When you adopt a dog or buy a puppy, you need to bring them back to your home. Sounds simple, right? Well, not necessarily. The dog will need to adjust to the new surroundings and that’s not something that just happens by itself. As the new owner of the dog, you will need to take steps to ensure the settling in period goes as smoothly as it can.
There are lots of things that can be done to make sure that your dog settles quickly and doesn’t get exposed to any more stress than is necessary. So read on now to find out more about what you can and should do to make sure your dog settles in your home as quickly and smoothly as possible.
7 TIPS FOR HELPING A NEW DOG ADJUST TO YOUR HOME
1 – When Meeting New People, Don’t Make the Dog Feel Trapped
Dogs quickly meet new people when they move into new homes. Your partner and children, as well as anyone else who might live in the home, will all meet the dog at some point. But when this happens, you need to be very careful about how you go about making it happen. In particular, you should make sure they don’t feel enclosed or trapped because that’s when they can get stressed and even lash out at people. It’s best to do this in open rooms or outdoors.
2 – Let Them Explore Outside
Speaking of outdoors, you need to let your dog get used to the garden and outdoor areas around your home as much as the indoor space. This is their new territory and they need the chance to get familiar with it as quickly as possible. They’ll want to sniff around, scout it out and mark it as theirs. You should give them the time and opportunity to do this because it’s an important part of the process for a dog moving into a new space.
3 – If They Have Any, Be Sure to Take Treasured Toys and Comfort Items
If you are adopting a dog and they already have certain items that they’ve had for a long time or even since birth, you should make these items part of the transition.
Also, if they have the toys they’re familiar with and the blanket they sleep on, it can help them feel less stressed when moving into a new space. It’s that little extra comfort they need when getting to a new home, so don’t ignore the importance of this.
4 – Fix a Regular Schedule for Them
Having a proper schedule in place is definitely important, and it’s what you should be looking to do as soon as possible. Dogs like habit and routine, so they should have a rough idea of when they will eat their meals and go for walks during the day. The sooner you can set this in stone for them, the sooner they will start to settle in the home.
5 – Arrange to Stay at Home with Them, to Begin With
If you’re usually at work, you should see if you can organize some time off to spend with your new dog in the home. Leaving them alone when they’re stressed and anxious about being in a new place is never a good idea. They could get even more frightened and stressed by themselves, so it’s best to stay with them if you can for the first week or so.
6 – Begin Training ASAP
As soon as your dog is ready, you should begin training because this will give them the structure and discipline they need to remain happy and free of stress in their new home. Dogs that aren’t trained lack those things and can really suffer as a result. You should look to begin puppy training process at the earliest opportunity to ensure your dog gets to where it needs to be as soon as possible.
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7 – Allow Them Time to Adjust
Finally, you need to remember that it’s important to simply be patient and give your dog the time he or she needs to adjust to the new surroundings. It’s not something that is necessarily going to come about after one night. It can take time for some dogs, and for others, it can happen very quickly indeed. Either way, try to be there to help them through the process of settling into the new place.
Final Thoughts on Welcoming Your New Dog
A new dog coming into a new home is always going to be tricky, and it might not be much fun at all, to begin with. But if you give your dog the time and help they need to settle in, it’ll all be worth it for you in the long-term. Your dog will be happier and more comfortable in your home sooner if you make the most of the tips discussed here.
Thank you to our contributors for these tips. It’s so important that we know how to help a newly-adopted dog put his best paw forward!
Despite freelancing to make a living, her love is "all things home."
Deborah grew up in a family that grew a large vegetable garden and a fruit orchard, helping her parents pull weeds and can home-grown foods as part of her childhood. In fact, she had no idea that she could purchase veggies and fruits in pre-packed steel cans until she went to college and made a food run.
Today, she lives in Bertie County, North Carolina, an agricultural rural area with more chickens than people. She lives with her husband and two rescue pets a sweet toy fox terrier and a cat who showed up one day and moved into the house. Together, they enjoy DIY projects, furniture refinishing, gardening, and canning.
This blog celebrates all things home.
