Pet-proofing your home, Part 2: Indoors

It can all be a little exciting when you're getting ready to bring your new furry friend home, but it's important to make sure that your house is ready for them to live in!

If you've recently been busy with a DIY painting project in your home, it's vital that you store away any paints and close up the room being worked on, so that your new guest doesn't get into it.

There are also other things that you may want to look out for in the home, with appliances, houseplants and wiring all posing a potential danger to your pet.

The first task you can do to pet-proof the inside of your home is to tidy up any electrical cables.

This may involve tucking cables behind furniture, lifting them up and attaching them to the wall out of reach or even upgrading some devices (such as a computer) to run wirelessly.

Remove houseplants such as poinsettia and philodendron, which can make dogs sick.

You may need to also put up screens or barriers to prevent your pet from jumping out of windows or out on decks - especially if you live in a high-rise building.

New pets are especially curious, so make sure to close the door or block any areas that you don't want their paws venturing into!