Are you starting to get puppy fever? If so, you’re not alone. Spring time is one of the most popular times of the year to adopt a pet! While it’s a very exciting time in a person’s life when you can finally take the step to caring for a dog, you have to make sure that you’re 100% prepared for this type of responsibility. After you’ve made the decision, here are 5 steps to follow in order to prepare your apartment for your new furry friend.

Get secure lids for trash cans

One of the biggest mistakes dog owners make after getting their first dog is not ensuring that they have quality garbage cans with secure lids. Dogs love to get into the trash, and if you have a swing garbage can or one without a lid at all, you’re pretty much setting yourself up for disaster. Look for the garbage cans with pop up lids or if your new dog is known for being mischievous, consider buying a lid that you can lock when you’re not home. This way you never have to worry whether or not your dog is going to dig through the garbage!

Buy gates

Gates and crates are essential when you adopt your first pet, but you don’t necessarily need to invest in both. When you first bring your new puppy home, it’s important to consider how often you’re going to be around and whether the environment is more apt for a crate or gates. If you have a full time job and you’re not home most of the day, a crate is probably your best bet. On the other hand, if you have the time to stay home with your dog and train them consistently, then you could probably just handle training with gates.

Tape down cords

One of the most notorious traits of puppies is chewing. Whether it’s on a baseboard, on your favorite pair of shoes or your electrical chords, they will find them on the ground and they will try to chew them. The good news is, you can easily prevent this by taping down chords throughout your house to ensure a puppy can’t get to them.

Move plants

Be aware that while plants help bring life to your living space, they aren’t necessarily good to have around puppies. Not only could the plants be dangerous for your pet to eat, but they could be easily knocked over and can create a mess that you will have to clean up later on. To play it safe, just move plants to higher areas that your pet would not be able to access!

Invest in towels – lots of them

When you think you have enough towels, buy more. If you’re not already aware of this, dogs tend to get pretty dirty, whether it’s from playing outside in the rain, jumping into ponds, or simply just walking through mud. Having ample towels around to clean off your dogs paws will definitely come in handy. Also a good thing to remember is that during potty training, you’re going to be cleaning up a lot of messes. Rather than spending all that extra money on paper towels, re-use towels and wash them between each accident. You won’t only be saving money but you’ll be saving the planet, too!

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Felicia Walkins is a freelance writer and dog lover. After moving into her first apartment with her pet, she has been dedicated to finding dog-friendly communities for others to live in. She looks forward to the Jackson Twenty One community and hopes her and her pup can live there in happiness!