Bringing Home an Adopted Dog

Before bringing home an adopted dog there are many things to consider, and we want to share some tips with you before you take that step! The first few days are especially important for both you and your new dog, but with a little planning, the scaries are easily addressed. Below are some essential tips for creating a safe, stress-free environment to ensure that you and your new dog start out on the right paw.

Before Adopting:

Puppy proof your home – There are many things that may be lurking around your house that toxic to pets. If you’re not sure what some may be and are concerned your pet may have ingested something, you can find our article here on signs of poisoning in dogs. Puppy proofing the outside of your house is essential, too. You can do this by taking a walk around and noticing if there are any holes in fences where they can escape, or any tempting things lying around that a dog may find attractive.
Prepare the items for your dog to come home to – Think food and water bowls, comfortable crate for crate training, toys, food, leash, collar or harness, ID tag, etc.
Arranging to take off some days of work or so you can be home a few days in a row will also make this transition easier. This gives you time to relax with your dog and creates a safe and regulated environment for them, too. Gently setting boundaries (on the furniture or not, etc.) and what they can expect is important from the very first day. Take a look at our article on how to train a rescue dog to help you understand how to work with your pet, and to find the best approach from the very beginning.

Before bringing home an adopted dog:

Before adopting your new pet, we encourage you to ask important questions, such as: How is the pet with other animals? What is their medical history? What are their known behaviors? Do you have information on the pet’s history with kids and with other pets? By asking the right questions and ensuring a good match, you and your pet will start off on the right foot, and it will help you be the best pet owner you can be.

Remember to bring your whole family to meet your new dog at the shelter. Bringing treats may help create a more enjoyable experience for you and your new pet, but always ask before giving an unknown pet treats. If you have other animals in your home, we suggest setting up a meet and greet opportunity, maybe even arranging to bring them to the shelter. If possible, it’s best for them to meet on neutral territory in an outdoor space with all animals on a leash. A fear free, certified trainer can help with proper pet introductions and ensure a smooth transition to your growing pet family.

Go straight home – It’s important to not make any pit stops at Petco or other public places,no matter how tempting it might be to immediately spoil your new family member. Pets need time to decompress and the excitement of leaving the stressful shelter environment means that decompressing is most important for your new dog in the first week. There are so many triggers that can stack up and cause your dog distress while they settle in, so it’s best to eliminate the time on the road to your home.

When they are home:

Once you’ve arrived at your front door, we suggest taking your dog on a walk around the neighborhood before entering your home. This allows them to sniff out and listen in to their new environment, calm themselves down from any surplus of energy, and go to the bathroom.

Introducing them to the home – Enter the house first and then invite them in on a leash. We want to make this step as relaxing and understanding for your dog as possible, so it’s important to show them around without overwhelming them with many noises and without giving them free-roaming.

No Guests – It might be tempting to call all your friends to play with your new dog, but the fewer stress triggers we can give them, the better. Also, they might not be physically well to interact with people depending on their vaccines so the best rule of thumb is to make the first days the most mundane. Think quiet and consistent!

If you stick to these essential tips in creating a calm, stress-free and stable environment for your new family member, we believe bringing home an adopted dog should be a smooth transition. Email or call us at info@fomapets.org and (305)854-2800 if you have any further questions or if you are ready to make the first steps in adopting a dog of your own, click here!

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Adopt

Adoption is the only option when adding a furry friend to your family. Adopt and Care for a pet to provide a sense of purpose and fulfillment and gives you bragging rights for saving a shelter pet. Adoption helps save lives, reduces the demand for dogs bred in puppy mills and sold in pet stores, or from online sellers, and helps shelters help more pets in need. With an approximate 1.5 million shelter animals losing their lives annually because of overpopulation, adopters save the lives of loving animals and open up shelter space for other animals in need.

Adoption Considerations

Finding the right match when adopting is key to the successful addition of a new furry family member. Some things to consider when looking for a dog or cat to add to your family are whether you rent or own your home and any restrictions that apply if you rent; whether you have other pets or small children in the home, whether you are new to owning a pet, and how much time you are able to dedicate to keeping your pet happy and safe.

Adopt Now

You can go to www.petharbor.com to find pets near you, of every size, color, temperament and breed. Purebred and mixed breed animals alike are waiting for their forever homes!