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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...

The Five R's - A Negative Thought Stopping Procedure

Rule #2 of the 'Seven Rules of the Mental Road' states: "You can't NOT think about what's on your mind". In fact, the harder you try to 'not think about' something that is negative, the more powerful and entrenched in your mind that negative thought becomes, and the greater the negative influence it has on your performance. The only way to stop negative thoughts is to shift your thinking to thoughts â€" and images â€" that are both positive and productive with regard to your personal performance. Since the human mind can only process one thought at a time (Rule #1), you must actively choose to direct your mind toward (i.e. focus on) a Dominant Thought that is positive, productive, and directly related to how you want to perform. By doing so, you will deny the mind the processor "capacity" required to dwell on the negative.

The FIVE R's are key words that summarize a Negative Thought Stopping procedure that can help you achieve this goal. Each word sets up the thought process for the next step in this sequential procedure. Implementing this thought process on a consistent basis, with intensity, is critical to successfully learning to stop negative or counter-productive thoughts.

RECOGNIZE â€" Recognizing that you are having a negative thought is a critical first step in learning to control negative thoughts. Consciously increasing your awareness and vigilance with regard to negative thinking will aid in the recognition and control of counter-productive and self-destructive thinking. You must be "on guard" to recognize the first signs of negative thinking in order to crush that thought before it has a chance to fully form and strongly take hold of your conscious mind.

REFUSE â€" You must refuse to allow the negative thought to continue and gain strength by some positive and defined action (e.g. visualize a STOP sign in your mind's eye; snap a rubber band across your wrist every time you have a negative thought; etc.). You must do something to disrupt the negative image and/or thought in order to prevent it from growing stronger. By doing this, you begin the process of shifting your mind away from the negative thought.

RELAX â€" Use any of a number of techniques that can help you to relax: take a deep, controlled breath; use a verbal trigger to shift your thoughts and feelings to a relaxing image; etc. When you are relaxed, the effect of mental programming is more powerful and you are ensuring that the next step in this 5-step procedure will have an increased potential to be effective.

REFRAME â€" The 4th step in the Negative Thought Stopping procedure serves to complete a mental shift toward images and thoughts that are consistent with your best performance. Replace the negative thought with a positive image or thought. "I AM in control of my thoughts and actions, I can choose to respond and think the way I want to." "I've been here before and done this before, so I know I can do it again." "This is part of the process that I have chosen." Use imagery to 'see' and 'feel' the performance you want to achieve and how you want to BE as you achieve it. Become you're personal A.C.T.© model.

RESUME â€" Continue your activities with a sense of confidence and control. You will always enjoy strong sense of confidence if you tie this mindset to a personal commitment to always give nothing but your best effort, regardless of the situation or outcome. The degree of effort you apply to the challenges that you face on an ongoing basis is totally, 100% within your control... it is one of the few things that is, in fact, fully within your control. Think about what you are like when you perform with excellence and what you want to achieve, and develop your confidence by always applying your best effort to achieve it. A.C.T.© like a Champion in word, thought, and deed.

The next time you feel negative thoughts grabbing hold, use these Five R's to effectively change your thought patterns and bring about powerful results in your life. Make this simple program your new habit!

Copyright (c) 2006 Dallaire Consulting LLC