Home Alone: Ways to Keep Your Pets Safe

by Jackie Davis 07/18/2021

Image by Lisa Simmons from Pixabay

While house hunting, it’s always a good idea to drop your pets off at doggy daycare or get a pet sitter for the afternoon. If you have no choice but to leave them at home, you can keep them safe by properly preparing the space ahead of time. Here’s a look at just what it takes to create a safe area for your pets to stay while home alone.

Always Secure Them in a Safe Area

Even if they are trained to behave while having the full run of the house, pets are best kept in a safe area while you’re away. You can put them in a bedroom, for example, or block off a section of the living room instead.

Pets that are not fully house-trained or cannot resist the urge to chew stuff up are best kept in a crate while you’re out. Either way, limit your time out to about a few hours or so to avoid mishaps as your pets grow lonesome.

Get Down to Their Level

Given just a little time unsupervised, pets can get into a lot of trouble. Chewed furniture, pilfered snacks and messes on the carpet are just a few ways pets can wreak havoc while you’re out. Thankfully, you can prevent a lot of issues by getting down to their level and looking for ways to misbehave.

While looking around, you might find:

  • Exposed cords
  • Loose shoes
  • Errant throw pillows
  • Low-lying snacks
  • Vulnerable plants
  • And more

Think like your pet and just imagine what trouble you could get into with the items you find. Then, put the items well out of reach to help all your pets remain on their best behavior.

But Don’t Underestimate Their Abilities

Pets are natural athletes who are frequently known for their incredible feats and daredevil antics. Dogs chilling on top of refrigerators and cats standing on the tops of doors are not an uncommon sight, after all.

So, as you button up the house for the safety of your pet, keep that in mind. It may not be sufficient to simply put items a little higher than they were. It’s often best, in fact, to hide the items behind closed doors and in cabinets fitted with child locks. 

Skip the Toys and Chews Until You’re Back

Although it seems wise to keep your pets preoccupied with toys and chews, most of those items are meant to be used under strict supervision. Pets can easily bite off more than they can chew and choke even while gnawing on the toughest of pet-friendly objects.

Instead, wear them out before you leave the house to encourage them to rest while you’re away. Then, give them a toy or chew when you return home to reward them for staying out of trouble. With that move, you create a positive connection with your absence and return that encourages them to behave each time you go out.By moving through these steps, you can keep your pet safe while you’re out looking for your perfect house. You won’t be distracted by worries about what they are up to or come home to disaster when you’re done.

About the Author
Author

Jackie Davis

Welcome to Jackie Davis and Company. If you have navigated this far, we thank you and would like to share how we differ from other teams and agents. We work tirelessly and are committed to providing 100% customer satisfaction. We recognize, listen, value, and appreciate your goals as you move towards listing or selling your home. As Listing Agents we continuously integrate new and advanced technology to promote your biggest asset. Our strong negotiation skills are invaluable for getting you the best price for your home. As the Buyer's Agent we pride ourselves on being fully educated in our local markets. While focusing on integrity and honesty we will provide you with the highest level of professionalism and analysis. We are proud that this hard work has earned us recognition as top 1% both company and state wide in the industry. Achievements * 1st Quarter 2017 Leading Sales in Fairfield * 2017 February Leading Sales Team * 2017 March Leading Sales Team * Chairman's Elite representing the Top 1% Agent at William Raveis Nationwide & Fairfield County * Over $45 million Listed & Sold in 2016 * Over $30 million Listed & Sold in 2015 * 99% List to Sales Ratio (higher than market average) * 75 Average Days on Market (less than market average) * Jackie Davis Promoted to Sales Vice President 2016 * Raveis Award of Excellence every year * Exceptional Customer Service Award every year * Top Units Sold Team October 2016 * Top Customer Service October 2016 * Top Mortgage Support September 2016 * Top Selling Team January 2016 * Top Mortgage Support August 2015 * Top Selling Team Feb 2014 * Top Producing Team Jan 2014 * Top Selling Team Dec 2013 * Top Selling Team Nov 2013 * Top Producing Team Nov 2013 Professional Specialty Innovative Marketing and Technology equals proven sales. Our team of licensed professionals is ready to serve. We handle: Sellers & Buyers Exceptional Properties Investors Waterfront & Beach Area Homes Country & Equestrian Properties New Construction & Land Relocation Professional Association National Association of Realtors Connecticut Association of Realtors Greater Fairfield Board of Realtors Consolidated Multiple Listing Service Community Involvement PTA committee member for past 14 years from elementary through high school PTA Board Member for 4 years Shoff Darby Advisory Scholarship Board member past 5 years Committee member for Cancer Care of Norwalk past 10 years Volunteer Habitat for Humanity Operation Hope coordinator for elementary and middle schools, last 3 years Volunteer for a variety of town sports teams, that my daughters participate in The County Assemblies Board Member The b-Cause Foundation Board Member- a non-profit organization whose mission is to educate children to recognize neighbors in need in our local community. Wakeman Boys & Girls Club- Fundraising Committee Member Committee Member for Cancer Couch Fundraiser the Cancer Beat 2016 Near and Far Aid Volunteer Education BA from Merrimack College Personal Fairfield resident for 39 years Currently reside in Fairfield Beach Area Married 27 years Four daughters currently in & have graduated Fairfield Public School system Areas Covered Fairfield Southport Westport Weston Norwalk Trumbull Easton Stratford Shelton Milford Stamford Bridgeport