Adopting a Dog From the Animal Shelter
You visited an animal shelter and fell in love with a cute puppy. You’re ready to bring him home, but before you do, there are a few things you should keep in mind to help your new pet adjust to his forever home.
First Week With Your New Puppy
You need to show your dog that you are in charge and there are specific rules to follow. This will make the transition from the shelter to your home easier and more rewarding. To help set order, hold a family meeting to discuss the rules about caring for the puppy. Buy essential dog care items such as a collar, leash, food, toys, ID tag, crate, bedding, and grooming tools. When you bring your dog home, limit him to one room. A crate is an ideal place for your puppy to sleep and adjust to his new surroundings. Next, take your dog to the vet for a checkup to ensure he is healthy and cannot transmit diseases to other dogs.
Introducing Your New Puppy to an Older Dog
If you have older dogs at home, having a new puppy in the house will throw them off. You should keep the new pup isolated from the adult dogs. When you’re ready to make the introduction, choose an unfamiliar location, like a park or a street you don’t often visit. For a puppy four months and younger, have someone who is not a family member hold him, then let your adult dog take a good sniff.
Some Rescue Dogs Are Already Trained
Many animals in the shelters are already trained and housebroken. This is due to the hard-working volunteers and caregivers who provide obedience training and use foster homes to help the dogs socialize with children and other animals. In addition, the dogs who already lived in a home have gotten to know the household rules like going outside to use the bathroom and not jumping onto furniture.
Planning a Dog-Friendly Schedule
How much time your new puppy needs depends on the breed, age, training, other people and pets in your home, and your lifestyle. The first step to planning a dog-friendly schedule is to really think about your daily routine. Decide how much free time a day you are willing to devote to the attention, training, and care of your new puppy in the next few months, and eventually, the lifetime of that dog. Dogs vary in their time requirements, ranging from an already-trained and mellow adult dog to a high-energy puppy. Be prepared to spend about 3 to 4 hours a day with an adult dog and about 4 to 5 hours with a high-energy puppy who needs training.
Preparing a Budget for an Adopted Dog
Giving time, love, and attention to your new dog is free. However, there are other costs that are associated with the adoption. Knowing beforehand how much your new pet will cost you will help you be better prepared. There is usually an adoption fee. The one-time fee can range from $50 to $150 or more. If your dog is not already spayed or neutered, you will need to pay to get it done, in addition to vaccines and all required medical care. Essential items like food, collar, leash, bed, tags, toys, and grooming all add up as well.
The highest cost is the food, which depends on the breed and size of the dog. To help you prepare for the cost, ask the shelter what they are feeding the dog. Other expenses include regular vet checkups and the potential emergency trip to the vet due to an illness or accident. And finally, if you plan to go on a trip, you may want to look into doggie daycare.
Watch YouTube Video: How to Prep for a Rescue Dog. The following video explains how to prepare to bring your rescue dog home and what to expect on the first night.
Dog Bite Lawyer in North Highlands, CA
I’m Ed Smith, a North Highlands dog bite attorney. While there are many great benefits to owning a dog, they are still animals and sometimes bite. An injury from a dog bite wound can cause infections and other complications. If you or a family member has been bitten by a dog, please call our law firm today at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly advice.
We are proud members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the National Association of Distinguished Counsel.
See our verdicts and settlements, as well as our client reviews on Avvo, Yelp, and Google.
Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash
cha llo [cs 782] bw