Introducing A New Dog Into The Family: How To Prepare Before They Arrive
It can be easy to imagine that your new dog will immediately adapt to their new family and become instant best friends with everyone they meet. As much as we’d hope, it doesn’t actually work that way, your dog will need time to adjust and settle into their new home.
How can you aid this process? While it is ultimately down to your dog’s particular characteristics and temperament, there are a few steps you can take to ease their transition and make their introduction to the family smooth and seamless. Let’s find out more.
Make Sure Your Home Is Safe
There’s nothing a dog loves more than to run around and explore. However, in their excitement they can often forget about their own personal safety and get themselves into dangerous or risky situations. Before your new dog arrives home, you must take steps to ensure that your house is as safe as possible. Look out for any sharp edges or corners that your dog could run into, and clear away loose cables and wires to avoid them getting chewed. If you have a garden, you’ll need to secure that as well. Look out for holes in the fence or hedge that your dog could easily fit through and escape.
While items such as houseplants might appear innocent, certain types can cause serious health problems for dogs including digestive issues, organ failure and in some instances can lead to death. Amongst the most dangerous plants for dogs include the Sago palm, Castor Bean and American Yew. You can visit ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control’s list of poisonous plants and flowers for an exhaustive list of poisonous plants and flowers.
Despite your best efforts, you might find that your dog is determined to get injured anyway. This is why it’s so important to get pet insurance. Check out the dog insurance options from Petgevity, they can cover any vet fees you could be faced with should your dog require treatment.
Set Them Aside A Private Space
Before your dog feels comfortable enough to explore their new surroundings, they might have to spend some time by themselves to settle and adjust. Before you bring your dog home for the first time, set them aside a private space where they can be alone and hide if they feel the need to. This should be a quiet room that isn’t used much and where your dog will not be disturbed.
Make sure you have everything your dog needs in this room so that they don’t have to leave if they don’t want to. This should include things like their water bowl, food bowl, bed, and toys. If you can, take some things from your dog’s previous owner, such as food, blankets, or toys. The familiar smells and sights will make your dog feel much more comfortable and should hopefully shorten the adjustment period.
Introduce People Slowly
If you have a large family, it might not be the best idea to introduce everyone to your dog all at once. While some dogs might love all the attention they’re getting, some might feel overwhelmed or frightened and could lash out and bite. Not only will this be upsetting for your family, but it will be traumatic for your dog and will give them a bad impression of their new home straight away.
The best approach is to introduce members of the family gradually. Don’t surround your dog, instead let them come to everyone himself when they feel comfortable enough to do so. This way you will avoid overstimulating them and making them feel afraid of their new family.
Conclusion
Bringing a new dog home for the first time is incredibly exciting. However, you need to prepare things properly to ensure the transition is smooth and that they settle into their new life quickly and easily. Make sure your home is safe and free of potential hazards, set your dog aside in a private space, and introduce members of your family slowly.
