Welcome Home
Whether you bring home a puppy or adult dog, set them up for success from the start
Spring means new puppies and dogs in the home, and a canine companion comes with a lot to think about. Even if you’ve had dogs before, each dog — even of the same breed or from the same breeder — is an individual and may settle into your home differently.
About your canine companion
Puppies and dogs come with pre-installed behaviors: urinating and defecating when they feel the urge, chewing anything they can put in their mouths, whining, crying and barking if left alone, eating any food they find (and NON-food items!), greeting by jumping up, and play-biting all living things.
Annoying as these can be, these are all normal behaviors. Here’s how to start your new pup or dog off right in those first few weeks.
Supervise all the time
This lets you gently interrupt housetraining lapses as they start, and redirect the dog to the right place. Tether her harness to you with a leash or set up a puppy-proofed area with toys and a cozy bed.
Our puppy Daisy’s “enrichment/housetraining” zone. She’s on leash (tucked under a chair leg) so she can’t wander off and have an accident. She has a Treat ‘n Train to reward her for being on her mat, and a Kong food toy nearby.
She’s choosing to lay on the rug and that’s A-OK!
When you can’t supervise, confine your dog
Use baby gates or x-pen dividers to dog-proof an area, to make clean-up and supervision easier. Never leave your dog behind a closed door, or tethered to something when you're not supervising.
Help him make good choices
Provide a variety of chew toys (dogs have preferences), praise her when she uses them, and pick up/put away items you don’t want her to chew.
Don’t reward barking
Get him used to being alone by going out multiple times for very short periods the first few days you have him, all done matter-of-factly. Teach him to love his crate by putting treats and toys in there for him to discover. Never force a dog into a crate.
Burn your dog’s physical and mental energy
Teach him his name with treats, play fetch and tug, get him out daily for long-leash walks and runs, visit new places, and take him to play with well-matched dogs. If you work long hours, hire a dog-walker or take him to daycare. This way you come home to a happy, tired dog.
Give her time to settle in
I know — you want everyone to meet your new pup, but give him time to develop a routine in his new home. Always go at your pup’s pace. If he seems hesitant to greet people, give him space away from them.
A puppy’s #1 need, besides love
“Socialization” is more than puppies learning to get along with people and other dogs.
Research shows that there is a short window in a puppy’s life, usually up to 16 weeks, in which they are most receptive to learning that all the weird, new, and noisy aspects of our modern world are safe. Enroll your pup in private sessions or in a well-run puppy class that focuses on making these strong positive associations, rather than teaching manners. Your pup can learn to sit any time.
Socializing an adult dog
When you bring an adult dog home, don’t presume he'll be friendly with all people, even if he took to you quickly.
The rule: Nobody should reach for or touch your dog if your dog hasn’t moseyed up to them first. This approach by your dog is called “pro-social” behavior, and is in contrast to anti-social behavior (fight or flight) and the less obvious “asocial” behavior, which is a dog giving you no read: no wagging and approaching but no fight or flight either.
If your new rescue dog is pro-social to all groups, first celebrate and then think about maintenance. Get him out regularly, and avoid bad experiences. Some dogs “de-socialize” if they are allowed to get rusty.
If he’s not pro-social, engage a credentialed trainer who can come up with a behavior and management plan.
Now, teach those good manners
Work with a credentialed, rewards-based trainer to help teach your new friend good manners, which builds a lifetime of clear, positive communication between you and your dog. No rewards-based trainer near you? No problem! Many trainers have online sessions.