06/10/2026
🚨 A Real-Life Puppy Safety Reminder 🚨
One of my clients recently learned a lesson the hard way, and thankfully it had a happy ending.
He has a 5-month-old puppy. He ordered pizza and a 2-liter soda and took the puppy downstairs with him to meet the delivery driver. Living on the 3rd floor, he quickly realized he couldn’t carry the pizzas, soda, and puppy back upstairs all at once.
He placed the puppy back inside the apartment, thinking he would only be gone for a minute while he grabbed the food from his car.
In less than 60 seconds, the puppy managed to lock the front door.
With no way back inside, he had to call the fire department. They arrived with a ladder and had to enter through the balcony to gain access to the apartment. The puppy ended up unsupervised for over 30 minutes.
Thankfully, this story ended well. The puppy didn’t destroy anything, didn’t eat anything dangerous, and wasn’t injured.
But things could have gone very differently.
Puppies are like toddlers. They explore the world with their mouths and can get into trouble incredibly fast. Electrical cords, medications, cleaning supplies, choking hazards, toxic foods, furniture, and household items can all become life-threatening in a matter of minutes.
This is why I constantly tell my clients:
🐾 If you don’t have eyes on your puppy, your puppy should be in their crate.
🐾 Crate training is not punishment—it’s safety.
🐾 Good management prevents bad habits and dangerous situations.
🐾 Never assume “I’ll only be gone for a minute.”
Sometimes one minute is all it takes.
The fire department got a good story out of this one. My client got a valuable lesson. And thankfully, the puppy got a safe ending.
Please share this as a reminder that supervision and proper crate training save lives.
