Congratulations on adding a dog to your household! Whether your new friend is a puppy or an adult, there are several things you should attend to right off the bat. First we’ll deal with health and safety. The next page talks about behavior basics.
Our friends and family are excited to meet Rio! He is most relaxed when they wait for him to approach.
- Get ID on that dog pronto! No offense, but your magnetism isn’t enough at first to keep a new dog near you. Besides putting on a collar and tags, get a microchip implanted. You’ll need to register with one of the microchip companies and provide your contact information.
- Introduce your dog to your vet. Make sure he’s as healthy as he looks, and get a baseline checkup so you and your vet know what “healthy” looks like for this dog. You can get the microchip implanted while you’re at it.
- Feed healthy food. Don’t assume that health issues are genetic. Diet is a big factor in a dog’s health.
- Establish a routine. Dogs—and humans, for that matter—are more comfortable when they know what to expect. Set up times and places when the dog eats, relieves himself, exercises, trains, and rests—and make sure the whole family is on board with this schedule.
- Work exercise into the routine. All dogs are healthier and happier when they get regular exercise.
- Let the dog come to you (and start giving tiny treats and using his name when he does). Don’t come on strong by constantly approaching the dog.
As you might expect if you’re regular on this site, Dog Momma has a lot to say about encouraging acceptable behavior in your new dog—enough for a whole page by itself.
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