Take on the Role of Alpha
You will need to take on the role of alpha/leader with your dog to make it feel safe and comfortable. This means providing them with plenty of structure. If you let them do whatever they want, it will take them much longer to adjust to their home entirely. A lack of structure tends to bring all sorts of behavior issues, so you’ll need to keep that in mind.
Is It Traumatic For A Dog To Change Owners?
Changing owners can be traumatic for dogs, especially if they’ve already had time to bond with their previous owner. Sadly, dogs are rehomed more often than you’d think. A lot of families underestimate the commitment and investment it takes to raise a pup. Sometimes there’s a personality conflict (i.e. the dog is too aggressive, too high-energy, or doesn’t get along with children). Someone in the home has a severe allergy. In some cases, divorce, illness, relocation, or financial strain makes it impossible for a family to keep a dog.
Especially if they’ve developed a relationship with their past owner, dogs may be shocked, upset, or even depressed when they arrive at their new home. It may take a while for them to get adjusted. They might behave abnormally, and it’s likely that they won’t fully trust you and your family at first. If your new pup is acting depressed and despondent, give him or her some time and space to adjust. Offer ample love and care, but also respect the fact that your new pup is going through a mourning period of sorts.
Help Your Dog Adjust to His New Home
When you decide to adopt an older pup, theres a lot you can do to help him adjust to his new home. Give your dog a quiet spot where he can get away from all the new sights and sounds. For some dogs, a crate with a comfy pad is the best choice. A snuggly bed can work wonders for others. Consider a Self-Warming Lounge Sleeper or a Superior Orthopedic Bed. A Coolin Comfort Bed is a great choice for older dogs that may have aches and pains.
Adopting an older dog is a wonderful gift you can give to yourself and your new pup. Just make sure your dogs personality is a good fit for your home. Your new dog will love having a peaceful, caring home in his golden years, and youll have a best friend to enjoy all of lifes adventures with.
Do Dogs Miss their Previous Owners?
When you adopt a dog, you have a lot of decisions to make. Do you adopt a puppy or an older dog? What kind of dog do you want? Adopting a dog from a previous owner can bring a unique set of challenges, but you will make a huge difference in the pups life when you choose to adopt an older dog.
Whether youre adopting an older dog from a breeder, a rescue, or another owner who had to give the pup up, you want to learn about the dogs background and any unique behavior quirks he may have. With time, patience, and lots of love, you can give your new dog the forever home hes dreamed about.
Theres a lot to think about when choosing between adopting a puppy versus an older dog who had a previous owner.1 Puppies are super cute, but they require a lot of training, socialization, and close attention.
Older dogs, on the other hand, are typically already house-trained. They may be less excitable and more content to sit on the couch with you. However, senior dogs can have age-related issues that might necessitate extra visits to the vet. Its really a question of whether you want to train a puppy and take on that responsibility, or love on an older dog that might have some unexpected needs requiring your care.
Because the dog had a previous owner, youll be able to learn a lot about her personality and energy levels to help you decide if shes a great fit for your household. Ask the owner, shelter, or breeder why the dog needs to be re-homed. Sometimes it might simply be due to financial difficulties, the owners health, or the family moved and couldnt take the dog with them.
Play with the dog and see how she reacts to you. Look for any behavioral issues the dog might have and ask a lot of questions. Is she extra timid? Does she get along with children and other pets? Is she aggressive at all? Is she energetic and needs a big yard to run around in? Would she be happy in a cozy apartment? Does she know simple commands like sit or stay?2 Find out everything you can to make sure your household is a good match for the dogs personality and energy.
Ask about any health issues the dog has. If you can, talk to the dogs veterinarian about what you should expect. You need to factor all this into your decision on whether or not you can provide a home thats a good match for the pups needs.
In some situations, it may be possible to take the dog to your home for a visit with your other pets. Alternatively, you might be able to temporarily foster the dog to make sure youre the right fit for her.
When deciding whether you should adopt an older dog, you want to learn about the environment he came from. His past can influence his actions today. Some dogs might have lived in a noisy kennel and need time to adjust to a larger space, like your home. Others might have been in unhealthy situations that left them scared and needing a calmer home. A dog that was a stray or in a hoarding situation might be food aggressive. Those situations may require help from a dog trainer.
Whatever the situation, knowing your dogs past can give you a clue about his future behavior and whether your home is equipped to provide him with the best chance at a happy life. Youll also have a better idea of any habits that need a little retraining.