Before your pet comes home
The first preparation you must make is setting expectations for yourself and your dog. You are doing a wonderful thing by giving a dog a home, and in return, you are getting unconditional love, the most loyal friend, and more than a few laughs for the rest of your dog’s life.
GET PREPARED
Enter into this new chapter knowing there will be an adjustment period while your dog learns what it means to be part of your family. Change is difficult for anyone, and your dog will need time and patience before he/she realises he/she has found a forever home. Some dogs may engage in stress-related behaviours such as hiding, escaping, and barking, and they will likely need a refresher course in toilet training.
All of this is normal and best handled by remaining calm, rewarding good behaviour and showing your dog the expected behaviour in her new home. This means learning to communicate clearly with them by using clear, consistent commands.
The absolute basics that your dog needs are:
- Good nutrition
- Constant access to clean water
- Daily exercise
- A frequently-cleaned toilet area
- Time every day to be with their human family
Make sure you have all of your supplies:
- Dog bed
- Crate (if using one – the door should always be open)
- A few week’s supply of pet food
- Food bowls
- Toys
If you are changing your new dog’s diet, do so over a week, gradually replacing a portion of their food each time. In our hot climate, they must have access to clean water all day.
DOG ZONES, BOUNDARIES, RULES AND PUPPY PROOFING!
Decide where your new buddy will sleep:
- Set up their bed. If you are crate training, ensure a comfortable bed or towels are inside it and leave the crate door open.
- Think about your rules for them. Are they allowed on the sofa? On your bed? If you are getting a puppy, make rules for the dog he/she will grow to be. Do you want them on the bed when they are 15kg? There is no right or wrong answer but decide now for the long term.
- If you have someone sharing your bed, we highly recommend that you only allow your dog on your bed when invited. It can be as simple as patting your bed, but they will understand it is a privilege. You will find it handy in the future if you need them to stay off the bed for any reason.
- Consistency does not mean inflexibility; don’t feel you have to keep doing something that isn’t working with your dog. Perhaps you started with a rambunctious adolescent dog, and now that they have matured into a calm adult, you don’t mind them sleeping under the dining table at dinner. Relationships change over time, and so will yours with your pet.
- We recommend giving them access to only some of the houses. The bigger the space, the more overwhelming it will be for your dog.
- Keep an eye on them for the first few days so they don’t disappear unnoticed into your bedroom to chew up your favourite shoes or wee in some unseen corner. It can be complex with open-plan homes, but perhaps you have a kitchen and lounge area that you spend time in and can be puppy-proof.
- Electrical cords within your dog’s reach should be taped to the wall. Anything breakable should be removed from lower shelves, and household chemicals and cleaning products should be kept out of reach.
- Will enthusiastic tail-wagging sweep your favourite vase off the coffee table? Put it up on a high shelf?
Decide on the training words and ensure that your family or partner uses the same words to describe the same behaviours.
A sample vocabulary might be:
- DOWN: Lay down on the floor,
- OFF: Don’t jump on people, don’t jump on furniture,
- SIT: Sit Down.
- COME: Stop what you’re doing and run to me
- BED: Go to your bed or crate; we love this one when we eat to prevent begging at the table.
INTRODUCING YOUR DOG TO HER NEW HOME
Upon your dog’s arrival, please take it to the toileting area and spend time with it until it relieves itself. If the dog appears hyperactive, take a walk to help tire it. Allow the dog to explore your dog-proofed area and observe its behaviour. Create a routine for walks, feeding, and sleeping to help the dog feel secure. Remember to praise the dog for toileting outside, especially for puppies. Give the dog time to adjust to its new environment and be consistent in your behaviour expectations.
