Bringing A Dog Home

We covered everything you need to know before you get a dog. The research, options and expenses.

I have a new dog, what should I do now?

Aside from regular feeding, don’t get frustrated if the dog doesn’t LOVE you right away. It still doesn’t know where it is and why. Let it decompress, get to know your new pup, and let it know you as well!

One of the biggest lies about movies is when the dog gets home it automatically loves everything and everyone and is perfect at home from day one. Sometimes it takes time for the dog to understand that this is their new home, and these are their people now, try to understand that. Nobody explained to the dog when or where they are going and who you are. With time they will adapt and understand what is going on.

How can I help my dog acclimate to me and my home?

We talked about keeping a schedule before. This is a perfect way of helping your new dog acclimate. This way they know what to expect from you and when. Have everything planned for them and be consistent. Include giving them some space as well, crate training is a good way of doing that (yes, even if you are home). Get to know your dog and their needs. Once their needs are met it’s very likely for them to be better behaved. With this being said, don’t feel bad for being strict on a schedule, it will help the dog get out of their shell and be more comfortable around you. Most importantly be patient and don’t force them to do something they don’t want to for example letting everyone pet it or allowing other dogs to get too close if it is clearly too scared or uncomfortable.

Keep a schedule even if your dog/puppy is from a good breeder. They are still dogs and still need clear communication.

We also talked about making goals. This will help as well. If there is more than one person taking care of the same dog, be sure to be 100% consistent on everything you ask from the dog daily, this will avoid confusion. For example, if person 1 asks the dog to sit before feeding person 2 should do it too.

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, we all do and it’s part of the experience. We are sharing this because we made these mistakes ourselves. Read and educate yourselves, find a professional to help you if you’re struggling, there is no shame in that whatsoever, and overall do the best you can!