Introduce the Dog to the Fam
Dont overwhelm a newly adopted dog with the entire household crowding them within minutes of walking through the front door. Its impossible not to be excited with the arrival of a new pet, but for now, the most important thing to do is to avoid overwhelming the pup. Introduce each family member slowly and calmly. When there are children, maintain close supervision and help them practice gentle behavior on stuffed animals prior to the new dogs arrival.
Other dogs in the household should also be introduced to their new “pack member” one at a time in a neutral area like a park. Supervision of the doggy relationships may also be necessary in case dominance and territorial issues arise in the first few months.
Take a Tour of the House
Upon getting home with your new dog in tow, the first thing any pet parent should do is to take the dog to the backyard to relieve himself, if necessary. At this point, a puppy may not be housetrained and even well-behaved dogs can pee in excitement or nerves from the new environment. If a dog seems to be too wound up, take him for a quick walk to burn excess energy and get him more acquainted with surrounding areas.
After letting the canine go to the bathroom outside, take him on a tour around the house on a lead. While its good to let pups sniff and explore each room, keep him leashed at your side and supervise the process the entire time. At the end of the house tour, take the newly adopted dog to their very own safe space where they can drink water, enjoy a treat or two, play with new toys, and finally relax in their new sanctuary.
Keep Up Regular Routines and Schedules
Dont get lax about walks or play times. If your dog normally goes for walkies at 5 p.m., then be sure to take them at that time. If your dog always likes to play tug or fetch after dinner, make sure you offer up those games. Their feeding schedule should also stay the same, and the location that you feed them should be similar to what they have known in the past. For instance, if you always feed your dog dinner in your kitchen at the same time you ate dinner in your previous home, do that in this new home. Also, now is not the time to try new dog foods or test out a new collar or harness. Keep things the same as much as you can.
How to PREP for a RESCUE DOG | What to Expect (FIRST NIGHT)
Bringing a new dog into your pack requires planning. Luckily, this is something that most people do—except maybe in the case of bringing in a stray off the street. Before you adopt the dog, you probably have at least a food and treats, bowls for food and water, a dog bed, a leash and collar, and maybe some toys.
If you’ve been very conscientious, you’ve probably already arranged for the first vet appointment, and maybe you’ve even talked to the entire household to establish rules about the dog like who does the feeding and walking, where the dog is and isn’t allowed, and so on.
The big day comes when you pick up the dog. Everybody is excited and happy as you drive home, and you all come bounding up the walk, throw open the front door and let the dog off-leash and inside…
And you’ve just planted the seed for a lot of future issues. In human terms, you’ve unleashed a juvenile delinquent.