Having a dog is quite rewarding but it´s no easy task, you have to feed him, bathe him, walk him and play with him. These four are the most basic things to take care of your four-legged friend, but you also need to think about the pet’s safety.

Safety inside the house

Use safety locks in floor level kitchen cabinets, especially if they have cleaning products inside.

While you have your drill in hand, attach safety gates at the top and bottom of the stairs to prevent dogs from falling accidentally or having access to parts of the house that they should not have.

Hide all electrical wires behind the furniture because they can be very tempting for your dog to chew. If this is not possible, you can buy protective cables at most appliance stores and placing them over the cables.

Buy gnawing toys to keep your dog’s teeth away from the legs of chairs, mobile phones, and electronic gadgets.

When your dog is at home, keep the toilet lid closed – some dogs cannot resist drinking the toilet water!

Remove or avoid toxic products, including poisonous plants, strong chemical cleaners, and environmental insecticides.

Always keep the doors closed of the stove, refrigerator, microwave, washing machine, dishwashers and tumble dryers. Small dogs can hide in the strangest places. Put reminders on the doors to remind family members to check the inside of appliances before using them.

Dogs do not have the same sense of height and depth as humans. So, when you are preparing your home for your dog, make sure that it will not be able to accidentally jump or fall out of a window.

Burning candles, incense burners, or oil burners are a source of danger when we have a curious dog nearby – extinguish all flames and put a safety shield on the fireplace.

Make your garden dog-proof

Your garden has to be a safe place where your dog can run freely without a chance to flee. So, make sure that your fence is tall enough to hold a dog full of energy.

Some dogs cannot resist pulling off plants and flowers and if you are an enthusiastic gardener, you may want to protect your precious flowers with a fence!

Remove ladders or any object your dog wants to climb and see access to pools, hot tubs, and tanks.

If your dog is going to spend part of the day or night outside in the garden, provide him with a windproof and rainproof shelter like an insulated dog kennel. It should be in a fenced area like in dog runs and have a place for it to protect itself from the cold, the rain and the sun, and also to hide when it feels threatened or scared.

Your dog-proof garden should include plants that are adapted for dogs and should avoid other plants to reduce the risk of poisoning and irritation of the skin.

If your dog eats part of a poisonous plant, go immediately to the vet and, if possible, take the plant with you.

It should always discourage your dog from gnawing anything he finds in the garden. Contact your veterinarian if you think he may have eaten something he should not have.

Taking your dog for a walk should be a secure, happy and peaceful moment! 

Walking time is the happiest time for a dog, he smells, knows places, socializes with people and other dogs, de-stresses and has fun.

For everything to go well and prevent that ride from becoming stressful or accidents occurring it is important to be aware of your pet’s behaviour.

Watch for other animals on the street, as well as for people and children: as you walk with your dog, your attention must be directed to him and to everyone that passes by you.

Always carry your dog by the leash even if he is very obedient and usually doesn´t run away. And if the walk is in a highly traffic area, the danger multiplies exponentially.