Bringing Your New Dog Home
The Humane Society of the United States

So you've taken the plunge and adopted a dog of your own. Congratulations!

But what do you do now? No doubt you're excited and looking forward to forging a lifelong friendship with your new buddy. But try to keep in mind the confusion he is feeling right now. Whatever his past history, coming home with you is a new experience. He is likely to be a little disoriented, wondering where he is and who all these new people are.

The key to helping your new dog make a successful adjustment to your home is being prepared and being patient. It can take anywhere from two days to two months for you and your pet to adjust to each other.

The following tips can help ensure a smooth transition:

Supplies.
Prepare the things your dog will need in advance. You'll need a collar and leash; bowls for food and water, food, and of course, toys. Don't forget to order an identification tag right away.

Welcome Home.
Try to arrange the arrival of your new dog for a weekend or when you can be home for a few days. Get to know each other and send some quality time together. Don't forget the jealousy factor-make sure you don't neglect other pets and people in your household!

The Veterinarian
Animal shelters take in animals with widely varying backgrounds, some of whom have not been vaccinated. Inevitably, despite the best efforts of shelter workers, viruses can be spread and may occasionally go home
with adopted animals. If you already have dogs or cats at home, make sure they are up-to-date on their shots and in good general health before introducing your new pet dog.

Take your new dog to the veterinarian within a week after adoption for a health check and needed vaccinations. If your dog has not been spayed or neutered, make that appointment! There are already far too many homeless puppies and dogs; don't let your new pet add to the problem.

Most likely, the shelter will require that you have your pet spayed or neutered. If you need more information about why it is so important to spay or neuter your dog, please ask at the Shelter, or refer to our Spay/Neuter section.

House Rules.
Work out your dog-care regimen in advance among the human members of your household. Who will walk the dog first thing in the morning? Who will feed him at night? Will Fido be allowed on the couch or won't he? Where will he rest at night? Are there any rooms in the house that are off-limits?

Training and Discipline
Dogs need order. Remember, they are pack animals, so make yourself the "pack leader". Let your pet know from the start who is the boss. When you catch him doing something he shouldn't, don't lose your cool. Stay calm, and let him know immediately, in a loud and disapproving voice, that he was bad. Reward him with praise when he does well, too! Sign up for a local obedience class, and youll learn what a joy it is to have a well trained dog.

Housetraining
Assume your new dog is not housetrained, and work from there. Read over the housebreaking information given to you at the time of adoption. Be consistent, and maintain a routine! A little extra effort on your part to come home straight from work each day will pay off in easier, faster housetraining.

Crating
The crate is SUCH a asset to housetraining that I can't imagine how a dog possibly gets through housetraining at all without one. At least, without getting yelled at by frustrated owners! A crate may look to you like the canine equivalent of a jail cell, but to your dog, who instinctively likes to den, it's a room of his own. Our oldest dog spent half of his first first years in there, BY CHOICE. He napped, slept, and looked out the patio window from inside his "door-wide-open" crate until we finally took it down around 2 years of age.

It makes housebreaking and training easier and saves your dog from the headache of being yelled at unnecessarily for problem behavior. Of course, you won't want to crate your dog all day or all night, or he will consider it a jail cell. Just a few, regular hours a day (but no more than 4 hours at a time) should be sufficient. Collars should not be worn inside he crate, because you don't want the collar to get caught on the crate. see crate training for more information.

Let the Games Begin!
Dogs need an active life. That means you should plan plenty of exercise and game time for your pet. Enjoy jogging or Frisbee? You can bet your dog will, too. If running around the park is too energetic for your taste, try throwing a ball or a stick, or just going for a long walk together. When you take a drive in the country or visit family and friends, bring your dog and a leash along!

A Friend for Life
Finally, be reasonable in your expectations. Life with you is a different experience for your new companion, so give him time to adjust. You'll soon find out that you've made a friend for life. No one will ever greet you with as much enthusiasm or provide you with as much unqualified love and loyalty as your dog will. Be patient, and you will be amply rewarded.