What To Do and What Not to Do When Adopting a Dog

Written by: Eva Ternovska

Edited by: Micah Manabat

Adopting a dog is an exciting time in everyone’s life, but it can quickly become chaotic. When adopting a dog, it is important to do your own research in order to understand how you can make this transition smooth and easy for you and your pet. That being said, this article is a compilation of do’s and don’ts when it comes to adopting a new pet.

Do: Prepare your home for the dog

Making sure that all of the members of your family are ready to adopt a dog is crucial. If you have young children, make sure they know how to properly treat a pet. Taking care of a dog is a lot of work so it is important to determine who will be taking care of the dog. Additionally, you can split up the different tasks and delegate them to different family members to keep the tasks minimal and not too overwhelming.

Pet proofing your house is also important, especially if you’re adopting a puppy. Put potentially dangerous plants in unreachable areas, tape electrical wires out of reach, and hide objects that can be harmful when chewed on.

Purchase any necessary supplies that you may need; This includes dog beds, pet food, and toys. Don’t wait until the last minute to stock up.

Don’t: Expose your dog to too many new places or people.

Adopting a dog will not only gravely impact your family, but it can impact your other pets as well. Being in new surroundings with new people is hard so it is important to be understanding and patient to your newly adopted dog. During the first few weeks, limit your dog’s contact with other people. Let your dog slowly adjust to their new surroundings and family. Then, start slowly introducing people to your dog. By doing this, your dog won’t feel so overwhelmed and anxious.

Do the same with locations. Slowly introduce new locations to your dog.

Do: Talk with a shelter about the animal’s personality and needs

Each animal’s personality is different. When looking for a dog, make sure you ask the shelter what the dog is like. Also ask the shelter about grooming, food, and exercise needs for each of the dogs that you’re considering. Factor this into your decision.

Don’t: Base your decision only on breed

A dog breed can be a good start when looking for a dog, but it shouldn’t be the only thing that influences your decision. There’s a variety of personalities within dog breeds. Labrador Retrievers are known to be friendly, but not all Labradors are friendly. Make sure to meet your dog before adopting them. Bring your whole family along to see if your personalities mesh.

Do: Start training immediately

Before you bring your dog home, determine a plan for training them. Training your dog should begin as soon as you bring them home. If it’s your first time being a dog owner, you may want to consider adopting an older dog or taking your puppy to obedience classes. 

Don’t: Adopt a dog if you recently lost one

Losing a pet is hard, and can take a toll on you and your family. If your family is still mourning the loss of your pet, wait before adopting a new one. If you wait until your grief is healed, you will be better able to take care of your pet and devote your time and energy to them. Not only this, but dogs can also feel the same emotions as humans. If you’re upset, your dog will be too. 

References:

Kron, Marie. “The Do’s and Don’ts of Dog Adoption.” Puppy Smarts, 9 Dec 2017, https://www.puppysmarts.com/the-dos-and-donts-of-dog-adoption/.