How to Prep Your Home for a New Puppy

As you search through Mansfield and Ashland homes for sale, you may notice they're the perfect place to start a family— and that includes a furry family, too! If you've been thinking of heading down to a local shelter and giving a puppy its "forever home," you'll need to prepare your property for its arrival. In honor of National Puppy Day on March 23rd, our REALTORS® have put together some quick tips to get it ready.

• Secure the Trash
  As everyone knows, dogs have an amazing sense of smell. Add to that a puppy's curiosity, and it's a recipe for disaster—or the very least, a recipe for a big mess for you to clean up. Not only that, but a puppy may eat something toxic or a discarded item that can get lodged in its throat or cause internal damage. Always be sure that your trash cans are properly sealed and secured.
  
  
• Use Cord Covers
  With so many devices at our disposal, electrical cords are simply a fact of life. These cords can present a safety hazard since puppies have a tendency to chew on things. Using cord covers and similar concealment items will prevent a puppy from getting to them and possibly hurting themselves with an electric shock. Plus, these cord covers come in a variety of colors, so they're also a great way to spruce up your home.
  
  
• Put Away All Meds
  Pets that ingest medications results in many veterinary visits every year, with some of them being quite severe or life-threatening. Even the safest of medicine can be very harmful to animals, especially young pets such as puppies. If you're the type of person who keeps pill bottles or other containers on your nightstand or anywhere that a puppy could get to them, be sure that you move them to a medicine cabinet or other storage area.
  
  
• Pick Up a Crate
  There are many types of items that you'll want to pick up for your new puppy. If you haven't already put a crate on your list, you should definitely consider it. Once a puppy gets accustomed to their crate, they'll see it as a comforting spot where they can be safe. This will also make trips to the vet and other places a lot easier because they'll be used to being enclosed.
  
  
• Set Up Baby Gates
  Pets often don't understand boundaries, but puppies can be especially guilty of going places where they shouldn't. You can solve part of this problem with the use of baby gates that are too tall for them to jump over. Just remember to never set up a baby gate right outside a door where someone may not be able to see it when they walk through and could trip over it.
  
  
• Hide Small Items
  Have you noticed the theme of puppies eating stuff? Well, you can add basically any small items to the list. Whether it's a small knick-knack on a shelf or a remote control's battery, any small object could easily be swallowed. With all the devices in use today, batteries can present a big problem because they can be harmful to a puppy's stomach if ingested.
  
  
• Prepare for Urine
  You should always prepare your home for "potty problems" before your puppy arrives. Carpets and rugs will typically get the brunt of accidents, but it can still be a problem for wood, tile, and other surfaces—not to mention furniture, of course. You may want to pick up some pee pads that will help potty train them, along with stain removers that are specially formulated to remove pet urine. 

Haring Realty can help you find the perfect home for new and existing pets. Contact us for the best real estate opportunities.