Based simply on their curious nature, puppies are relatively accident-prone animals. Just being their playful selves they can easily get themselves hurt or make themselves sick. They might attempt to inject a big object, climb up and jump or fall from high spots, become exposed to chemicals around the house like cleaners, or injure themselves by rough-housing or crashing into things.

Frequently occurring injuries that puppies and dogs encounter are choking on swallowed objects; electrical shocks; being poisoned by household chemicals, cuts and punctures, and bone fractures. These can be, to a large extent, prevented by taking some common-sense precautions and being proactive.

First of all, I need to remind you that when your dog appears to be injured or facing a health risk, it`s important to contact your veteranarian and get your pooch checked out to be sure no problem goes unnoticed. And of course some injuries and health risks may not be symptomatic or readily apparent so you should take your dog for its yearly checkup whether it is exhibiting symptoms or not.

Electrical Shocks

Puppies are curious creatures and like snooping around the house for things to play with, and they also like to chew. That makes chewing on electrical wires an important danger to puppies and dogs. It is common for dogs to encounter burns to their mouths or electrical shocks due to chewing through wires. Try to keep all wires out of the dog`s sight or reach, and cover any exposed segments with duct tape.

Diet and Exercise

This is more of an issue of general health than of safety, but it relates to home life so we will address it here. Too many dog owners have the tendency to feed table scraps to their dogs, but dogs have specific dietary needs that can be easily violated by eating table scraps. The best food for dogs is homemade foods that conform to the guidelines of your veterinarian or a well-known dog diet; or commercial high-quality dog foods, whether canned or dried. It`s also important to always leave the dog`s bowl filled with water, and change the water frequently to make sure it doesn`t get dirty or tainted.

As for exercise, a daily walk should most certainly be part of your dog`s routine. The length of time depends on the breed, but it can be as little as 15 minutes a day so you don`t have any excuse for missing your loyal pooch`s daily exercise. After eating, your dog should have at least one hour to digest before exercising.

This list tells you some of the foods that you should never feed to your dog:

1)    Alcoholic beverages or caffeinated drinks, as well as caffeinated foods like chocolate.

2)    Milk, cheese, and other dairy products.

3)    Raw eggs, and raw fish.

4)    Grapes or raisins.

5)    Vitamins for humans that contain iron.

6)    Vegetables like mushrooms, onions, potatoes, and garlic.

Household Chemicals and Other Potentially Poisonous Substances

It`s important to keep your dog away from a lot of different household substances like bleach, cleaners, detergent, polishing substances, and others. Plants should also generally be kept out of your dog`s range since some plants can make them sick or cause indigestion and upset stomach, or a worse illness depending on the type of plant. Of course, you should also take that no medicines or drugs fall to the floor within reach of your dog, and don`t leave them on tables or other surfaces like your sofa where your dog may be able to reach.

Other things to note:

Garbage – Make sure that your garbage is tightly closed both outside and inside your home, so that your dog can`t get into it.

Keeping your dog restrained – Maybe it goes without saying, but you should always keep your dog on a leesh when walking him outside your home.

Car Travel – Get a pet carrier or kennel and fasten it securely inside the car. Leaving your dog unrestrained in the back of a pickup truck, or letting him ride with his head out the window is bad news, an accident waiting to happen.

Over the course of a dog`s life, there is the possibility that it will be in an emergency that requires immediate action on the part of the owner to save its life. Most owners don`t know what to do in the immediate situation and simply rush their dog to the veterinary clinic, where the canine may have already passed on on arrival.

Whenever a canine is injured, no matter if the injury is minor or major, there are two main things that the owner should try to do. The first is to stop the bleeding; the second to treat the dog for shock. And the logical third step is to take the dog to the vet, the urgency of which depends on the severity of the injury. Most people skip steps two and three and rush straight to the vet.

Become Educated

“Shock” is a term most people have heard either on the news, or in first aid presentations. “Going into shock” and “undergo treatment for shock” are phrases familiar to most of us, in relation to human beings. But these cursory mentions of the term “shock” usually fail to explain exactly what shock is, what causes it, and why it is so critical to treat. Most people are under the impression that shock simply means “surprise” or “emotional turmoil”, rather than understanding that shock is a potentially lethal condition.

Shock is a condition that can comes with bee stings, snakes, insect bites, extreme fright, physical trauma, hemorrhage, burns, and other conditions that cause extreme pain. It results in a dramatic drop in blood pressure, and a lack of blood being pumped to your vital organs.

Shock Symptoms

When a dog is injured, check to see the color of its gums. Pale, gray-colored gums are an indication of shock. So is a weakly beating yet fast heartbeat. The dog`s body temperature will be cold, and its skin will turn a blueish hue. Its mucous membranes such as its lips will also turn pale. These symptoms are a result of the weak circulation of blood to the vital organs.