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Home » Pets And Animals Articles » Fidos Fortress Puppy Proofing Your Home

Fido's Fortress: Puppy Proofing Your Home

It's safe to say, my dog has me well trained. My "best friend" since she was six weeks old, my precious pup is now a fourteen year old peke-a-poo, missing teeth, missing vision, and missing manners. She growls at me whenever she wants MY dinner, she awakes me at three a.m. so I can give her a drink from my glass and free her from having to walk the ten steps to her water bowl, and she bites me whenever I accidentally touch her as she sleeps in our bed (90 percent of the bed, she has decided, belongs to her ten pound frame). Yes, it's fair to say, when it comes to my dog, I am nothing if not obedient.

I'd like to say it hasn't always been like this; I'd like to claim that I once had the upper hand and behaved like, well, the superior species. But, the truth is, I never did. Even before I brought her home, I found myself running around and getting things ready for her arrival. I bought her everything she needed, stopping just short of getting her a diamond studded collar from Tiffany's, and I puppy proofed my house; I puppy proofed my house like a maniac: there was no way my dog was going to get hurt in my, oh I'm sorry, her, home.

This brings me to the topic of puppy proofing. As essential as it is, it's not that hard to overlook; new dog owners might find themselves forgetting to make a safe environment as they become so wrapped up simply in loving their puppy. Still, puppy proofing your house helps you assure that you will have a puppy to love. So, before you bring home your new bundle of joy, try to engage in the following:

Secure your cords: Like moths to flames, puppies have been known to flock towards electrical cords, placing them in their mouths, and chewing away. Not only does this ruin your cord, but it can give your puppy quite a shock. To avoid this, keep cords out of the area where your puppy will be. If it's impossible to keep cords out completely – if your puppy is in the TV room, it might be hard to not have a cord for your plasma television – place them out of your puppy's reach: hang them from something high, tape them to the wall, or purchase a wire cover.

Guard your Balcony: All puppies have some Christopher Columbus in them: they like to explore. While this is often harmless, when a puppy starts to explore high areas, such as a deck or upstairs balcony, they run the risk of falling. Since you probably won't be able to keep an eye on your puppy twenty four hours a day, buying a balcony guard is your best bet. A balcony guard allows your puppy to explore higher areas all while assuring that he or she won't suddenly be thrown off course.

Latch Your Cabinets: If there's one thing puppies know how to do, it's get into things they shouldn't. Cabinets, particularly ones that house kitchen or bathroom trash, are prime goals for puppy pursuing. If successful in their venture, puppies can find things in cabinets that could harm them: household cleaners, chicken bones, mouse traps, bleach. Simply putting latches on your cabinets can assure your puppy won't be able to open the door on this danger.

Hang Your Plants: I remember my dog, as a puppy, had an affinity for getting into plants. Sometimes she would dig them up, sometimes she would pee on them, and sometimes – mistaking them for a salad bar – she would eat them. This, turns out, wasn't a good idea: some plants are edible, but others can be poisonous. Your veterinarian can provide you with a list of plants that are harmful to pets, including Aloe Vera, tomato plants, rhododendron, English Ivy, and mistletoe. Instead of leaving these, or any plants, on ground level, hang them from the ceiling. Chances are your puppy won't figure out how to use a ladder.

Puppy proofing your home can take time and money. But, it's worth it all in the end. It helps us keep our best friend safe, which speaks to those of us who know that there is no such thing as "just a dog."

And here is another random article you might be interested in...

Equipping Your Home Office - Part 1

Having an adequately equipped home office is essential to being productive. It is not necessary that everything be brand new, nor is it necessary that you spend a lot of money. What is important is that you select your items carefully and that they are functional and safe for use in a home office environment.

Check your telephone directory for used office furniture stores. Many time you can find very nice furniture available at a fraction of the cost. Don't forget to also check the resale store and thrift shops in your area, as well as the local classified ads.

1. The Desk

Bigger is better when it comes to desks. Try to choose one that has lots of room for your computer monitor, keyboard, telephone, and space to spread out paperwork and anything else that you may be working on at the moment. Pick a desk that has adequate drawer space and a file drawer for short-term filing of active projects.

If you choose a desk that has a built-in keyboard support shelf, make sure that the shelf it wide enough to hold your keyboard and still have plenty of room to let you perform natural mouse moment. Some of the new keyboard designs, such as the Microsoft "Natural", are wider than standard keyboards.

2. The Chair

Proper back and neck support is essential when you spend all day sitting down. Buy the best chair that you can afford. Your chair must have solid upper and lower (or lumbar) back support. A flimsy backrest puts stress on your spine while you're seated and causes back pain. Look for a chair where the lower portion of a backrest is slightly curved to follow the natural contour of your spine.

You chair's seat seat should feel comfortable when you initially sit down, and should remain that way after you've been seated for a significant period of time. If the seat becomes uncomfortable then the foam padding may not be a high enough density, or the contouring may not be right for your body.

Make sure you have plenty of room around your hips and thighs. You should have at least one inch of space on either side of your body. It is also important that your chair's seat properly supports your thighs without the edge of the seat coming in contact with the back of your legs while you are sitting.

3. File Cabinets

To keep your home office organized, and avoid clutter, you are going to need filing cabinets. There essentially two different files cabinets that are perfect for a home office. Here is a quick summary:

a) Vertical file cabinets

This is the most common file cabinet. Vertical cabinets are taller than they are wide so that they use a minimum amount of wall space. They have anywhere from two to five drawers and are the right size to hold hold letter and legal-size documents. They come in a variety of colors and gauges of steel. If you can afford to buy one that is fireproof, so much the better.

b) Lateral file cabinets

Lateral cabinets are wider than vertical cabinets, but not as deep, and are designed for high-volume storage capacity. They have anywhere from two to five drawers and can hold letter or legal-size documents. Files are either placed in the cabinet from left to right, facing the side of the drawer, or are arranged from front to back in multiple rows.

Many two-drawer lateral models are designed to fit underneath work surfaces and tables for additional storage and are often paired with a desk to increase horizontal space. Again, if you find one that is fireproof, and you can afford it, snap it up.

4. Bookshelves

Bookshelves should be made of wood or metal. Avoid the fiberboard ones since they are flimsy and do not stand up to repeated usage. Like file cabinets, bookshelves come in vertical and lateral. Avoid vertical ones that stand too tall. There is a chance of them becoming top-heavy and falling over. Pay particular attention to this warning if you live in an earthquake area or if you have small children which may delight in climbing to the top of your bookcase.

5. Work Tables

Worktables are great for spreading out large projects that your desk is not big enough to accommodate. If you have enough home office space for a permanent work table, that's great. Otherwise consider buying a folding table that you can take out when you need it and store away when you do not.

6. Storage

Closets, garages, attics and crawl spaces make great places to store completed projects and home office paperwork if the space is not damp or subject to high humidity. If storage is a real problem then you might need to consider renting an off-premise storage locker.

Think of your office furniture as the foundation of your productivity center. It is likely that you will have to live with your decisions for some time. Choose wisely. Your personal comfort, and ability to remain organized, depend upon it. If you outgrow your furniture later, or simply make enough money that you want to "kick it up a notch", your investment will pay off because you will likely be able to get a great deal of your money back when you sell your old office furniture to make room for the new.

© Vishal P. Rao