10 Steps To Raising An Adopted Dog

If we’ve already decided to adopt a dog from a shelter or are considering adopting it, it’s important to keep in mind a few things that can happen. It is that an adopted dog can be very disconcerted when he arrives at his new home.

It is important to know how the animal will react at home, on the street and even with other people, we must also know what to do about it. Always with patience and lots of affection.

Preparing for the arrival of an adopted dog

Before its arrival, we have to ensure that the animal will feel comfortable when it arrives at its new home. That’s why we must prepare your new home by following these steps:

• The first item to prepare is the bed. If the animal has spent some time during transport in a cage, it will be grateful for having a comfortable place to rest. We can buy it or make it at home. It is preferable that it be large.

• Then, we must enable the containers that will serve as a drinking fountain, with lots of fresh water, and a feeder, with food specific for their age, as well as some toy or teether, which will also be essential, as some dogs may suffer from anxiety and will have the need of biting objects.
• The collar, breastplate and strap are essential, as are bags to collect the coconut during our new friend’s outing. We have to take into account that shelters tend to have economic difficulties and it is best to take everything well prepared when adopting a dog.

• It can also happen that the animal gets very dirty. For this situation we will have to have a shampoo, an anti-flea pipette and a brush for the bath, if necessary. We can also choose to take the animal to a pet store and observe how the professionals do it and, thus, follow the same steps at home.

home security

• It is recommended to have security controlled at home, assuring us, for example, that there are no toxic plants for dogs, and that he will not have access to garbage. What the dog should not bite will have to be taken out of his reach. Also, we will have to limit the newcomer’s space at home, so that the dog doesn’t get restless and come to feel excessively out of place.

• It would also be interesting to be able to check everything about him, such as what his background is, if he is afraid of going to the vet or if he gets along well with other dogs. This will help a lot to inform your customs, behavior, etc.

The first moments of an adopted dog

• When adopting the dog, on the way to the house, it is advisable to take a long walk until we notice that he has peed and is a little tired. This way he will feel more comfortable at home and if he tries to urinate he will do it in drops.

• From the moment we enter our home with the new dog, we must take it off the leash and let it smell the whole house, or at least the part we want it to know. It is a good idea, at first, to avoid the kitchen, as it is an unsafe area for our pets and where they feel most restless.

It is normal that we see that the animal tends to mark its territory by urinating a little in some corners. It is usual for him to do so, especially if there were other dogs in the house before his arrival.

The adopted dog’s hyperactivity

• The first few days can be quite stressful for the animal and also for the owner. To reduce this hyperactivity, the dog urinates in certain places in the house and also in certain situations. It is highly recommended to take it for a walk at least 4 times a day, adding up to a total of 90 minutes between all departures.

It is positive to tire the animal a little so that it does not become tense, because this tension is common in newly adopted dogs. In addition, tiredness will favor your rest at home.

• Do not force the animal to interact with people, with other dogs, or to lie down in certain places. Don’t do anything that can make your dog distressed. Try to use verbal communication, hand movements and the use of prizes in your purposes.

Organization

Dogs are routine animals and take on the organization very well. You will have to set a schedule for the walk and for food, so that the animal can be situated and feel comfortable. We may think this is not important, but the truth is that it is one of the most effective ways to get our new partner used to settling into their new home.