March is Pet Poison Prevention Month! Learn How to Protect Your Puppy!

We love our pups and want to keep them happy and healthy. While we want to think our homes are perfectly safe, you may not know that certain household items could be potentially poisonous to your puppy! March is Poison Prevention Awareness month and we want to help you prepare and keep your four-legged best friend safe.

Our puppies love to play and get into all sorts of things they probably shouldn’t be! We stress to all of our students’ parents that the best ways to keep their puppy out of trouble or harm is to monitor them during playtime, create appropriate boundaries in different areas of the home with gates, and when supervision isn’t possible, place their puppy in their crate. However, even with all these factors in place, there could be a chance that your puppy could encounter substances or items in your home that could be harmful to them! Prevention is key but you need to learn what to look out for and what steps you need to take to insure your home is safe for your puppy. And of course, how to prepare in the event your puppy does ingest something harmful. Here are some guidelines to follow and always make sure to check in with professionals like your vet and animal poison control experts when dealing with medical situations.

When you prepare your home for your puppy’s arrival or even if your puppy is already home with you, take time to check certain areas of your home for the things we’ll cover later on in the blog. And in the event you suspect a potential poisoning, we’ll walk through the action steps to take immediately! 

Please note: the items we’ve put together in this blog are not a complete list for each category, but a smaller group of some of the most common potentially harmful items for a puppy. We encourage you to do your due diligence in order to ensure your pup's utmost safety and wellbeing.

DON’T FORGET TO JOIN US EVERY WEDNESDAY AT 1 PM PT FOR “ASK A PUPPY TRAINER!” LIVE ON @THEPUPPYACADEMY INSTAGRAM!

What to look out for!

When you are bringing home your puppy, you’ll want to go through and identify potentially harmful items when puppy-proofing.  Even if you already have your puppy at home, you can puppy-proof at any time following the guide below! Here are some of the common household items found throughout your home you may or may not know about! 

Please note: the items we’ve put together in this blog are not a complete list for each category, but a smaller group of some of the most common potentially harmful items for a puppy. We encourage you to do your due diligence in order to ensure your pup's utmost safety and wellbeing.

Kitchen

Probably one of the places in your home your puppy may spend a lot of their time! As a starting off point, look through your kitchen to ensure these items are either out of your puppy’s reach or locked in a cabinet: 

Chocolate

Avocado

Onions

Garlic

Candy, Gum (Anything that contains Xylitol)

Grapes

Raisins

Alcohol

Yeast

Caffeine

Macadamia Nuts

Mushrooms

Cleaning supplies (dish detergent, multi-surface cleaners)

Some pups are super curious by all the food smells and could easily figure out a way to get into the garbage. A general rule is to always make sure that your garbage is secure, closed tightly, or out of your puppy’s reach!

Bathroom

Next, check through your bathroom for these items to make sure they are out of reach for your puppy or locked up. The best way to ensure that your puppy doesn’t gain access to items like the ones listed below is by keeping the bathroom doors closed. However, having these items stored safely in the event your puppy does wander into the bathroom will guarantee their safety!

Bleach

Laundry Detergent

Hand sanitizer

Medications

Over-the-counter drugs (Tylenol, Advil, Sudafed, Aspirin, etc.)

Medical Marijuana 

Yard or Outdoor Area

Items that we use to treat our lawns and gardens, even some for cutting flowers, can be harmful to your puppy! Supervision outdoors, especially if your puppy still hasn’t learned Recall commands, is highly recommended every time your puppy is playing outside. Keep your puppy away from:

Fertilizer

Lily

Tulips

Daffodils

Foxglove

Azalea

Palm

Rat Poison

De-ice salts

Slug bait

Household Plants

We may think they are pretty and harmless, but if ingested, some of these everyday household plants can cause serious illness for your puppy:

Aloe vera

Ivy

Jade

Dumb cane

Philodendron

Pathos

Sago palm

ZZ plant

Elephant ear

Corn plant

Asparagus plant

Desert rose

Bird of paradise

Peace Lily

Chinese evergreen

We recommend that you remove these plants from your home, raise them up higher, or put up gates around them to create a barrier so your puppy cannot get to them.

What to do if you think your puppy is poisoned

We hate to think of the worst, but our puppies can’t tell us if they feel sick so it’s a good idea to know the right information before an emergency takes place! In the event that your puppy does come into contact with or ingests a poison, your best chance at making sure they get the help they need is being able to tell if your puppy is suddenly ill! 

Know the signs - Look for sudden changes in your pup’s behavior and bodily functions. Sudden vomiting, diarrhea, and coughing blood are immediate signs that your puppy may have touched or ingested poison and will need attention from a veterinarian. Other signs to look out for that may not be immediately evident include:

Hypersalivation

Gum discoloration or paleness

Collapse

Accelerated heart rate

Excessive water drinking and urination

Lethargy

Identify the toxin - In order to facilitate immediate treatment of your pup, figure out what your puppy came into contact with or ingested. Then, try to determine how much they ate or touched. If possible, bring the item (if it’s in a package) with you to show the vet. 

Seek Help Immediately - Bring your puppy to their vet or an emergency vet clinic. Give them a call before you drive in or on the way if you are able to! This way, you can tell them what your puppy is experiencing and help them to prepare for your pup and provide immediate treatment upon arrival. And most importantly, if you know your puppy came into contact or ingested something, don’t wait for the symptoms to start, rather take them to get treatment immediately. 

Depending on the type of poisoning, some veterinarians may ask you to induce vomiting at home with Hydrogen Peroxide. Don’t try this without speaking with your vet or a professional care provider first. If your pup touched a toxin, the vet may ask you to bathe them with a grease-cutting soap (such as Dawn dish soap) before coming in to avoid the spread of the poison.

If you need to visit an emergency vet clinic after hours, make sure to bring your puppy’s medical and vaccination records with you if available, and provide them with any medication allergies or past medical history your pup may have.

Pro Tip: With poisoning, time is of the essence! Keep these numbers readily handy in case of emergency as some vet offices may ask you to call and speak with them directly rather than making the trip into the office!

ASPCA Poison Control (888)426-4435

Pet Poison Helpline (800)213-6680

March is National Poison Prevention Awareness month! We wanted to remind all you puppy owners out there that you should definitely do research on pet food brands, medications, plants, cleaning supplies, etc. you have in your home and that your pup may be exposed to. This way you’ll understand what is safe and what should be stored safely. Share these helpful guidelines with other puppy owners you know to help keep not just yours but all four-legged best friends out there safe!

Learn how to puppy-proof your home and more in our Online School!

DON’T FORGET TO JOIN US EVERY WEDNESDAY AT 1 PM PT FOR “ASK A PUPPY TRAINER!” LIVE ON @THEPUPPYACADEMY INSTAGRAM!

Check out these related blogs on puppy training and more!

Complete Puppy Training Schedule by Age!

How to Care for Your Puppy’s Teeth!

A Guide to Puppy Breeds: Bernedoodles!

How to Care for Your Puppy’s Teeth!

Puppy breath, who doesn’t love it? Maintaining your puppy’s oral healthcare will protect your puppy from tooth decay and other oral diseases. As part of National Pet Dental Health Month, we want to help you start caring for your pup’s teeth today so they can keep their pearly whites and health intact tomorrow!

As puppies grow and develop their adult teeth, they will begin to need regular cleaning to maintain healthy oral hygiene! Part of our curriculum at The Puppy Academy and in our Online Puppy School includes introducing your puppy to grooming and handling which includes teeth cleaning. 

February is National Pet Dental Health month and in this blog, we’ll cover the fundamentals we teach puppy parents including the best way to introduce teeth cleaning into your puppy’s regular routine, how to make it a positive experience, and what to use to maintain their oral health! 

WE’VE TRAINED THOUSANDS OF PUPPIES…NOW WE CAN TRAIN YOURS, RIGHT FROM HOME! LEARN MORE!

Why is Dental Care Important for Puppies?

Not many puppy parents are aware of the importance of cleaning their puppy’s teeth until issues come up or teeth need to be extracted. In fact, bad oral hygiene left unchecked over time can actually lead to other diseases down the line in your puppy’s life such as Periodontitis (gum disease) liver disease, kidney,  and heart disease. The most common issues that occur are diet-related, digestion issues, and jaw pain. And some of these diseases can be life-threatening if left untreated.

However, the most challenging part of not teaching your puppy to be comfortable with regular teeth cleaning is, as they age, it becomes much harder to perform at-home teeth cleaning when they are not accustomed to it. Routine dental care at a veterinarian is often recommended for professional cleanings, but that also often requires placing your pup under anesthesia and can be expensive depending on what your pup needs to be done. 

Starting teeth brushing from a young age can help prevent many of these issues, make professional cleanings less frequent and much easier, and offers a simple solution that also benefits your bond with your puppy through these intimate handling exercises

Get Your Puppy On a Regular Teeth Cleaning Routine!

Because tartar can build and calcify in a matter of forty-eight hours, we recommend that you start your puppy on a teeth cleaning schedule of once a day or every other day. 

Start getting your puppy accustomed to getting their mouth handled by touching their muzzle and lifting their jowls. Cup their muzzle and gently lift their jowls to expose their teeth. Do this for a few seconds at a time in the beginning and then release. Remember to make this a pleasant experience for them and have food rewards ready to give them after each attempt! 

TIPS: Practice at a time when they are more relaxed and have less energy, like before bedtime, and don't force your puppy if they aren't wanting to be touched or are very uncomfortable.

Next, introduce your puppy to the brush by letting them sniff, chew on it, and just having it present when you are handling your puppy’s mouth. When your puppy interacts with the toothbrush, give them a reward to help establish a positive association with the toothbrush. You can also use specially formulated puppy toothpaste to entice them to lick the brush and get them comfortable with it being in their mouth.

Do this for a few days then start to work on the brushstroke motion a little bit at a time and reward your puppy. The best way to handle your puppy when you begin to actually brush their teeth is to have them sitting on your lap and hold the muzzle in your hand, gently lifting up their jowls with your fingertips. You can even enlist the help of another family member or friend to help hold your pup, as you brush.

Initially, there may be some squirming, extra chewing on the brush, and the need for food rewards but as your puppy learns to accept having the muzzle and mouth touched, the motion of the brush, and the taste of the toothpaste, these sessions will become easier and faster!

Puppy Teeth Cleaning and Care Supplies You Need!

Essentially you’ll need a soft-bristle brush or a rubber finger-tip brush, and flavored enzymatic toothpaste (enzymes help to break down bacteria and the added flavor makes it delicious and fun for pups!) to properly care for your puppy’s teeth! Soft-bristle brushes are easier on puppies' gentle gums and some brushes offer dual-headed sides with a larger brush for larger pups, and a smaller brush for small breed pups, or to use on those tiny front teeth! A finger brush is a good option to start introducing if your puppy is uncomfortable with a normal brush at first. Once your pup is tolerant of that, then move to the soft-bristle option. A bristle brush is what you'll need to help remove any food particles that are left behind and avoid tartar from forming.

Using toothpaste for pups can be a huge help in the early stages to entice them to lick the brush, accept it in their mouth, and even enjoy getting their teeth brushed! However, unlike humans, toothpaste is not required to keep their teeth clean, so you can ditch it after you've created the positive association if you like.

If you’re not sure what to buy your puppy, we’ve put together a full grooming list that you can shop!

TRAIN YOUR PUPPY IN AS LITTLE AS 15 MINUTES PER DAY! LEARN MORE IN THE ONLINE PUPPY SCHOOL!

A Few Other Things to Remember

We can’t stress enough don’t use human toothpaste on your puppy! Human toothpaste contains different ingredients such as detergents, fluoride, sodium lauryl sulfate, and artificial sweeteners like xylitol that can be harmful if ingested by your puppy.

Dental chews don’t replace regular teeth brushing, and be mindful of the ingredients in them before giving them to your pup.

Smaller breeds are more susceptible to tartar forming more quickly than larger breeds, so daily brushings can make a major difference with them and their dental health!

Take it slow! When we introduce the toothbrush to our students in school, we do it in stages over several weeks. First, it's just a couple of days of us touching them around their muzzles, moving their jowls, then touching their teeth and gums with just our hands and fingers! Then we'll introduce the toothbrush, by letting them sniff and lick it. We may only brush one tooth and call it a day! The point is to keep it positive and not to put pressure on them. So take your time with it -- it may take a few weeks of daily practice before you are able to fully brush all of their teeth in one sitting!

Don’t forget to make teeth brushing fun! Use it as a time you get to bond with your pup, giving them pets and food rewards throughout the session. The more your pup enjoys it, the easier it will become, and the cleaner their teeth will be!

Do you still have questions or are struggling with getting your puppy comfortable with teeth cleaning? Join us at our next Ask a Puppy Trainer live on @thepuppyacademy Instagram at 1 pm PT!

Also, don’t forget to sign up for our very important puppy newsletter to get puppy training and care tips each week! www.thepuppyacademy.com/viplist

Check out these blogs related to puppy training and more!

How to Stop Your Puppy from Sniffing Everything on Walks!

A Guide to Puppy Breeds: Golden Retrievers!

How to Potty Train Your Puppy if You Live in an Apartment!