Start your new pup or dog off right
Whether you’re bringing home a puppy or an adult dog, preparation is the key to success and avoidable frustrations.
Our lives have a way of changing over time, and a dog who fit perfectly into your lifestyle a decade ago may be quite different from the most appropriate canine companion for you now.
For instance, my husband and I are 12 years older than when we adopted our dog Daisy as a puppy, and when and if the time comes where we want to bring home a new dog, we will likely look for a middle-aged or even senior dog who is more likely to match our lifestyle and walking pace!
As another example, I often work with people who have always had large dogs but who now no longer have the physical ability to manage a large dog on leash, or who now have toddlers and can’t devote time to a puppy who will have considerable training, attention, and energy needs.
I can help to bring all that to light in a nonjudgmental way and while dogs are all individuals, you want to bring home a joy, not a frustration.
Thirty years ago I brought home this sweet girl, Patsy, of whom I have fond memories but few good photos.
I got lots of bad advice from self-proclaimed dog expert friends about how to settle her into her new home with me.
Prep for success
When I adopted and brought Patsy, above, home from the MSPCA in Boston, I had no idea what to do with her. A friend who was a “dog expert” told me to buy a crate, bring Patsy home, put her in it, and then leave the house to get her “used to it.”
So that’s what I did. And I was so nervous.
What a bad idea. It neither felt good to me, nor in any way got her used to being in a crate. She had an accident in it and never went into a crate again. Naturally while I listened to that person’s “advice” from time to time, I never followed it. I was fortunate to find a great local rewards-based trainer.
I only wish I had known what to do ahead of time!
Whether you’re waiting for a puppy from a breeder or browsing for adult dogs on rescue websites, I can help you plan so you bring home a joy — not a frustration. In my pre-pup counseling session we discuss:
Considerations before you even start looking for a puppy or dog — your lifestyle and home setup (do you travel often? will you need to build a fence? are you planning to have a baby?)
What to expect when your new buddy comes home
Setting up your home for house-training, chew training, and alone time training before they become problems
How to introduce your new buddy to other household animal companions
Ensuring any new dog will fit your lifestyle
Safety (and fun) with children and dogs
Current best practices in canine gear, exercise, enrichment, training, and containment needs
Puppies will have different needs right off the bat than an adult dog.
But even adult dogs will benefit from learning house rules such as where to “go,” what they can chew, where to sleep, and so forth.
Time and research marches on
I know I have both fond and inaccurate memories of life with my childhood dog. If your last puppy or dog was years ago, you might be surprised to learn how much has changed since then.
Even dogs I adopted as an adult 20 years ago were trained and related to very differently than the dogs I currently live with and the client dogs I work with today.
This is in a great part due to decades of work by canine behavior researchers on how dogs best learn, advances in dog training gear, the enormous benefits of enrichment feeding, and so on. (Does your trainer keep up with canine research? They should!)