Hello everyone

As some of you may know I'm getting a puppy in June (and trying to kill some time between now and then ... it's dragging). Now, obviously the pup won't be spending any time unsupervised, but to be on the safe side hubby and I need to check that the house is as puppy proof as possible. We're checking for stuff such as very small objects and tv cables etc ... but just wondered whether anyone had any suggestions about the not so obvious things that pups can munch on?

Many thanks

Jo

What about checking the garden for poisonous plants. Don't know where to get a list but someone else will. Also ponds in the garden.
If you will be using baby gates then think about the fact that most pups can get through them in the first few weeks.

We found the easiest thing was not to let the pup out of the kitchen until she was past the chewing at everything in sight stage :) Kitchens are by far the easiest place to keep a pup as there are usually very few things at ground level and the floor is usually fairly easy to clean. As pup got older she was allowed in other rooms and as long as someone was with her all the time, she had learnt 'No' so it was easier to prevent her damaging anything. Our pup slept in a crate in the kitchen and was put in there whenever she wasn't supervised. Even if left for 5 minutes she would chew doors, skirting boards etc :) If your pup is carefully 'managed' it is a lot easier to prevent damage - but do be prepared to 'sacrifice' one room :)

Daisy

Edited - I meant not let into the rest of the house - of course she went into the garden - see below !

Daisy, do you have a big kitchen?

Well fairly - it's not one of those massive farmhouse ones tho :( Big enough to eat in anyway . Can't see any need to take a very small pup into the rest of the house until they have learnt some manners :) She made a bit of a mess of the kitchen - wasn't going to let her do it to the rest of the house :)

Daisy

Hi Jo :)

I have found a couple of websites for you as Nicolla suggested. Poisonous Plants and More Poisonous Plants.

Also when we got our Boxer pup, the kids toys were a nightmare. She ate power rangers and all sorts, we were lucky nothing serious happened.
Plus make sure your bin in well secure :D

Ali :)

PS I have been off line for a while, so I dont know if you've posted about this but what sort of pup are you getting? Congratulations by the way :)

Just to add, the things in the garden that our pup went for - bags of compost etc (they make such a mess when you chew the plastic !) - any plastic plant pots - anywhere that pup can dig - compost heap - bamboo canes - tubs of nice new potatoes that pup 'helped' to dig :) - etc etc

Good luck

Daisy - who is hoping to get her garden back to looking less like a bomb site this year :)

No Chance Daisy ;) :D :D

Thanks :D

Daisy

Ditto on hoping to resurrect my garden this year :D

Hi Ali C - just noticed on your file-thingy that you're a horsey person. Me too! At least I was, 'til I gave it all up for a 9-5 job in the world of suits.

Sorry, just always nice to meet a horsey person!

Jo

Hi again everyone

Thanks for the info. Will check out websites etc (plus stack plant pots well out of reach!). Made me chuckle listening to your stories.

It's a dobe pup we're getting, from a fantastic breeder. He's been really helpful, happy for us to come and watch his dogs training, quizzed us thoroughly etc etc. I've met the sire and the dam, and they were both so completely focused on him they were a joy to watch. He runs training classes too which is great so we can continue under his watchful eye even when the little'uns have departed the nest.

The wait is killing me though!

Jo

Hi Jo :)

Betacha can't wait. Fantastic you have worked hard to get the right pup, nice to know you have found, what sounds like, a good breeder.

Yep, bona fide horsey person. I put on too much wight during my last pregnancy so i havnt ridden for a couple of years, just kept up with the teaching, but have lost 3 stone of the 5 i needed to lose. My friend has a 16.3hh I/D /TB who I will be competing next season for her, so this 2 stone is coming off in a jiffy :D :D

Ali

Hi Ali

Good for you! Lucky you being able to compete next season. Now there's motivation for getting fit. Beats going to the gym any day ...

I gave up working with horses about eight years ago. Managed a stud yard in Belgium after that for a couple of seasons but had decided by then I wasn't going back into it. Have ridden since then, but just for pleasure - which oddly took a while to get my head round, because for most of my life horses and competing had been my profession, not fun! The most annoying thing I found about riding after having a break is your brain instructing your seat and legs to work in a certain way, but your muscles resolutely refusing to obey! Very frustrating. Will you be eventing or dressage?

Jo

Hi Jo, I would suggest keeping any tissue of any kind out of site or reach. My pup LOVES to rip it to shreds. She also loves socks, dryer sheets, towels, you name it, if she is at foot and can grab it faster than you, off she goes with it!! Good luck!! Shirl :D

targets for all dogs are shoes, toilet paper and kitchen roll. take care to protect all electrical wiring, and some pups have been known to lick electric sockets. Make sure that the rubbish bin is well secured, and if you have a cat that the litter tray is out of the way. keep all toxic stuff in locked cupboards, e.g bottles of bleach. dont leave the toilet seat open if you use any chemicals in the loo, as dogs drink toilet water if they can.....the list is endless

Getting a pair of eyes in the back of your head helps ! :D

Lucy

I think that's the most important thing of all, Lucy! Vigilance!! :D

We are going to have to go Mike sock shopping soon as MB aka Tubby has now chewed holes in the majority of his socks ! She is so funny as she trys to sneak past very quietly ( not very well as she is so heavy footed you can hear the shuffling !) with a couple of socks in her mouth ! I have given trying to stop her, suppose we should be more tidy and put the dirty clothes in the laundry basket. Too much like hard work ! :D With Moose it was dirty knickers !!

Lucy

For Electrical cables and telephone cables which you can't get out the way I used some "Spiral Wrap" . It is made out of polythene an is like the spiral cable on your telephone. You can use it on single or multiple cables firstly to group them together and wrap them up and if possible clip them out the way.
If you cant get the cable out of harms way it protects it from the unwelcome attention of a young thug!... The pup can still chew the cable but it gives you more time to catch them before damage is inflicted on the cable....
It worked well on telephone cables and low voltage cables from transformers, if you cannot get the mains cables out the way two layers of wrap can be applied... but you still must be vigilant and stop the chewing ASAP!
The following web site sells it by 10m lengths which is a little excessive (we use it for computer cables) but if you know what it looks like you should be able to find some locally

http://www.netshop.co.uk/sw1.htm

Al

Hi Jo19. I have just picked up my little Dobie. Will be two weeks next saturday that we have had the little darlin in our home. I can relate to the excitment you must be feeling I found out about the litter before they were born so I had to wait for ages before I could go to see them.

I puppy proofed the house to the best of my ability, new bookcase bought, plants removed to other rooms if poisonous or delicate even, cables hidden, the list goes on as everybody previously has stated. Oh and he stays in the kitchen when we have to leave him for a while, nothing is left on the floor, bins removed, make sure that you dont leave any onions or potatoes on open shelves or he will be into them (bearating myself "silly me" three days ago he couldnt reach them). Wondered what the lovely onion aroma was when I got home (thought hubby was cooking tea, doh!) SYdney had been rolling around an onion on the floor luckly he didnt eat any just got his nails in it ( believe that onions can make puppies sick). Watch out cause he will amaze you what he couldnt reach 2-3 days ago he is now able to get at. (that reminds me of the tissue episode, one by one he was delicately pulling them out of the box that previously was out of his reach.)

However what they havent mentioned is how do you puppy proof your fingers. Sydney is learning to sit, down, sit from down, stand from down and all other variables (cant you tell Im a proud mum, what a smarty my Sydney is). Also heel off the lead (with a few distraction oooh look is that my toy on the couch, is that some food on the coffee table), but he hasnt got the hang yet that fingers are not food or chewy toys. I am constantly saying NO, and often having to resort to a firm NO by the scruff of his neck, this tends to stop him for a few ticks (think thats the length of his attention span) then his back at me mouth open just like jaws.(I often hear the music da dum da dum as his little white fangs are gleeming in the sunshine).

He is only playing and only a little pup I know he will grow out of this, (as I type my fingers are throbbing from the multiple small pin holes they have recived from the little monster, (only kidding bout the thobbing bit) but until then Im afraid that fingers, legs ankles and toes are all at the mercy of your little jaws to be.

Dont let me put you off (Im sure I wont) he is worth every bit of tiny annoyance that we have had in the last two weeks. Good luck when he arrives, stay in touch as Ill be only a few weeks/months ahead of you in the Doberman training stakes.

Thanks again for all the ideas everyone. Tissues and spirawrap v helpful.

Jackandsydney - will definitely keep in touch re bringing up young dobe. Hope to bring home him or her around the second week of June, depending when the litter is born.

Seems like such an eternity though.

Never mind, plenty of time to consider what to do with the husband. He's been resisting training for some time now and my patience is starting to wear thin. Maybe it's time to put him in the crate with his kong.

If only. <sigh>

Jo

Just bumping this up for anybody who is getting a puppy soon !

I found it doing a search on the subject as I need to do done puppy roofing the house this weekend ! Yes 2003 since I last did it !

Just wondering has anybody bought electric cable covers and were they any good ?

dogs trust do  list of poisonous plants or at least did. it was on their website and for bitey pups ( arnt they all ! )  ian dunbars the bite stops here is a great read