Puppies love to chew on just about anything. The rubbery nature of electrical cords make these items especially inviting for puppies. A puppy's risk for burns to his mouth and electrical shock are very high if he bites into a cord. To protect your puppy, you must puppy-proof all areas to which he has access. You have several options when it comes to protecting a puppy from electrical cords, and they require very little expense or time to implement.
Things You'll Need
- Wall hooks
- Electrical tape
- Cord sleeves
- Bitter spray for pets
Instructions
Visit each room of your home and unplug every electrical device that does not need to be on all the time. Examples of items that you can easily leave unplugged are toasters, printers and stereos.
Screw wall hooks into the walls to drape live (current is flowing) cords up over, out of the puppy's reach. Use electrical tape, if necessary, to keep cords from slipping out.
Cover the bottom parts of cords, as well as cords that must be on the floor for any reason, with chew-proof protective plastic cord sleeves. You can buy these at some pet supply stores, hardware and home improvement stores.
Spray bitter sprays (available at pet stores) on the protective cord cover (unless it is already infused with scent, as some are) to further deter the puppy from chewing cords. Some people use the sprays directly on the cords as a deterrent, but this may not be enough in all situations. It only takes one good bite to a cord for a puppy to get electrocuted; a bitter tasting cord may not deter quickly enough.
After unplugging the cords, place them on top of the appliance out of the puppy's reach. This way you won't be in danger (from a chewed and frayed cord) the next time you plug the cord in.