Puppies are so adorable, but you must be prepared
Puppy proofers protect homes Little teething doggies also safer
How many puppies does it take to destroy a house?
Just one, particularly if it’s owned by someone who knows little about raising dogs. Nolan Lederman is counting on naïve dog owners to make a success of his businesss puppy proofing homes throughout the greater Toronto area.
“ I’ve had many, many puppies in my lifetime and they all equal the same thing — destruction,” Lederman says.
“ People decide to get puppies and they don’t think it all through, then they find out that it was a lot more work than they thought, the damage is done and the puppy ends up in the humane society, abandoned or abused, which is unfortunate,” Lederman says. And while giving up on the puppy is an extreme reaction not everyone takes, most dog owners have stories about the experience. There was one client whose cocker spaniel chewed the legs off his master’s bed, then jumped on the mattress and demolished that as well, Lederman recalls. Puppy Proofers promises to ease the learning curve by identifying hazards and protecting homes from teething puppies that are not housebroken. A room- by- room analysis is done to determine what help is needed — from furniture protectors to puppy gates — before a price is quoted.
“ A lot of items around people’s homes are dangerous to dogs and, more importantly, their investment in their household items are all at risk with a puppy around,” Lederman says. “ If you . . . protect the legs of the tables and chairs, any exposed wires, electronics, baseboards, corners and things like that, then your dog won’t get into them.” Lederman got the idea when a pregnant friend talked about baby proofing. Research revealed puppy proofing might be the last untapped area of this dog- crazy world, which includes everything from sunscreen to seatbelts. So far, much of his clientele has actually been rabbit owners, who let their pets roam freely. Rabbits chew all of their lives, but dogs mainly chew as puppies. Lederman focuses on common areas like kitchens, living rooms, hallways and even bedrooms ( it’s amazing how many puppies chew through drywall, he says). Costs range from $50 to $ 500, depending on the size and number of rooms. One of Lederman’s specialties is making protectors for tables and chair legs, which he customizes with parts he purchases. It’s important protectors come off without leaving any damage behind, he says.
“ The reality is nobody sits and watches a dog every second of the day,” he says. “ You have to be able to have the peace of mind to sit in your living room, let them out of the crate, and no matter what happens have nothing happen to your dog and nothing happen to your contents.” For more information visit the website www.puppyproofers.com