What to expect from a shelter pup

September 2nd, 2008

Adopting from a shelter is a great choice! There are many dogs that need and deserve loving homes. When you bring your new pooch home, there may be a period of adjustment. Depending on the dog, there may be issues that arise that do not necessarily fit with your daily lifestyle. Getting accustomed to a new dog takes time and patience, so don’t give up before you try!

Just because a dog is at a shelter, does not mean that he is a bad dog. Instead, the previous owner was unable to take care of him for one reason or another. However, there is a chance that the dog will exhibit behavior problems as a result of his previous environment. For instance, a dog that was rescued from an animal hoarder may show neglect or anxiety issues. Which leads me to my first point: never get angry with the dog for associating his new home with a past experience. Instead, provide a comfortable, loving home to get him back on track. You can feel rest assured knowing that a shelter will not allow you to adopt an unhealthy or overly aggressive pooch. Below are a few tips to make the transition and beginning stages a bit easier.

Let your pooch sniff things out. When he arrives at your home he may be overwhelmed with all the new sights and sounds. Let him take however much time he needs to get accustomed to his new situation. If he wants to sit in the corner, then allow him to sit in the corner. By letting him get comfortable and not forcing any extra stress upon him, you are helping him deal with his anxiousness and helping to keep his anxiety to a minimum.

Be realistic. It’s highly unlikely that you are going to leave the shelter with a perfectly trained, well-behaved pooch. The fact is that, prior to you, he may not have received much love or attention. It’s up to you to start him on a proper training program just as you would any other pooch. It’s also up to you to teach him the house rules, which leads me to my next point…

Don’t take it personally. When you arrive home, if the first thing your pooch does is urinate on your floor, don’t worry about it. The worst thing you can do is punish him right off the bat. Remember that he may not have had any rules or training prior to you, so he really just doesn’t know any better; he isn’t doing it out of spite.

Take some responsibility. If your new dog goes straight for your favorite plant, then come up with ways to keep the plant away from the dog until you can get the training started. In other words, don’t ask for an unnecessary situation. If your dog shows certain behaviors from the beginning, then realize that the behaviors will persist until you take responsibility.

Balance out the training. Just because he likes to eat your socks does not mean that he should not be able to leave his crate. Yes, a training program should be started, but it should also be started slowly. Your pet is going through a pretty significant change; the last thing he needs is cruel or harsh punishment and strict training. Give him a few days or a couple of weeks to get accustomed to his new life, while slowly introducing the training.

Enjoy the new company. Maybe your new dog won’t be perfectly trained or maybe he won’t understand what you want from him, but he will be a great companion. In the beginning, keep him on a leash when you walk. Play with him and brush him daily. The little segments of time that the two of you spend together will help create a strong bond between you and your pooch.

Bringing a pet home from a shelter is a great idea! He will be happy and grateful for what you have done. Being happy about your new pooch is inevitable, but you must also remain realistic in the situation. Remember that he may not have had training or rules before going home with you, so don’t expect him to be perfectly well-behaved. Instead, take time slowly easing him into training, while spending quality time with him. Before you know it, the two of you will be best friends!

Article courtesy of Pet-Super-Store.com where you can find dog beds, dog crate pads and dog car seat covers.

Entry Filed under: Pet Health

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