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Here’s another great tip from BobVila.com.

Give your dog a sense of security and boundaries to keep him out of trouble while you’re out of the house.

A dog is happy when he knows where home base is. A pet crate, a designated corner, a closet with a pet door or even a laundry or mud room with a gate will define his space.

A good dog bed is actually not just a luxury. While it keeps your pet off the floor and away from drafts, it also reinforces his place within your house. And it keeps pet hair concentrated; it’s easier to throw the bed cover in the washing machine than to constantly clean the couch and the rug.

Pet doors are liberating for both dogs and owners, and thru-wall doors are available for homes with glass doors. Some are even keyed to pets’ collars to keep out unwelcome visitors.

If your pet tends to chew indiscriminately, keep extension cords out of reach. Avoid poisonous plants like tulips, azalea, lily, oleander, castor bean, cyclamen and kalanchoe. Keep the kitchen trash in a cabinet with a child lock. And store cleaning products, batteries, fertilizers and medications and any other toxic chemicals in a locked cabinet.

Clean up spills right away, especially in the garage or on the driveway. Antifreeze containing ethylene glycol can actually taste sweet to dogs. Ingesting even a little will kill them, so buy the kind with propylene glycol instead.

Other highly toxic household products dogs have been known to get into include rat poison, mothballs, fabric softener sheets—and, believe it or not—pennies. Keep dangers out of reach to keep your best friend safe at home.

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