If you’ve been a pet owner for a long time, you know how dogs can be. They enjoy getting into things they’re not supposed to, which most of the time causes damages to your furniture and other belongings. While this can’t be dealt with easily, it can be quite difficult if you’ve just moved into your new address.
You already have a long list of things you need to get done right after your move, so dog-proofing your new home may seem like an additional task. But, handling this issue as soon as you possibly can save you from further headache, especially since dogs become more curious than usual when exploring their new environment.
You can make the task of dog-proofing your new place a lot easier by focusing on the rooms that may cause the most significant problems, such as your bathrooms and kitchens. Until you have time to deal with potential issues, make sure to keep your dog out of these areas.
Here is a simple guide from top international movers here in Melbourne on how you can dog-proof your new home:
The Kitchen
While this area may be a bit more challenging to dog-proof while you are also in the middle of unpacking, your kitchen should be on top of your list. What makes it tricky is the fact that while you’re organising things, you don’t know yet where all the potentially hazardous items are going to be kept.
As you’re slowly going through your stuff, be aware that you’ll eventually have to move things later as you get settled in. The important thing is to get as many things as out of paws’ reach, so unbox and put everything that can be dangerous to your pet, including food and cleaning supplies, away.
Don’t let a loose trash bag out in the open as you dispose of all the unnecessary packaging. Keep everything closed, such as the cabinets and pantry doors, when you leave the area. Consider getting childproof latches.
Also, make sure the chairs are far from the countertops, so your dog won’t have a way to climb up.
The Bathrooms
As bathrooms also work as storage grounds for items that should be out of your dog’s reach, you need to deal with these areas right after your kitchen. All bathroom cleaning supplies, medications, and other hazardous substances should be kept hidden away in cabinets and shelves.
Also, make sure that the toilet lid is always closed so your dog won’t be tempted to drink from there. After all, you have no idea what kind of cleaning solutions the previous homeowner used before. Also, any items that have cords should be stowed away.
The Bedrooms
These areas may not require immediate attention as your bathrooms and kitchen, but make sure that the cords and other small items are kept hidden from your dog. If your pet as a habit of chewing on shoes and other pieces of clothing, keep them packed in sealed boxes until you’re finally ready to deal with the task.
Look for a spot that you can close off to store these items.
Finally, if the windows are big enough for your dog, don’t leave them open. Also, don’t leave any huge boxes your dog can easily climb in right in front of your windows.
