Bringing home a rescue dog is an exciting experience. You get a new family member and learn a lot about a newly adopted animal. Here are some of the things I learned from bringing home a rescue dog.

Your Home

Your home is a totally new environment to your dog. Give them time to explore and check out their new surroundings. If you have a yard walk them around the yard (on a leash). This allows the rescue dog to get to know the area.

 

Time

When bringing home a rescue dog make sure to give them a lot of time to adjust. They just moved from an environment with many different dogs in a stressful situation to your home. If you have a dog they will need to get to know your dog just like you would get to know a new person.

 

Schedule

Your rescue dog may or may not be potty trained. By keeping a consistent schedule your new dog will know what to expect and when. This goes for things like playtime as well as when you go to bed at night.

 

Training

To ensure you have a great relationship with your new dog sign them up for a training class. This helps build a bond between you and the dog. It also helps you to train the dog in the way you prefer and can help curb any bad habits the dog has.

 

Take Time Off

Most people work all day and are gone for hours. Take some vacation days when you first adopt your dog so they are not left in a strange environment alone. This is especially important if you live in an apartment since this can help curb a dog from barking constantly while you are away.