You Have a Dog. Now What?!
© Darlene
Arden
You’ve decided upon your new family member and are bringing him home. Just like adopting a baby, there are things you need to have in place before the newcomer arrives. You’ll really have to go through your house carefully to make certain that there’s nothing within reach – on the floor or above – that your dog or puppy could swallow. Be sure that cords are taped to the wall or floor and can’t be chewed. Make certain that you have no poisonous plants and that all plants are out of reach. The same applies to any cleaning substances. They should be out of reach, or in locked cabinets. Curious dogs and puppies can get into all sorts of trouble so try to plan ahead to avoid problems.
Get everything you think you’ll need before you bring him home. You’ll need a crate that will be big enough for him to stand up and turn around in when he’s full-grown, water and food dishes, a couple of safe toys. You’ll also need some of the food he has been eating and bottled water to help him make the transition to the local water that you drink. You'll also need a comb and brush, gentle shampoo made for dogs, the right size flat collar and a leash. Or a harness if he’s a small dog because you don’t want the collar resting on the dog or puppy’s trachea since small dogs are prone to having a collapsing trachea. Remember to check your puppy’s collar often. As he grows you’ll have to keep replacing his collar with a larger one.
Set up the crate in the den or kitchen, wherever the newcomer is going to spend a lot of time and see family members. The crate will be his safe haven when he wants a place to rest. It’s also a great way to housetrain. But it is never to be used as punishment! Don’t leave him in it for endless hours. Play with him, take him to his special place to eliminate, and let him nap in his crate. Remember that just like a human baby, your puppy won’t have control over his bladder. Don’t expect him to “hold it” for very long. Playtime will also stimulate the need to eliminate.
In some countries, crates aren’t used so a room is set off with a baby gate or something else to confine the newcomer until he’s reliably housetrained and can be given access to the rest of the home. Or you can gate off the areas where you don’t want him to have access until he’s trained.
If you’re using a crate, move it into your bedroom at night so he will have the comfort of having you close by and hearing you breathe. Don’t forget that your dog or puppy has left everything and everyone he has ever known and is now in a totally foreign place with strangers. Being able to sleep in the same room with you will go a long way in helping to ease his transition to his new home.
Remember that your new family member needs fresh food daily as well as fresh water. Be sure you change the water periodically throughout the day. You wouldn’t want to drink stale, possibly dirty, water so why would your dog? It’s also a good idea to divide your dog’s ration of food into two meals a day. Young puppies require more frequent feeding.
Never get a new dog or puppy during the holiday season. There will never be enough time to spend with him and the crush of people as well as activity at home will only add to the confusion and upset for the newcomer. In fact, having a lot of company when you first bring your dog or puppy home isn’t a good idea. It will be enough of a change for him to get used to your house and routine. You can introduce him to your friends after he has settled in. In fact, one of the best things you can do is to bring the puppy home during a week when you can stay home with him. You can help him settle in, become comfortable with your home and your routine and not be left home alone right away while you go off to work. You’ll also need to teach him that there are times when he can be with you and times when he can’t so he won’t develop separation anxiety. And never leave him alone with children. Dogs and children should always be carefully supervised when they’re together, no matter what the age of the dog or the child.
Be sure to take your new family member to your veterinarian within 72 hours, but not in the first 24 hours. Give him a chance to settle in first. He’s going to be very confused that first day since he’ll be leaving everything familiar to move in with you. As far as he’s concerned, he’s a stranger in a strange place with strange people. It can be very confusing and upsetting so go slowly and allow him some quiet time. Let him quietly, and slowly, get to know you and the rest of the family.
If you have other dogs at home, be sure they meet the newcomer outside the house, on neutral territory. Take your new dog or puppy to the one place you’ve chosen for him to relieve himself and give him an opportunity to do that before entering the house.
The first things you’ll teach your newcomer is that food and water are available and so is a place to relieve himself. And that place is outdoors unless, of course, you live in an apartment, have a small dog, and prefer to train him to eliminate in a
litterbox.
Other lessons will begin once he starts to settle in. Some people like to wait three days, others like to start the day after the dog arrives. Simple lessons using food or toy reward, or perhaps a pat, but always with praise, will help your new dog learn quickly, easily, and painlessly. The first things you’ll probably want to teach is to Sit or Lie Down, whichever you will want as the default behavior, the thing your dog will do when he doesn’t know what to do. Perhaps you will want him to sit and wait until his food dish has been put down, or you might prefer to have him settle down on a rug.
Don’t yell at him if he does something that doesn’t please you. He isn’t familiar with your house and doesn’t know what you want. Nor does he speak English. Or French, or a language other than canine. You have a lifetime to learn and grow together and being sure that you get off on the right foot with a positive relationship. You can encourage him to do what you want with praise and ignore the behavior that you don’t want.
You and your dog are about to embark on a wonderful adventure together. Enjoy the journey.
