New Dog Owners Success Guide
Congratulations on adopting your new family member!
Making the decision to adopt a dog does not come easily. We know you have thought carefully about the responsibility and commitment of nurturing your new family member. Your dedication in the next few months will bring years of faithful companionship, joy, and unconditional love.
Your first few days and weeks may be challenging for both you and your new dog. Be patient, consistent and loving, but be a leader as well! The more structure you give your dog in the first few weeks the more your dog will easily adjust to his new home. Anxiety will be reduced when your dog can predict his environment and what is expected of him/her.
Be sure the home environment is stress free and calm when you arrive with the dog. Show him right away where to eliminate outside and give him lots of praise when he goes to the bathroom outside of the house.
Always keep an eye on your new dog to keep him out of trouble. It is our job to ensure success and we bare sole responsibility for the transition into the home. If your dog is ok with going into a crate then use this to confine your new dog for short periods (no longer than 4 hours) of time when you cannot watch your new pet. If you use a crate ensure it is big enough to stand up, turn around and lie down again. In addition, always use a treats when encouraging your dog into a crate and ensure your dog goes to the bathroom before being put in a crate and when let out.
Start right away with teaching your dog appropriate behavior. Do not wait to let him "settle in" because often times they come with behaviors we do not like, which is why they ended up at the shelter. It takes approximately 4 weeks for a dog to bond with a new owner, so now is the time to begin establishing boundaries and leadership.
As soon as you bring your dog home, immediately take him to his elimination spot outside and give him a command to go to the bathroom. Once he has eliminated then you can bring him into the home and let him check things out.
Once he has settled a bit, then you want to begin doing some quick departures and arrivals so he gets used to you coming and going. Just step outside of the house and close the door for a few seconds, then coma back into the house. Repeat this exercise at least 10 times increasing the duration working up to 5 minutes. This will teach him that you will always come back after you leave. Be very casual about departures and arrivals. Do not make a big fuss about coming and going. Ignore your dog until after s/he has calmed down.
- When you are out, leave the TV or radio on low volume for comforting background noise.
- ALWAYS supervise children in the presence of the new dog. Never leave them alone together for at least a few months.
- Don't let your dog off leash until your dog has perfect recall and will come back to you EVERY time.
Also, don't take your dog out to the dog park until you have established how s/he reacts to other dogs - Usually a month or more. Dog parks can be difficult for dogs. Instead set up a few "playdates" with one or two dogs at your home or theirs. Introduce the dogs by going for a long walk first and seek professional help if you are unsure of how it will go.
A little bit about dog psychology….
How a dog thinks:
Dogs are social animals and need daily affection and attention. They also need to know what is expected of them so they can succeed in making the right choice. You can teach a dog appropriate behavior through proper leadership as a dog owner. You do not need to be "dominant" because this will break down your relationship with your dog. You need to be a good leader by teaching your dog that appropriate behaviors earn rewards and inappropriate behaviors do not. You want to create a cooperative relationship with your dog based on respect and trust.
It is imperative that you establish yourself as the leader by shaping your dog's behavior in a positive way using whatever motivates your dog, such as food, affection or play. The dog will begin to be less fearful of new experiences because it does not have to rely on itself for its own safety. That is now your job as the leader!
The dog will begin to be less fearful of new experiences because it does not have to rely on itself for its own safety. That is now your job as the leader!
Learn to lead:
A good leader does not need to be frightening or violent in order to get compliance from a dog. A leader needs to guide their dog and create an environment where they can succeed and make few mistakes. By using the following training guidelines, you will establish yourself as the leader in a loving and non-threatening way.
Teach your dog to ask for things:
- Say please for meals: By making your dog sit and then releasing him with a "Fido, OK!" before he eats reinforces the fact that you are the leader. Do not allow him to free feed or dive into the food without your OK or he will think he is in control. You can also take it to the next level by hand feeding him/her.
- Say please to go outside: Before going for a walk, have the dog sit, then put his collar and leash on, and then open the door. Do not allow the dog to move unless you release him with the "Fido, OK!", to let him go outside.
- Say please for treats: Ask the dog to sit before getting a treat. Only do this when you are NOT doing a formal training session. Training should be done with praise as the only reward.
- Say please for a greeting: When your dog runs to greet you, have him sit before touching him. If he tries to jump on you, say "No!" and turn your back on him (don't push him away with your hands as hands represent affection). If he sits, the say "Good dog!" and turn back to greet him. Keep repeating this until he sits politely to be greeted.
- Say please for attention: This reduces the possibility of a dog jumping on you during greetings.
Thank you to Amber Cottle for assistance with this handout!
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