What to expect when you adopt a dog!
According to the ASPCA approximately 3.3 million dogs enter U.S. shelters every year. Of those 3.3 million that enter the shelter, approximately 1.6 million dogs are adopted each year. Overpopulation in shelters is a big problem so not only does adopting your next furry family member save a life, but it makes room for another animal in need of shelter and care. It’s great that you are considering adopting, but just like with any pet, it is important to be prepared for the responsibility that comes with that ownership. So what should you expect with an adopted dog? Keep reading to find out!
A common misconception when it comes to dog adoptions is that it’ll cost you less. This is not entirely untrue, but you must keep in mind that although you are technically paying less within that first year you are still signing on financially for a lifelong commitment for another living being. Oftentimes, included in the adoption fee is: the cost of spay/neuter, first vaccinations, and microchipping. However, the average cost of owning a dog (even an adopted one) is still about $1,500 a year.
The average annual cost varies from dog to dog and owner to owner. The owner of a small breed will not need to purchase dog food nearly as much as someone with a large breed. Someone with a shorthaired dog will likely spend less on grooming than someone with a dog that requires regular grooming.
We’ll say it once, we’ll say it twice, we’ll say it over and over again… IT. TAKES. TIME.
Do’s & Don’ts:
This is great guideline to help you understand the decompression process that your rescue dog is going to go through once they are home.
Don’t: Try to do too much too soon
Do: Take your time
Where will they be staying? Will you allow them free range of the house right away or close them off to a certain part of the house? Will you crate train? Allow your new furry family member a safe place to go when they are feeling overwhelmed. It is important to take your time with your newly adopted dog. The first 30 days of their new life with you is going to be an adjustment, so be patient and allow them to decompress.
Don’t: Expect perfection
Do: Be prepared for their personality to show itself several weeks after
Your dog might start out shy and timid and calm, but that doesn’t mean that that is how they are going to be 3 weeks later. As they decompress and become more comfortable in your home, you’ll notice more of their personality. Both positive and negative. Praise the positive behaviors and correct the negative ones.
Crate Training Tip: Leave the crate open for them. They will look at the crate as a safe place that they can go to when they are feeling overwhelmed. Never use it for punishment.
Crate Free Training Tip:
Whether or not your dog dislikes the crate or you want them to feel comfortable enough in your home to be crate free, trusting your dog to have free range of the house while you are away takes time. The process of building that trust takes time, so it could take you anywhere between 2-3 weeks before you can fully trust them home alone.
Whether or not your dog dislikes the crate or you want them to feel comfortable enough in your home to be crate free, trusting your dog to have free range of the house while you are away takes time. The process of building that trust takes time, so it could take you anywhere between 2-3 weeks before you can fully trust them home alone.
It’s important to remember that both when you leave and come home that you DO NOT make a big deal out of it. This works your dog up and will be counterproductive to the results that you want. You don’t want to leave them hyped up and anxious because that could lead to destructive behaviors, and you don’t want to feed into it when you get home either because that tells them that you leaving is a negative. Make leaving and returning the house as uneventful as possible. We know that you are going to be excited and so is your dog, but it’s important to ignore them until they calm down. No touch. No talk. No eye contact. Only give them attention once they have calmed down.
Starting Out: Start small with a short trip that will be no more than 5 minutes. Practice makes perfect, so you’ll want to make sure that you take your time and gradually increase the time.
Example: Walk to the end of the driveway and then come back. What do you notice when you get back? Did they get into anything or did they behave? If they did fine, repeat it a few more times before increasing your distance.
Almost There: Once you feel confident that they can handle you leaving them to go get the mail, increase the time. Make the trip 10-15 minutes long.
Example: Take a quick drive around the block or go for a 10-15 minute walk down the street. What do you notice when you get back? If they got into the loaf of bread that tells you to put counter foods up higher or away in the cupboard. If you store food in lower cabinets and your pup learns how to open doors, you might have to consider child safety locks. Don’t punish them for their misbehaviors. Dogs live in the moment and don’t actually understand when you are mad at them.
Each time you leave you are going to learn something new and how to pet proof the house accordingly so as to avoid repeat misbehaviors. Repeat the 10-15 minute trips until your pup is able to successfully stay home unsupervised and mischief free.
Success: Once your pup has successfully handled 10-15 minute trips, increase the time to 45 minutes to an hour.
Example: Go grocery shopping or run some errands. Were they successful? If yes, great! Repeat it a few more times making the trips longer, increasing the time. If no, continue the process. A helpful tip is to leave them with something to do, like a puzzle. By providing them with some mental stimulation for within the first half hour that you are gone, they’ll be too distracted by the treats to notice that you left. You can also try incorporating exercise into their morning routine, whether that is going for a walk or spending time playing a game of tug-of-war or fetch. By exercising them in the morning you are helping them get out a little extra energy before you leave. This way you aren’t going to have a crazy pent-up dog when you return home because they are wound up from being bored all day.
Don’t: Wait to train
Do: Start training right away
Expect changes in their behavior. Issues may or may not pop up, so starting training from the get-go is a great step at setting up rules and boundaries within the home. Don’t ignore negative behaviors or make excuses for them. Correct them right away so you don’t create a bigger problem in the future. Remember: Training is a LIFELONG process.
Don’t: Be inconsistent
Do: Create a routine
Creating a routine for your dog teaches them what to expect, which will make training easier.
Don’t: Immediately introduce them to other pets in the home
Do: Introduce them SLOWLY and supervise interactions
Tips To Introducing A Second Dog:
Meet on neutral ground. Take them for a leashed walk together around the block. We’ve had many people use Dog Star Ranch as the mutual ground with either a day of doggie daycare or doing a meet and greet in one of our parks.
Keep them on the leash. This allows you to have control of the situation. Keep the dog that is misbehaving by not respecting personal space and ignoring body language on leash. This way you can control their interactions with their fur sibling to help them create a better understanding of the household dynamic. It’s a learning process for both dogs and will take time (sometimes upwards to a year or two) for them to understand and be comfortable with each other. Don’t just leave them to “work it out.”
Don’t: Compare
Do: Understand that every dog is different
For example: Your current dog is easy-going and loves to meet new people, but your adopted dog gets overstimulated quickly and has “stranger danger”. By comparing the two and expecting the adopted dog to behave like your current dog, you risk setting them up for failure when meeting new people, leading them to become stressed and more fearful.
One of the biggest mistakes that you can make as a pet parent when getting a new dog (or adding one to your furry family) is making COMPARISONS. Why? Because it is not fair to the new dog. When you compare your past/current dog to your new dog you might project certain expectations on them that they might not be able to obtain, essentially setting them up for failure.
By comparing your new dog to your current/past “perfect” dog, instead of creating a bond you could potentially create negative emotions that could make it harder to build a relationship.
Shelters only know none to some of the history of the dog that you are adopting, so it is important to keep in mind that you do not know where they came from, how they were treated, or any other baggage that they might be carrying when they come home with you.
Embrace the fact that your new dog is different and look forward to the new experiences! Discard the idea of what you want your new adoptive dog to be for you so that you can be the pet parent that they NEED.
Let go of the expectations and accept the reality. You could adopt a dog with the intention of making them a therapy dog, but the reality is that they have “stranger danger” and are slow to trust new people. Work with the dog that you have in the moment.
In the end, adjusting to a new lifestyle is going to take time. Before adopting, do your research and take your time finding the right dog. Understand the commitment that you are making, but don’t feel ashamed if you have to give the dog back because it isn’t the right fit.
Did you adopt your dog? What were some of the struggles that you had with them when you first got them?
Share your tips and tricks in the comments!
