Follow these tips to a successful start with your new pooch.
Before you bring dog home
·
Buy all equipment you will need for owning a dog
o
Dog food, Treats
o
Equipment: Collar, Leash, Crate, Bed, Food and
water bowls
o
Toys: Nylabones, Kong etc.
o
Grooming supplies: Shampoo, brushes, etc.
·
Prepare your home
o
Secure trash cans so they are not easily
accessible
o
Secure any breakables that are at the dogs body or tail level
o
Secure backyard enclosure
·
Other
o
Know where your nearest 24 hr vet is located.
o
Have a family talk, that everyone knows to follow
the same rules
1st time dog comes home
o
Give the dog an opportunity to go potty 1st right after getting out of the car.
o
Bring the dog inside and let him/her sniff around
the house on leash (you can let it drag)
o
Then introduce to family members including other
animals in the house (10-15min.)
o
Take him/her to their crate and crate them for
about an 1hr. (assuming they are already crate trained)
§ Sets a
standard that this is your new home.. we love you but this will be your space
for now.. (crate should have toys, you can feed in the crate, have kong toys
stuffed with peanut butter to make it a positive space)
o
Bring out, play etc. Do not overwhelm the dog
with too much attention the 1st few days you have him/her. (he will
be lonely when you go to work the next day if he is overwhelmend with love the
1st day ..thinking this must be how life will be 24/7)
·
General Guidelines for the first 2-4weeks you own
the dog
o
Make a set of rules that you will follow and how
you and the rest of your family will be enforcing these rules. I always start with stricter rules and relax them later for example all new dogs in my house are not allowed on the furniture but once i trust and get to know the dog they are allowed by invitation only.
§ No
Jumping
§ No
Barking
§ Not
jumping on the furniture
o
Dog should have a dragline on in the house
§ 4 or 5ft
dollar tree leash to drag so if he gets into things you can catch and correct
o
Dog should always be supervised with other
animals in the household
o
Decide on a vet for your new pet, and take your
new dog in to visit the vet. Just to have a base line visit.
Interactions with other pets at home
- Make sure to give your other pet a break from the new dog and vice versa.
- Do not expect them to be best of friends right off, and do not push them to enjoy each other. Some dogs take more time than others.
- If they are unsure of each other crating them next to each other for short periods can be helpful that way they can see each other and sniff a little but not have direct physical contact.
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