New York City is renowned for being a great place to be a dog owner. There are parks, great dog-friendly restaurants, and fellow dog families to interact with. If you’re going to invite a dog into your NYC life, one of your responsibilities is to ensure your house or apartment is safe for them.
There isn’t always a given or even an obvious way to proceed. Various hazards can lurk in unexpected areas of your home. But, by taking some preventative measures and being vigilant, you can provide your dog with the healthy space they deserve.
Keeping a Thorough Cleaning Schedule
One of the best ways to keep your home dog safe is relatively simple. A thorough cleaning schedule reduces your dog’s potential exposure to infections and illnesses. It can also minimize allergens that might affect their respiratory wellness.
Some things to include in your schedule include:
- Mopping and vacuuming: Your dog is likely to have the most contact with your floors. This isn’t just about what they’re stepping on, but dogs certainly tend to roll around and even lick the floor. Regularly mopping and vacuuming your floors helps to reduce the bacteria, foreign objects, and dirt they come into contact with that have the potential to impact their health. Doing so is particularly important when your family has been walking around the NYC streets before coming indoors. If your dog sheds a lot, this also creates a more pleasant living environment for you all.
- Sanitizing bowls and eating areas: Keeping bowls and eating areas clean is a way to safeguard your dog’s gastrointestinal and overall wellness. You should wash food bowls with soap and water after every meal to prevent bacteria from cultivating. Every week or so, it’s wise to take things a step further and sanitize the food and water bowls with pet-safe disinfectant. Similarly, wiping down their eating area with pet-safe disinfectant each week is key.
Keeping a regular cleaning schedule for your dog’s environment can be challenging. Spreading the labor across your family can be a practical approach. Creating a daily or weekly chore chart can encourage your kids to help with the essential cleaning duties. This can be a relatively simple checklist they need to mark off after completing each task. You can switch up these charts between your kids to share different cleaning duties that are appropriate for their ages or even shift with the seasons. Connecting their completion of the list with rewards or allowances can offer an extra incentive.
Minimizing Exposure to Hazards
Your home is intended to be a safe and secure place for your family, including the canine members. However, every home can be host to a few hazards. Having a dog is a lot like having a young child. While you and your older children may understand the risks, your dog can make poor decisions when around them. Part of your job is to be mindful of and reduce their exposure to potential dangers.
Household chemicals can be toxic for your dogs. This is not just about consumption but also when chemicals make contact with their skin and when they are inhaled. Your first step is to make selections designated as safe to use around dogs. Often, substituting for items made from natural products — such as vinegar and water instead of chemical floor cleaner — is a good option. You should also store dangerous substances beyond your dog’s curious nose and mouth, such as on a shelf in your garage or in a kitchen cupboard with a child lock.
If you have a particularly active or rambunctious dog, you should also be particularly mindful of hazards that cause injuries when running around the house. If you have tall bookshelves and other furniture, it’s a good idea to anchor these to your walls to prevent your dog from knocking or pulling them down. Taking an occasional walk around your home to make certain there are no sharp corners or heavy objects in your dog’s usual path or playing areas is also wise.
Reducing Pests
NYC has some pretty significant pest problems. These are more than simply unpleasant presences in your home. There are many pests that are dangerous to pets, leading to everything from physical injuries to diseases. Fleas and bedbugs can be particularly problematic, as their bites are not only painful but also cause anemia and tapeworm. For the most part, tackling fleas focuses on regularly grooming your dog and using preventative flea shampoo treatments. The aforementioned regular vacuuming schedule should help here, too.
Another serious NYC pest issue is the presence of rats and mice that can harm your dog. If your dog gets bitten or scratched by a rat, there’s a chance of transmitting parasites and diseases. The important thing is to minimize opportunities for rodents to get into your home. Regularly inspect your walls and floorboards — especially in cupboards — for any deteriorating panels and drywall. Seal these up as soon as possible. Look for signs of rats, too, such as droppings. If they have gotten into your home, setting humane traps can allow you to remove the rodents while also protecting your dog.
Conclusion
Making your NYC home safe for your dog is important, but you can make a difference by focusing on a few key areas. These include maintaining high standards of cleanliness alongside reducing chemicals and pests. Remember that your dog’s safety needs will also change as they age. By occasionally assessing their activities and health, you can make relevant adjustments to your home that support their wellness.
Photo credit: https://unsplash.com/photos/a-brown-dog-laying-on-a-blue-rug-WIV_YP-vGGw
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