Are you thinking of bringing home a new Shih Tzu puppy?
It is a good idea to safety-proof the inside and outside of your home before your new Shih Tzu puppy arrives! Puppies like to get into everything. The puppy may damage belongings or even worse, your puppy may accidentally eat something toxic. As a Shih Tzu breeder, I send all my new puppy owners a puppy-proofing checklist before they bring their new Shih Tzu puppy home.
Feel free to read through the list below to help you prepare for the big day!
- Secure all doors and windows that you don’t want the puppy to have access to. (Baby gates, playpens, and crates are useful when you’re not able to supervise.)
- Lock up all cleaning supplies or move them out of reach.
- Unplug electrical cords or keep them out of your puppy’s reach.
- Make sure to keep floors clear of food.
- Install the PupTox app or a similar app to educate yourself on food items that are toxic to dogs such as xylitol and chocolate and grapes.
- Keep floors free of small items that could become a choking hazard.
- Store away all valuables, sharp objects, and small objects that may become a choking hazard.
- Make sure all toxic plants both indoors and outdoors are out of reach or better yet, removed from the premises.
- Secure all unsteady furniture.
- Move shoes out of reach.
- Make sure fireplaces are properly screened.
- Designate a safe place outdoors for your puppy to potty and play.
- Come up with a plan to keep your puppy away from the pool if you have one.
- Avoid letting your puppy have contact with fertilizers or insecticides.
- Safely store all medications out of reach.
- Come up with a fire safety action plan for pets.
- Check the yard for scorpions, snakes, spiders, etc. It is a good idea to always check the yard before letting the puppy go outdoors.
- Secure yard fencing and patch up any low areas that the puppy could squeeze under or through and escape.
- Invest in a puppy first aid kit. Some common items to keep in the kit should include hydrogen peroxide, activated charcoal, Benadryl, Nutrical, Puppylyte, antibacterial ointment, styptic powder, gauze, and a medicine syringe.
- Clean floors and vacuum to pick up any leftover debris.
- Consider not wearing shoes in the home until puppy shots are complete. Parvovirus is very resistant and can be brought into the home on the bottom of your shoes.
- Place books and magazines out of reach.
