You’ve chosen your puppy, counted down the days until they come home and probably already bought far more puppy supplies than you originally planned. Before your puppy arrives, it’s worth spending a little time preparing your home. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but making it safe now will save you a lot of stress later and allow your puppy to explore, learn and settle into their new home without unnecessary risks.

One of the best things you can do is look at your house from your puppy’s point of view. It may sound a little silly, but get down on your hands and knees and crawl around the rooms where your puppy will spend time. The world looks very different from twenty centimetres above the floor. Look under sofas, behind furniture, beneath cupboards and into every corner. Even in a tidy home, you’ll probably be surprised by what has collected there, especially if you have children. Lego bricks, buttons, coins, beads, magnets, batteries, hair ties, drawing pins and countless other tiny objects somehow find their way into places that only a curious puppy can reach.

If it fits into your puppy’s mouth, assume they’ll at least try to pick it up. Some puppies simply carry things around, others immediately start chewing, and unfortunately some swallow first and ask questions later. Removing these little hazards before your puppy arrives is much easier than dealing with a choking emergency or intestinal obstruction afterwards.

As you work your way through the house, look for anything your puppy could chew, pull over or get tangled in. Electrical cords, phone chargers, laptop cables and extension leads should all be secured or moved out of reach. Toy Poodles generally aren’t as destructive as many larger breeds, but every puppy explores the world with their mouth. It’s always better to prevent an accident than rely on your puppy making good decisions.

Shoes are another favourite target. Put them on shelves or inside cupboards for a while. The same goes for books sitting on low shelves. Even puppies that never become serious chewers usually investigate unfamiliar objects with their teeth. Your puppy has absolutely no idea which shoes are old and which pair cost you a small fortune.

Take a look around for anything that could fall if bumped or pulled. Puppies squeeze into surprisingly tight spaces, bounce into furniture and investigate everything they can reach. Decorative ornaments, candles, picture frames, glass vases, floor lamps and anything unstable are best moved somewhere safe until your puppy has grown up a little. A broken ornament is annoying, but an ornament falling onto a puppy can be much more serious.

Houseplants are another thing people often forget about. Many puppies love digging in potting mix or chewing leaves simply because they’re there. Besides the obvious mess, many common houseplants are toxic to dogs. Even plants that are considered safe don’t necessarily make good toys. Potting mix, fertilisers, decorative stones and bark can all cause digestive problems if swallowed.

Rubbish bins and kitchen cupboards deserve some attention too. Toy Poodles are remarkably clever little dogs and many quickly figure out how to lift loose bin lids or push open cupboard doors. Food scraps, cooked bones, medications, cleaning products and plastic packaging can all become dangerous if your puppy gets hold of them. When in doubt, put it away. It’s much easier to put something back in a few months than it is to spend the evening sitting in an emergency veterinary clinic.

Finally, don’t forget about your puppy’s growing joints. One of the biggest risks to healthy joint development isn’t exercise itself—it’s the wrong kind of exercise. Slippery tiles, polished timber and laminate flooring provide very little grip, making it easy for puppies to slip, twist awkwardly or splay their legs while they’re still developing. Placing washable rugs or blankets over the areas where your puppy is most likely to run and play can make a huge difference.

During the first year of life, try to avoid repeated running on slippery floors, constant trips up and down stairs, frequent jumping on and off furniture and long lead walks. Puppies don’t need forced exercise. They need opportunities to explore, play, build confidence and rest. One of the best purchases you can make during those first few months is a few baby gates. They make it much easier to manage your puppy safely while they learn the rules of their new home.