Once you've chosen your new puppy, there's likely to be a delay before you can welcome it home. This may seem like an eternity, but there are plenty of things to do to prepare for your new arrival. Even if you're bringing home an adult dog, the home and garden can still be a dangerous place, so you need to know what to watch out for.

Indoor safety

• Fit child locks on floor level kitchen cupboards, especially if there are cleaning materials inside.
• Hide all trailing electrical cables behind furniture.
• Some dogs can be fond of drinking from the toilet. Be prepared. Switch to a non-toxic cleaner. (It is safest, however, to deny your dog access to this source of water).
• Dogs lack our sense of height and depth. If you live in a high-rise building or if your dog has access to second story windows and decks, use screens and safely spaced bars to prevent jumping or accidental falls.
• Place non-skid matting or carpet on slick linoleum and hardwood floors where your dog is likely to move quickly. An accidental slip can result in serious injury such as torn cruciate ligaments.
• If you have a young puppy or elderly dog, a baby gate at the top of a stairwell can help prevent accidental falls and serious injury. Take advantage of dog crates and baby gates to restrict your puppy or adult dog from potential hazards when they cannot be supervised.
• Remove or avoid household toxins including toxic plants, strong chemical cleaners and environmental insecticides. Whenever possible, consider the use of alternative, 'green' products.
• Even indoor environments can reach temperature extremes. Clipping your longhaired dogs for the summer months can keep them comfortably cool, and provide fans on extremely hot days.

Keep your dog away from hazardous plants
A lot of plants, shrubs and trees are poisonous to dogs. You should always discourage your puppy from chewing anything that it finds in the garden, and contact your vet if you are concerned. If you would prefer to play safe and remove all toxic plants, ask for advice in your garden centre or at your vet. The more common ones you need to watch out for include:

Houseplants - Philodendron, Mistletoe, Poinsettia.

Garden plants - Lily, Azalea, Daffodil, Tomato, Foxglove, Yew, Hydrangea.

If your dog does eat part of a poisonous plant, go straight to the vet taking the plant with you if possible.

Outdoor safety
Gardens may be the big attraction for new arrivals, but the great outdoors can be fraught with perils:

• Your garden should be fully fenced, at the correct height for the breed you're buying (most medium-sized breeds need a six-foot fence).
• Check there are no gaps that your puppy can squeeze through or under, making sure that fence panels are sunk well into the ground or mesh the verge into the garden by three-four feet. Terriers in particular are big diggers.
• Check the garden fence regularly for any repair needs, and enlist the entire family for help with monitoring or locking gates.
• Swimming pools and ponds should also be fenced off securely, or covered firmly when not in use.
• If you are a keen gardener, then fence off your prize petunias! Consider building your puppy a sand or mud pit to dig in.
• Provide a wind-and water-proof shelter if your dog spends part of the day or night in the garden. On days of excessively high or low temperatures, even outdoor dogs should be brought indoors.
• Always use care when backing your car down the driveway, ensuring your dog is well out of the way. Puppies are sometimes excited by car movements, so keep them restrained as you start to reverse.
• Some road and pavement surfaces can irritate your dog's paws. Avoid salted roads in winter and hot asphalt in summer.
• Remove ladders or anything your dog may feel the urge to climb, particularly if it leads to balconies or flat roofs.
• Do not place cocoa chips in the garden as an alternative to bark as these are poisonous to dogs.
• Make sure you select dog friendly plants for your garden to reduce the risk of poisoning and skin irritation. Your garden centre should be able to advise which varieties are safe.