Crawl the boundary at puppy height before free exploring begins, checking under fences and gates for gaps a small head or paw could widen, loose boards, and digging spots softened by rain. Standing height hides the puppy's real map of the garden: the two-inch lift under a gate, the board that flexes when pushed from below, the gap behind a compost bin where fence meets wall. Move slowly on hands and knees, push and pull at every panel as a puppy would, and mark each fault with tape so repairs happen before the first unsupervised minute, not after a scare.
The boundary, gate by gate
Start at the house and work one side at a time so nothing is skipped. Test each gate by closing it from outside and leaning on it at low height; a latch that needs lifting, jiggling or two hands will fail a puppy who jumps against it, and self-closing hinges are worth fitting where a gate gets heavy use. Look along the fence line for daylight at ground level, soil scooped against boards, and stones or logs stacked near the fence that turn a low panel into a climbable step. Re-check after heavy rain, strong wind and any digging or landscaping, since soil shifts and a sound boundary in spring can open a gap by midsummer.
Toxic plants, bulbs and garden chemicals
Identify what is actually growing before you decide what to do about it, using clear photos of leaves, flowers and berries to check each plant and bulb against a reliable veterinary or horticultural list. Any plant confirmed toxic if chewed needs a physical answer at puppy height: dig it out where you can, or fence it with a barrier a puppy cannot push through, climb or squeeze under, and rake up fallen berries, leaves and prunings from inside the puppy area. Treat bulbs as a digging hazard as well as a chewing one, and move slug bait, fertiliser, weed treatments and fuel into a locked store or onto shelving a puppy cannot reach even standing on hind legs. If you cannot identify a plant, keep the puppy away from it until you can; this check is about removal and fencing, and any puppy who has chewed a suspect plant needs a prompt call to your vet rather than watching at home.
Hazards that live at puppy height
Sweep the ground plane the way a puppy travels it, nose first. Pick up hand tools, secateurs, twine, plant labels, broken pots and loose hose fittings, all of which sit exactly at chewing height and splinter or tangle. Cover or fence open water — ponds, water butts without lids, deep buckets — because a small puppy can tip into water she cannot climb out of, and drain paddling pools after use rather than leaving them filled. Check decking and steps for gaps that trap a paw, splintered wood at nose level, and gaps under sheds or raised beds where a puppy can crawl in and become stuck. Finish with the barbecue area, fire pit and any outdoor cables, then walk the whole garden once more from the puppy's viewpoint before the lead comes off.
Supervise, re-check and keep the safety net ready
Treat the first passed check as the start of supervision, not the end of it: stay outside with your puppy for the early weeks, recall her away from fences and planting so the boundary rules are learned with you present, and watch where her nose keeps returning, since that interest often points to a gap or smell you missed. Repeat the low crawl monthly while she is growing, and after storms, garden work or a visiting dog has churned the ground. Even with careful checks, keeping an up-to-date photo and description stored in KinsLe means Lost Pet Alert System can reach nearby members fast if she ever gets out, turning a garden fault into a short search rather than a long one.