Acclimating your new dog to your home
A lot of dogs arrive in homes around especially the holiday season and whilst we have a picture in our mind of how it’s going to be with this new pooch present, reality can be far from that picture.
New sights, smells, sounds, people and rules is what your new dog gets whether an adult or a pup. Fern helps to explain why it is best to gradually increase your dog’s freedoms and liberties rather that just giving him the run of the place in the very beginning.
Toileting accidents inside the house can still happen with a new adult dog even if he’s housetrained simply because he’s in a new environment. Dogs of any age can break the rules because we haven’t shown them yet. We need to supervise and help guide them to live successfully with us so they can have a happy life. He also discusses the importance and value of crate training.
Once a settling in period has passed you are likely to see your dog’s true personality and traits as he feels confident to relax and recognizes this new place as ‘home’. You can begin to observe any of his sensitivities and you get to establish yourself as the provider of resources.
‘Ferndog’ has a fabulous podcast to guide you on how to proceed when a new dog has come to live with you.
Leah & Angela OMeara
Hound Dog Day Care (Specialists in Dog Minding & Dog Boarding, Pet Sitting Brisbane & Doggy Day Care Brisbane)