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| Bringing a New Dog Home
When you purchase a new puppy, or bring a new dog into your home, there are a few guidelines you should follow to insure that your new dog will go through as little stress as possible in the transition. Just changing homes will add stress, so you do not want to add any more if it can be helped.
For starters, find out what brand of dog food the dog or puppy has been eating. If you want to switch over to your choice of dog food brands, that will be fine, but buy a small bag of the food it is used to to start with. Gradually start switching it over by mixing in a little bit of your food in with its regular food, and adding a little more of yours each day and a little less of what it is used to, until you are feeding it yours completely. Imagine if you were used to being on a certain type of diet, but you move to a different place and find that none of what you need for your diet is there, so you have to switch automatically to a new diet. It would mess up your routine and your body, because you are adjusted to the original diet and did not get a chance to become adjusted to the new one. It works the same way for animals, including your new dog. Take at least a week, if possible, to switch over. Two weeks would be even better.
Another tip, especially for new puppy owners, is when you take your new puppy to the vet for its checkup and next vaccination, do not set it down on the floor, or make it walk on the floor. Better yet, do not let other people with their dogs handle yours. It sounds like you will end up looking rude, but for your puppy's safety, it is the best thing. Put it in a pet carrier, and then they will have no choice but to not pet it and you will not feel rude. There are many diseases that can be picked up on your dog's paws, and a veterinary clinic, much like your doctor's office, is where everyone brings their sick animal, so any disease imaginable could be lurking on the floor, just waiting for your puppy to walk across. A puppy's immune system is weaker than an adult dog, and they are more susceptible to picking up viruses, both airborne and those on the ground.
Along that same line, do not take your puppy to a pet store until it has had all of its first vaccinations. Some veterinarians recommend three series of shots, others recommend four. Ask your vet what they recommend, but do not take your puppy to a pet store where so many dogs go that could potentially be carriers for diseases and viruses that your puppy's immune system may not be able to handle just yet.
For any age of dog that comes to your family, ask if the dog has a small toy they are used to that you could have. If you know you will be getting the dog in advance, ask if you can leave a toy with the dog to sleep with and play with for a few days prior to you picking up the dog. It will give the dog something familiar to keep with it when it comes to your house and a new environment. It will be something like a safety blanket for a child.
Find out what routine the dog is used to, what times it is used to being fed and walked. Again, you can change this so that it fits your schedule better, but change it gradually if possible, because it will allow for a smoother transition for the dog. Never bring a new dog home on a holiday, because there are so many extra things going on, from family members being in town to extra foods like chocolate that can be toxic to dogs, to decorations that they could swallow or electrical cords for lights they could chew. It is too busy of a time for them to be able to settle in like they need to.
These are a few tips that will help your new dog become adjusted to its new family, and new home. The most important tip is to spend plenty of time with your new family member. Play with it, love on it, and make it feel welcome. Your dog or puppy will bond with you quicker, and soon, it will be bouncing around the house, on your schedule, your routine, and being a happier, healthier dog for you taking the steps to make its move a smoother, easier one for all.
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