1) High Shelves and Locked Cabinets
The kitchen and bathroom area contains more hazardous risks to your dogs than any other room in your home. Therefore, start the process by removing dangerous items that your dog may be able to access. Locked cabinets and high shelves can assist you when it comes to storing said items in a new location. Some of the typical items you may need to move include:
- Make-up
- Plastic bags
- Food waste
- Medication
- Children's toys
- Cleaning chemicals
2) Trash
As you know, dogs have an unparalleled ability to detect scents. So it comes as no surprise that they naturally gravitate towards the trash can. When dogs get into the trash can, not only can they leave a mess, it's potentially dangerous as well. Therefore, ensure that you:
- Use heavy trash cans so that your dog cannot knock them over
- Place trash cans outside the home or secure them with childproof latches
- Ensure that the trashcan's lid fits tightly
3) Food
Certain kinds of food are extremely toxic to dogs. For instance, a piece of chocolate may seem relatively safe, but when dogs consume it, it can cause liver failure. Ensure that all food storage containers and furniture/appliances are kept closed, such as cabinets, pantries, and refrigerators. Additionally, hanging baskets can prove to be ideal when it comes to storing fruits and vegetables. Dog food should also be kept in a secure container such as a dog food vault.
4) Teach Your Children
Regardless of if your child is scared of four-legged animals or if they run towards every dog they see, they should be taught the proper ways on how to interact with dogs. At the end of the day, all dogs, regardless of how gentle they may seem, should be treated with kindness because even a small adorable Pekingese will bite when frightened or startled.
5) Living Room
Living rooms don't usually have as many dangers as the kitchen or bathroom, but there may be several things you need to be aware of. For instance, if you have a rug that features small dark patterns, it may tempt your dog into interacting with it.
Additionally, if you have a fireplace, ensure that you secure it with a screen as well to keep flammable objects away from the dog. Choking hazards in the living room should be removed or relocated to a higher position. This entails small objects such as remotes, candles, pennies, décor, toys, and batteries.
6) Avoid Using Fertilizers and Pesticides
Some dog owners believe that their dogs are safe to play on the recently treated lawns because they use organic pesticides and fertilizers. Naturally, when consumers hear the word organic, they assume that it must be safe.
In a surprising twist, organic fertilizers/pesticides are actually more dangerous to dogs than traditional fertilizers. This is because organic fertilizers consist of leftover animal byproducts from the farming and meatpacking industry. The end result of this is that organized fertilizers usually have a putrid smell to humans. That same smell may tempt a dog into consuming massive amounts of said fertilizer. Topped off with the fact that organic fertilizers also have dangerous chemicals such as carbamates, you'd be better off using traditional fertilizers instead.
Conventional lawn pesticides and fertilizers have natural elements such as potash, phosphorus, and nitrogen. Additionally, conventional fertilizers contain various insecticides for fruit flies, snails, slugs, etc., that can cause gastrointestinal issues when ingested by a dog. In the event that your dog eats grass that had fertilized recently applied to it, it can cause seizures and tremors. Therefore, to avoid the possibility of poisoning your dog, ensure that you keep them off the lawn until the soil has absorbed said chemicals, regardless if you use organic or conventional solutions.