You Have To Give Them Time!

Last year I blogged about giving your new dog time when you get them home, however, it is something that I feel should be repeated over and over..... The weeks that follow getting your new dog are vital, and most importantly you have to give them time. You have to get to know each other, and what you do in those first few days will lay the foundation for your new life together.

You have to imagine how your dog feels they may have been in kennels for a while, they may be sad, confused, and trying to work out what the hell is going on. They may have had to fend for themselves on the streets, and everything you are now expecting of them is strange. Although their life has now changed for the better, and you have offered them an amazing home, if you do not give them time it could end in disaster.

Everything is new to your dog, not only the surroundings, the people, the food, but also the language, their routine, and everything they have known is gone. You need to think ahead to make sure that you offer everything they need to transition smoothly. This will take TIME and patience, and in many cases a sense of humor too.

We always say to people, please let your new dog settle, and decompress when they arrive, they need time to work out at they are safe, loved, and not going anywhere again. How long this takes does vary from dog to dog, but dont give up on them at the first hurdle, or I will be pissed off. Your dog will take a minimum of a week to settle, and with gentle guidance, exercise, and bonding time, you can make this so much easier.

Please dont rush to bath your dog, yes they smell but throwing them straight into a bath will cause your dog to panic, and wonder what the hell is going on. Also don't rush the introductions to family and friends, make sure your dog is comfortable with you, before sharing them. All introductions with both animals and people needs to be done slowly, and calmly.

Some dogs adjust really quickly to home life and others take longer, on average it can take up to eight weeks. Therefore, asking us to take the dog back after a week is not going to go down well. You have to consider everything before adopting including if you are prepared to be patient, and give this new member of your family time to settle. If you had a new born baby and it cried every day after coming home from the hospital, would you take it back? exactly, so why is your new dog any different.....