The short answer
Before your dog comes home, secure all food, trash, medications and chemicals behind cabinet locks or up high, switch to a locking trash can, cover electrical cords, pick up anything small enough to swallow, block off-limits areas with gates, and fit an ID tag and microchip. Toxic food and swallowed objects are the two emergencies. Some links here are Amazon affiliate links; we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, and it never changes what we recommend.
If your dog ate something toxic or swallowed an object, call now
Do not wait for symptoms. Call your vet, the nearest emergency vet, or a poison hotline immediately: ASPCA Animal Poison Control 888-426-4435 or Pet Poison Helpline 855-764-7661 (both 24/7; a consultation fee may apply). Xylitol and antifreeze are the most time-critical (the antifreeze antidote works best within the first 8 to 12 hours), and a swallowed battery or string is an emergency too. Have the packaging handy to estimate what and how much was eaten.
Dog-proofing is simply walking your home at your dog's eye level, before day one, and fixing what you find. A puppy explores everything with its mouth, and a newly adopted adult, anxious in a strange place, will chew, counter-surf, or try to escape in those first unsettled weeks. It pairs with the first week decompression timeline: a safe home and a settled dog are two halves of the same good start.
Toxic food, trash, and counter-surfing
This is the danger dogs run into most, because they counter-surf and raid the garbage far more readily than cats. Food and drink is one of the top categories of pet-poisoning calls the ASPCA handles each year, with chocolate near the top of the list. The core toxic foods to keep completely out of reach are chocolate, grapes and raisins, xylitol (in sugar-free gum, candy and some peanut butters), onions and garlic, macadamia nuts, alcohol, and caffeine. Our full guide on which foods are safe and toxic for dogs has the complete list and what each one does.
The practical fixes are physical, not behavioural. Keep counters and the stovetop clear, store food in latched pantry cabinets, and switch to a locking, dog-proof trash can or keep the bin behind a latched cabinet door. Trash is uniquely dangerous because it bundles several hazards at once: toxic scraps, choking-hazard wrappers, and obstruction risks like corncobs and cooked bones. Don't rely on a dog learning not to counter-surf; remove the reward instead.
Chewing, choking, and swallowed objects
A swallowed object is a life-threatening emergency, not a wait-and-see. Batteries are caustic and urgent, and string or rope can bunch the intestine. If you think your dog swallowed something, call your vet.
The classic dog tragedy is a swallowed object that blocks the intestine. As the AKC warns, an untreated bowel obstruction can lead to severe fluid loss, intestinal rupture, and death. The usual culprits are socks and underwear, kids' toys, rocks, coins, corncobs, and pieces of toys or bones, plus string and rope, which are especially dangerous because they bunch the intestine like a telescope. Electrical cords add burns and shock to the list.
Prevent it by picking up small objects at floor level, running cords through cord covers or routing them out of reach, and giving the chewing drive a safe target with sturdy, correctly-sized chew toys. On the bone question: skip cooked bones entirely, since they splinter (VCA), and supervise rawhide because strong chewers break off chunks that choke or block (AKC). Take away any chew fragment small enough to swallow.
Some links on this page are Amazon affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes what we recommend. This article is general information, not veterinary advice.
Chemicals, medications, and antifreeze
Medications are one of the single biggest poisoning-call categories, because dogs chew straight through pill bottles, so keep all human and pet meds in a closed cabinet, never on a nightstand or counter. Store cleaners and rodenticides behind latched cabinets, and move toxic houseplants like sago palm, which causes severe liver failure, out of reach or out of the home. Antifreeze deserves its own warning: ethylene glycol is sweet, dogs will lap it up, and as little as a tablespoon can cause fatal kidney failure, with the antidote most effective in the first 8 to 12 hours (Pet Poison Helpline). Clean any spill in the garage or driveway immediately and store it sealed and high.
Securing the space, and preventing escape
Block off-limits areas and stairs with a sturdy pet gate, which is also invaluable for a dog recovering from surgery or still settling in. Outside, the AKC advises fencing high enough to stop jumping with no gaps to crawl under, a fence around any pool, and no unsupervised yard time for a new dog. Walk the fence line looking for weak boards, dig points, and gate latches that do not self-close.
Escape prevention is the piece new adopters underestimate most. A newly adopted dog is a serious flight risk, and the most common time to lose one is right after adoption, the classic “I was going to get the tag on Monday” tragedy. So do it before pickup: order a personalized ID tag, register the microchip and keep the address current (AVMA), and use a martingale collar or no-escape harness for the ride home and early walks, so a panicked dog cannot back out of its collar.
The room-by-room sweep
- Kitchen: clear counters and the stovetop, secure the trash, and watch for onion and garlic scraps and chocolate.
- Bathroom: medications, cleaners, razors and small items like hair ties; keep the cabinet latched and the toilet lid down.
- Garage: antifreeze, pesticides, rodenticides and sharp tools, all stored high and locked, spills wiped up at once.
- Bedroom and laundry: socks, underwear and towels are classic obstruction items, so keep laundry off the floor and hampers closed.
- Living room: electrical and blind cords, houseplants, small decor, and remote batteries.
Ready when the house is
Do the safety sweep first, then find your dog. Browse adoptable dogs from rescues across Canada.
Browse Adoptable Dogs →Frequently Asked Questions
How do I dog-proof my house?
Do a floor-level sweep of every room before the dog arrives. Secure food, trash, medications, cleaners and chemicals in latched cabinets or up high; cover or move electrical cords; pick up small swallowable objects like socks and coins; block stairs and off-limits rooms with gates; and check that fences and gate latches are secure. Two dangers matter most for dogs specifically and are worth extra attention: access to toxic food and trash, and anything the dog could chew and swallow.
What foods are toxic to dogs?
Chocolate, grapes and raisins, xylitol (in sugar-free gum, candy and some peanut butters), onions and garlic, macadamia nuts, alcohol and caffeine are all toxic to dogs, per the ASPCA. Keep all human food, trash and counters secured, since dogs counter-surf and raid garbage far more than cats do. See our full guide on which foods are safe and toxic for the complete list.
How do I stop my dog getting into the trash?
Use a locking or dog-proof trash can, or keep the can behind a latched cabinet door, because garbage combines toxic food scraps, choking-hazard wrappers, and obstruction risks like corncobs and cooked bones. Removing access works far better than trying to train a dog out of a strong, scent-driven habit, so make the trash physically unreachable rather than relying on good behaviour.
How do I stop my puppy chewing everything?
Puppies explore the world with their mouths, so redirect the behaviour rather than only punishing it. Pick up tempting objects, run cords through cord covers, and offer sturdy, size-appropriate chew toys as an approved outlet, with supervision. Chewing usually eases as the puppy matures and learns what is and is not fair game, but a stressed newly adopted adult dog can chew too, so do not assume an older dog is past it.
Are rawhide and cooked bones safe for dogs?
Cooked bones are not safe: they splinter into shards that can damage the mouth, throat or intestines, or lodge and cause a blockage (VCA). Rawhide carries risk too, because strong chewers can break off large chunks that choke them or cause an intestinal obstruction, since rawhide is not easily digested (AKC). If you offer either, supervise closely and take away any piece small enough to swallow whole.
How do I keep my dog from escaping the yard?
Fence the yard high enough to prevent jumping with no gaps to crawl under, walk the fence line for weak spots and dig points, and make sure gate latches actually catch and self-close (AKC). Newly adopted dogs are high flight risks in the first weeks, so supervise outdoor time and do not rely on the fence alone, especially before the dog has bonded to you and the home.
Do indoor dogs need a microchip?
Yes. A registered microchip is essential even for a homebody dog, because the most likely time for a dog to escape is right after adoption, and a chip cannot fall off or be removed and stays readable if the collar and tag are lost (AVMA). Pair the microchip with a collar and ID tag, and keep the chip registration and your address up to date, since an unregistered chip cannot reunite anyone.
What should I do if my dog eats something toxic?
Do not wait for symptoms. Call your vet or a poison hotline immediately: ASPCA Animal Poison Control at 888-426-4435 or Pet Poison Helpline at 855-764-7661, both open 24/7. Xylitol and antifreeze are especially time-critical, so act right away rather than watching to see if the dog seems fine, and have the packaging on hand to help estimate what and how much was eaten.
Do I need to dog-proof for an adult dog, or just puppies?
Both. Puppies need the most intensive proofing because they chew everything and squeeze through tiny gaps, but a stressed, newly adopted adult dog is a genuine chewing and escape risk in the first few weeks too. Anxiety in a new home drives the exact behaviours that get dogs hurt, so do the full sweep regardless of the dog's age.
Can Dogs Eat…? Food Safety
The full list of foods that are safe, risky, or toxic for dogs.
First Week With a Rescue Dog
The decompression timeline for settling a new dog in safely.
Best Orthopedic Dog Bed
Give your new dog a safe, comfortable place of its own to settle.
Explore Dog Breeds
Chewers, escape artists, counter-surfers: know what your breed tends toward.