplies. You could also dedicate a shelf in your pantry to all the chemical cleaners, deodorizers and cleaning tools.

If you have children, get them a toy chest and keep it in their bedroom. The dog may be attracted to their toys and the small pieces can be dangerous for them. This will also keep your dog from chewing up your child’s stuffed animals and Barbie dolls.

The last room to dog proof is the garage. Although your dog may not spend time in the garage, some of the most dangerous things for them are found here. Anti-freeze is a well known pet hazard, but gasoline, paint, oil, brake and transmission fluids can be dangerous too.

Outlet plugs are a good idea for any unused electrical outlets around the house. A dog that isn’t housebroken may lift his leg on a wall plug; this inexpensive item can save you from a power outage or something more serious. The previously mentioned cabinet latches are also good for keeping dogs out of lower cabinets that may contain pots, pans and cleaning chemicals.

My friend used to store her two-liter bottles of soda in a floor height cabinet without a latch, until her dog got into it and grabbed a full soda bottle to play with. The pop bottle survived the bounce out of the cabinet, but didn’t survive the subsequent playtime with toenails and teeth. While this was more of a messy situation than a dangerous situation, it shows why dog proofing your house is a good idea.

Read more articles by Ruthie Bently