Pet Assistance League

Getting off to a Good Start

Prepared by Kim Smith, Accredited Pet Trainer

So, you've just brought a PAL dog home with you -- or maybe you're doing your homework before you do so. There are several things that can help make your dog's transition into her new family easier and more pleasant for all of you -- for four legged family members, too, not just for those of you who walk on two.

One of the first things to remember in your dog's first days home is that the new people, new smells, new toys -- just about everything -- in the new environment may overwhelm her.

You probably thought about adopting a pet for some time, but your dog only learned about a new family the day you brought her home. So, as eager as you may be to show her off, please allow a few days of quiet, "at-home" activities to give your pet time to adjust.

Let her get to know her new family before you start taking her places or inviting all your friends over. Give your dog an opportunity to relax, explore and learn about your routine. Remember, you have your dog's entire lifetime to hold her, pet her and play with her. You don't have to squeeze all that in on the first day.

It there are children in your home, they will be very eager to meet the new family member. Be aware that the younger the child, the more likely he or she is to interact with the dog in an excited way. (Young children tend to have higher-pitched voices and to move in unpredictable ways.) A younger dog or puppy will interpret this as an invitation to play, the same way it did with its littermates. Because puppies play with their teeth (ouch!), it might not be an enjoyable first meeting. Be sure to supervise a child's first meeting with your dog -- and remember, no dog should ever be left unsupervised with a very young child. Teach your children how to talk calmly to the dog and teach your dog to be calm as well.

A second thing to remember, for younger dogs and puppies (especially puppies less than four months old), is the need to complete a full series of immunizations. If your new dog or puppy hasn't had its "booster shots", he shouldn't be in environments that other dogs visit (such as dog parks, or stores that allow pets). When they are weaned, puppies begin losing all the immunities they had while nursing. A mere "first round" of vaccines is not enough to protect your puppy from diseases that can kill him or cripple him for life.

You can see that it is not worth exposing your unprotected puppy to any environments likely to have "dog germs". If you have to take him to a place where other dogs go (to the vet's, for example, or through a public park), keep him off the floor or ground. (A sick dog can leave germs behind, and those germs can often live on long after the dog is gone.)

Once your dog is fully protected (your vet can tell you), you can safely start taking your puppy to different places and letting him socialize with other dogs and other pets.

Even though dogs are very social "pack animals", your new pet needs a place to call its own. Giver her a crate or bed of her own, preferably in a corner where she can still see you. Remember, this is your dog's "safe spot" when she's in it, please leave her alone. Just as we humans need a safe spot when things are too much to bear, so too does your new pet.

Maybe this is your second dog, or third. (For some of us, it's like potato chips; you can't have just one.) If you do have another dog in your home already, expect a period of adjustment for all pets. After all, humans don't become best friends just because they've been thrown into a room together, and neither do dogs.

Provide separate food bowls until you see how the dogs get along. You may also want to double up on favored toys. (No matter what one dog is playing with, the toy the other dog has is always more appealing.)

Don't be surprised if your "first" dog suddenly forgets old training. He wants attention, too; going over old training will be good for you both. You may even see a step backwards in potty training. Be patient; this is when your dog needs your love the most. Be willing to go back and re-teach your rules.

Before you know it, your new dog will be a welcome member of your family - once you teach him the rules of the house. After all, he was born knowing only the rules of Nature.