I was not looking forward to going on this call. I knew that it was not going to be pretty when we got there. I knew there would be a lot of upset people and one very injured puppy. I was working as an animal control officer for the city of Fall River and we had just received a call that a puppy was seriously injured.

When we got there, the puppy was still alive but badly injured. The puppy had chewed through an electrical wire and had damaged his little mouth. We quickly took the puppy and brought him to the vet's office.

Working as a dog trainer for the past 18 years, I have always advised new puppy owners to use crates. Ten years ago I did get a lot of resistance from puppy owners about using crates. I would always tell them that using a crate is not cruel. A crate can actually save your puppy's life. A puppy left unattended can chew on electrical cords, choke on something, or get caught up on something.

I would add that using a crate is not cruel and that in fact it is more humane than giving the puppy too much freedom where the puppy could get injured or even killed. With that in mind, here are some steps to puppy proof your house.

Puppies will chew on everything including electrical wires, trash, children's toys, TV remotes, etc. Walk around your house and look at every room. Anything that is within reach of your puppy's mouth should be noted.

Make sure that anything within reach is put away, placed somewhere higher, or removed altogether. This goes for trash cans, potted plants, place mats, etc.

Puppies can cause a lot of damage. Don't give your puppy the opportunity to chew and destroy your belongings. Part of puppy proofing is managing your dog's behavior. I highly recommend using crates, baby gates, and X-pens while your puppy is learning the rules of the house.

Managing your puppy's behavior is important. The better you are at managing your puppy's behavior, the less angry and upset you'll get with your puppy. The secret to a successful relationship with your pup is to not give your puppy the opportunity to get into trouble.