Bringing a new pet home can be an exciting part of your life. The only problem with it is that you may not know how to properly care for your pet. This is especially true for dogs who take a lot of work and a lot of time out of your day to make them truly happy. You may be wondering how to handle your first dog if you’ve never had one before, or you may be looking for some tips to help your new dog adjust to its home. Either way, we are here to help you out with caring for your first dog.
Getting Ready
Before you take on any challenge you should always research into it and make sure you’re truly ready to do it. With dogs, you’re going to need a lot of different supplies to get you started and if you’re not properly prepared you may feel overwhelmed at first. Wanting to own a new dog means you should really look into the breed needs of the dog you are debating adopting. Some breeds are better suited for certain lifestyles than the others. If you pick a breed with lots of exercise needs but you don’t have much time to go outside or exercise then that dog generally isn’t going to be happy in your home. On the flip side, if you’re looking for a buddy to work out with then you may not want to get a breed that prefers to lay around all the time instead of going for a run.
Next, you’re going to want to make sure you have everything you need to properly take care of your dog. You’re going to need things like toys for them to chew on, food and water bowls, and some money set aside to take them to their first few vet visits. You also need to make sure to have them a leash and a collar with their name on it just in case they run off and get lost. If you’re bringing home a puppy then try to get some puppy pads in order to make the process of housebreaking your pet a lot more smoother. Also, be sure to look around your area to see if there are any trainers available just in case you need extra help with your dog. Make sure to have all this information on hand by the time you bring your dog, you’re going to need to be well prepared to take care of them in the best way possible.
Now you need to figure out just where you want your dog to spend most of their time. Do you want your dog to be an inside dog that sleeps with you at night or do you want to put them outside to ward off Intruders? You need to figure out where you’re going to keep your dog and make sure that the area is properly prepared for them. You can’t keep a dog in a small cage all day and expect them to be healthy. Dogs need lots of room to roam around, stretch out, and play. You also need to make sure that if you’re keeping them inside your house is dog proof. This means that things that they can chew up need to come off the floor and you can’t just leave things around that can be hazardous to them. Animals sadly will get a lot of things they’re not supposed to and even things as simple as houseplants can be toxic to them.
Once There Home
Once your dog is home you’re going to want to make sure that they get adjusted properly. Generally, the rule is to give them 3 days to get used to the fact that they’ve moved. Afterwards, however, it could take up to 3 months for your dog to be totally adjusted to their new home and settle into their full personality. The thing is that what you may see out of the first few weeks of the dog isn’t necessarily the way their personality actually is. This is because your new pet is still dealing with the effects of them settling into their new home. This, of course, is less common in puppies or young dogs that haven’t moved around a lot. If you do it up the older dog though be sure to watch out for any signs of severe depression like and not eating or drinking for long periods of time.
Make sure to be gentle around your dog. While you probably want to hug and cuddle your dog right away be sure to give them some space to adjust. Many pet owners make the mistake of trying to force their animals into feeling secure when it’s just not possible for them to Yet. Give your dog lots of space and always make sure he has clean food and water available. Don’t force a bath on him or try to put him in training within his first week home. This can just make your new pet feel very uncomfortable and break trust with you early on. Once trust is broken it’s going to be a lot harder to earn it back than if it was slowly established overtime in the first place.
Growing Together
As you and your dog spend more time together you will learn what their specific needs are. Pay attention to around what times they have to go to the bathroom or what times they seem to get the most hungry. By watching your new dog and learning about them you can get down a perfect schedule that works for the both of you. Once you get the schedule down things will be quite peaceful in your home. While the first few weeks of owning a new dog may be rough, remember that you’re both adjusting to the new life together and everything gets better with time. If you’re having any issues with your dogs take professional help instead of just taking them back, a lot of the types of problems like housebreaking and obedience training can easily be worked out with a few classes.
