Bringing a new dog into your home is an incredibly exciting time, but for dogs, it can be one of the scariest times! We’ve put together our top tips for getting your new dog settled into your home – whether it’s a puppy or an older rescue dog.
Firstly, it’s important for you to set your end goals. Think about how you want to spend your life with this dog and the boundaries and the behaviours you’ll need to teach your dog to achieve that. It’s a lot easier to set these rules from day one than it is to change them afterwards.
From the first day, it is important to establish a routine. This includes things like toilet times, feeding, sleeping, exercise and of course general boundaries and rules for the dog. Will they be allowed on the couch? In the kitchen? Do they need to sit before their dinner? Where will they sleep? Where do they need to toilet? Of course, be patient if your dog or puppy doesn’t know these skills yet. These are just goals to work towards.
Remember: some behaviours are cute as puppies- but will it be as cute when they’re fully grown?
Create a safe place they can retreat to when they need rest or are just feeling overwhelmed such as a crate with some soft bedding in a quiet corner of the room, or a room of their own.
Do you have other pets?
When introducing your new dog to an existing dog, it’s best to do this in neutral territory. If you have a cat, ensure your cat also has an area of the house it can retreat to if it’s feeling threatened.
Be sure to have one-on-one time with each of your pets daily.
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