Be careful what your puppy eats!

As your puppy becomes reliably potty trained and has greater freedom to roam the house and yard, it becomes increasingly important that you keep your puppies environment puppy proof.  This is especially difficult when you have a family with kids.   At least in our house, we have suffered the loss of shoes and books that were left on the floor and were chewed by the puppy. My vacuum cleaner is currently in the repair shop because someone (who shall go nameless!) left the cord unraveled, and our 9 mth puppy chewed the cord.  Thank goodness, the vacuum was not plugged in! 

This year I discovered the benefits of cow hooves as a favorite chew.  I got them with the puppy in mind, but have found that all the dogs love to chew on them....and they last a very long time!  Since hooves are preferred over toys....and SHOES, I figure they will save us some money in the long run.   So far, the puppy is choosing to chew the hooves over shoes and other things.  I recommend that if anyone has a puppy and wants to save there expensive couch....always have a few hooves next to the legs until your puppy is beyond his first year.   We've never had furniture damaged before....but I hate to think that it could happen to someone else.

  One thing I should note, is that the second time I bought cow hooves I made the mistake of buying the smoked Cow Hooves.  I won't do that again.   They have a very strong smoky smell. My eldest son says that Coco now smells like beef jerky and he wants to eat her!  Ha ha!   Well, I don't like to smell beef jerky all day, so I will skip that brand next time.  The regular variety of cow hooves do not give any perceivable smell to humans....though can smell it just fine.  My husband says he's going to step on one and break his neck...so I try to keep them underneath tables and out of pathways.   But the reality is that when you have a puppy in the house, you have to adjust to a few things.   And the puppy chewing phase is definitely a time to take evasive measures to protect your things...and your puppy.  

If after all this, you still have a valued item chewed to pieces, then it is a lesson to keep your stuff out of reach.   And if the damage gets a little expensive, then I comfort myself that at least the puppy was not harmed.    

Finally I would like to draw your attention to some poisonous hazards for all dogs that you should be aware of:

House Plants that are a danger;

• Caladium
• Chrysanthemum
• Dumbcane
• Elephant's Ear
• Emerald Fern
• Hyacinth
• Philodendron
• Weeping Fig
• Yew
•  Aloe Vera

 Garden Plants that are a danger:

• Azaleas
• Daffodils
• Foxglove
• Ivy
• Morning Glory
• Nightshade
• Oak
• Green Potato
• Rhododendrum
• Wisteria

Garbage-  Always keep garbage out of your pet’s reach. Dogs especially like to knock garbage cans over when owners go out. The rotting food contains mold and bacteria that could end up giving your four-legged friend food poisoning. In addition, many human foods can be extremely harmful to dogs and cats. Following are just some of the things that should never be on your pet’s menu:

• Chocolate
• Avocado
• Onion
• Grapes/raisins
• Alcohol
• Xylitol - found in sugar free gums and foods