Sharing the House with Fido
Dogs can bring you a lot of peace and happiness. They can also break havoc in your home, scratch the wood floors, soil the carpet and dig holes in your favorite couch. When it comes to sharing your home with Fido, a few simple changes can make a world of difference in everybody’s happiness.
• If you have the option, choose pet-friendly materials for your home. This includes washable fabrics, scratch-resistant floors and lots of plastic and wood (rather than glass) accessories.
• Put dangerous objects out of the reach of your dog. Anything that can be ingested by accident (including chemicals, small toys and household items such as needles or coins) should not be kept at a dog’s eye level, especially if you have a puppy.
• When housebreaking a puppy, keep the doors closed to any room you don’t want to risk being stained or soiled, such as bedrooms or home offices.
• Use pepper sprays or special sprays bought at pet stores (usually sold under names like “Keep Off!” or similar) to discourage dogs from jumping on the furniture.
• Keep the toilet seat close at all times. Puppies may jump in and drown and older dogs may get used to drinking out of the toilet (a nasty habit if your dogs lick you all the time).
• Be aware that blind cords and electric cables may be dangerous if dogs get tangled in them.
