Protect your dog from 3 hidden household dangers

Bringing a dog into your house means more than just living with a pet. It’s embracing your furry companion as a member of your family. They’ll bring joy and love into your life, and together you can form an unbreakable bond. There should be no question they deserve to share a safe environment with you.

Unfortunately, they don’t quite have the same capacity to alter your home space as you do. As a result, you have the responsibility to make sure your dog is protected from any potential household dangers.

Physical accidents

It’s no secret that dogs can be rambunctious on occasion. They could get a case of the “zoomies” and become excited about the prospect of a walk, or some might be a little clumsy. In either case, you may find elements of your furniture and other household objects that may cause collisions. Unfortunately, this can cause injuries to your dog.  

You need to take some time to assess the layout of your furniture and fittings. Go through each room and consider how each may represent hazards when your dog travels around your home. This might include reconsidering placing heavy and breakable objects — like vases or glassware — atop side tables that might experience impact.

Look at your electrical cables around computers, televisions, and sound systems to make certain your dog isn’t likely to snag these and pull them down. Secure tall, heavy furniture like bookcases and display cabinets to the wall. This can prevent them from toppling over and injuring your dog. 

However, even when you take strict precautions, accidents can still occur. As such, adequate pet insurance is one of your most important defenses against physical accidents. Many plans offer coverage for a range of issues your dog could experience, including fractures and lacerations following accidents.

You can take your dog for examination, treatment, and follow-up care without having to shoulder the entire financial burden. While this does represent some initial investment, it could help later down the road so you won’t have to make the tough decisions about the extent and quality of treatment your dog receives.   

Harmful contamination

In all likelihood, you consider your home to be a relatively safe place. It’s a space you feel comfortable coming home to each day and leaving the stresses of the outside world behind you. As such, you might have no qualms about how safe your dog is there. But elements of the building may feature forms of harmful contamination.

The era when your property was built is worth considering. Today, there are regulations regarding harmful building materials. Homes built before 1970 may have used asbestos in the boards or shingles. This mineral, in its fiber form in construction, can have a carcinogenic effect when inhaled. Your family and your dog may be at particular risk if they breathe in asbestos dust during construction. As your dog spends most of its time in your home, it’s essential to test for asbestos and make changes accordingly.

One of the other aspects of your home to be aware of is your water supply. Making sure they stay hydrated is a key to your dog’s continued health and happiness, but your plumbing and even your geographical location can present problems here. While lead-based piping has been banned, some systems still have components containing this toxic metal. Over time, this can contaminate the water with cumulative harmful effects.

There’s also the presence of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — also known as “forever chemicals” — in many home water supplies. Both animals and humans can experience similar adverse health effects from exposure to these substances. It’s worth getting your water supply tested for potential contaminants and making sure you use water filtration before giving it to your dog.

Dangerous chewables

Few dog owners haven’t shouted the phrase “what have you got in your mouth?” regularly. The risk of this and wrestling said objects from the jaws of an enthusiastic canine are part and parcel of being a dog owner. However, it’s wise to be aware of what objects around your home can be dangerous if your dog tries to consume them and take steps to minimize the risks. 

This can start with taking a considerate approach to storing items your dog may try to chew. For example, you may know that your apple-scented floor cleaner is not for drinking, but dogs don’t always have that discerning palette. Make sure you keep caps securely fastened, and the bottles are stored in cupboards out of reach of your pets. This reduces the potential for them to knock over chemicals and slurp them up.

This approach should also extend to certain foodstuffs. Most dog owners know chocolate is a toxic substance and should not be left in reach of curious mouths. But in some dogs, even glutinous foods containing wheat flour can cause gastrointestinal discomfort. Be sure to store these securely. 

Some dogs also tend to chew on household objects as well. Be considerate in your purchasing choices. Ensure anything of a size that your dog may be interested in gnawing on isn’t made with any toxic chemicals or fragile plastics. Reduce the risk of household dangers by enacting a strict cleaning approach to make sure anything that could be a choking hazard — pens and small kids’ toys among them — are not left on the floor or easy-to-reach surfaces.

Avoid household dangers

Your dog is a member of your family and deserves to enjoy a safe and healthy home as much as you do. Take steps to minimize the potential for accidents and review your house for contaminative substances. You can also keep your pet away from household dangers by staying mindful about what your dog may chew on.

You can’t always shelter your dog from danger, but it’s essential to do what you can to protect your dog from household dangers and provide your dog with a happy and healthy life.

Dan Matthews is a writer with a degree in English from Boise State University. He has extensive experience with nose boops and chin scritches. You can find him on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Is it better to have two dogs?