There’s nothing more exciting than bringing home your brand-new puppy. But before you do, puppy proofing your home should be at the top of your list. It’s also worth checking your personal storage options. That way you’ve somewhere safe to keep items out of paws’ reach while your puppy settles in.
As a first-time dog owner, you’ll need to focus on puppy-proofing your house from top to bottom. The initial welcome is exciting. But there will come a time when you’re challenged in keeping your puppy away from biting, chewing or playing with things they probably shouldn’t!
Puppy proofing is the steps you take to ensure your home is safe for your new pet. This means removing hazards and creating a secure environment where your puppy can explore without risk. It might take some effort. But having a safe space for your puppy from day one will save you a lot of headaches and worries down the road.
So, what are the best tips for puppy proofing your home? Here’s everything to think about, starting with settling them in.
Before you start making your home safe, have you gathered all the essentials for your puppy’s arrival? Stock up on fun toys, cosy blankets, delicious treats, and the right kind of food. Have you also got a comfy basket or crate ready for them? Creating a warm and welcoming environment will help your puppy feel at ease from the moment they step inside.
To help them settle in during the first couple of nights:
These simple steps will ensure a smooth transition and help your new puppy feel safe and loved.
Once you have the basics covered, it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty of puppy-proofing your home. Puppies are naturally curious and have a knack for finding trouble, so it’s crucial to be proactive in keeping them safe. Here are some practical tips to help you get started:
Furniture can be a huge investment, especially if you’ve recently updated your furnishings. Puppies often target table legs and chair legs for chewing, and it’s one of the most common puppy-proofing challenges homeowners face.
To protect chair legs and table legs from puppy chewing, you may want to consider the following:
In the first few weeks or months, consider storing loose furnishings in a personal storage unit until you fully understand your puppy’s behaviour.
Our affordable long term Bridgwater storage units are perfect for storing furniture, documents, or clothing, and you can browse our full self storage prices to find a size that suits. Keep items safe and secure for as long as you need. Once you’re confident in your puppy’s habits, you can reintroduce these objects into your living areas.
Certain human foods, like onions, chocolate, raisins and avocados, are poisonous to dogs and can be life-threatening! To keep your puppy safe:
Dogs, especially puppies, are inquisitive and highly susceptible to wanting to play with things that aren’t their toys. A popular choice for puppies, especially because they’re everywhere around the house, are loose cables and wires. Whether it’s connections to the TV, phone charger cables or lamps on your living room side table – if it’s visible, they’ll give it a good go!
To prevent accidents:
Puppies naturally explore their world by chewing, which can cause trouble, especially when they chew skirting boards. They also chew to relieve teething pain as their adult teeth come in. So, how do you stop a puppy from chewing skirting boards? You may want to consider these tips:
If you have a garden, follow these steps to ensure it’s safe for your puppy:
Puppy proofing doesn’t always mean throwing things away or permanently changing your home. Sometimes, the easiest solution is simply to move items your puppy could damage, chew or knock over somewhere safe until they’re older and better trained.
A Bridgwater self-storage unit can give you extra space while your puppy settles into their new surroundings. You could consider storing:
Temporary storage can be particularly useful during the first few months, when puppies are still exploring, teething and learning what they can and can’t chew. Once your puppy is older and you’ve got a better idea of their habits, you can gradually bring items back into your home.
At Your Store Bridgwater, you can choose from a range of storage unit sizes, making it easy to store just a few belongings or larger household items while you puppy-proof your home. For more ideas on what people commonly store, take a look at our guide on the most common items people store in a self storage unit. Our flexible storage options mean you can keep your belongings safely stored for as long as you need.
New puppy owners tend to ask a lot of the same questions in those first few days, so we’ve pulled together answers to the ones that come up most.
Q. Where should I start when puppy proofing my house?
A. Get down on the floor and move through each room at your puppy’s eye level. This simple step reveals hazards you’d never spot standing up – trailing wires, gaps under furniture, and small objects that are easy to miss.
Q. What’s the most commonly overlooked puppy proofing hazard?
A. Trash cans and small dropped objects. Bins are full of food scraps that can be toxic to dogs, and everyday items like hair ties, buttons and dropped pills are easy to miss but pose a real choking or swallowing risk.
Q. Is it normal to feel overwhelmed puppy proofing a new home?
A. Yes, most new owners underestimate just how much supervision the first few weeks need. It’s completely normal, and things do get easier as your puppy settles into a routine and learns the boundaries of the house.
Q. How do I stop my puppy chewing furniture legs?
A. Start by making the furniture itself less appealing with a leg protector or deterrent spray, but also look at what’s driving the chewing – teething discomfort or boredom. Increasing chew toy variety and playtime alongside furniture protection tends to get faster results than protection alone.
Q. How do I protect furniture from puppy chewing without buying new furniture?
A. If protectors and sprays aren’t enough for a particularly determined chewer, moving the piece out of reach entirely – into another room, behind a puppy gate, or into storage – is often more reliable than trying to train the behaviour away in the short term.
Q. How long does puppy proofing usually need to stay in place?
A. Most puppies grow out of destructive chewing once their adult teeth come through, typically by 6 to 8 months old, though some individual dogs take a little longer to settle.
Bringing a new puppy home can help you get more organised. As you sort through items to keep them safe from your curious pup, you’ll likely find things you no longer need or want – a great chance to declutter and tidy up your home. If you’re not sure how much room you’ll need, our guide What Storage Unit Size Do I Need? walks you through choosing the right unit, and our piece on what can and can’t be stored in a storage unit is worth a quick check before you pack.
At Your Store Bridgwater, we understand the importance of a smooth transition so you and your family can enjoy your new puppy without stress. With our range of long-term and short-term storage units, you can store as much or as little as you need, for as many days or months as you want.
Book your no-obligation free quote today by calling us at 01278 448871 or emailing info@yourstorebridgwater.co.uk, and get started on making your home safe and organised for your new puppy!
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