07/09/2024
SHELTER DOGS
CONGRATULATIONS for choosing to adopt a shelter dog!
There are so many who need a furever home!
Here's what to know about shelter dogs, (and what they wish you knew about them too!).
1) Keep in mind that they may have been in a kennel for a long time, and anything that they see, or experience is going to be new to them. They may be excited and jumping all over you or they may be anxious or afraid. (It can take 2 weeks or longer for them to decompress and start getting comfortable with you.)
2) Their lives probably haven’t been great and the shelter may not know much about their background. They may have been neglected and abused, but with a little patience and compassion, they can be loyal companions for life.
3) They may be on the older side, but they’ve still got a lot to offer. (Puppies are cute but they’re a lot of work.) Older dogs are slower and need less exercise and more love. They are usually already house broken and will fit into almost any home.
4) They may get separation anxiety, remember they were surrendered to the shelter, and fell felt abandoned, and I'm afraid of being alone.
5) At first, they might backslide a little on potty habits. Your home is different from the shelter where they were on a schedule and knew when and where to go potty. Be calm and consistent with their new routine and they will catch on quickly.
6) They may hide at first. There was nowhere to hide in the shelter, so let your new dog have all the time he/she needs to feel comfortable.
7) It's important to keep Their diet consistent for the first few weeks to prevent an upset stomach. Ask the shelter what they’ve been feeding them and change over gradually.
8) Don’t go overboard on the attention and affection right away, it could stress me out. It’s tempting as it is to spend every waking minute with your new fur baby, but newly adopted dogs are at a higher risk of developing separation-related problems if they are smothered with attention their first few days home.
9) For the first few weeks, please give thee some time to adjust to their new life. Save the trips to the dog park, pet store and family introductions for later. Once they start to come out of their shell, they can meet your friends or their dogs in situations where they can leave if they're uncomfortable.
10) Shelter dogs need calm, clear, kind, consistent instruction and care. Never shout or scold them. They will make some mistakes at first. Overlook them and give praise when they are doing the right thing. They catch on quickly.