While you may be excited to welcome your new dog home, it’s important to remember that the transition can be stressful for them. Preparing your home in advance, setting up a ‘safe space’ they can call their own, and creating a routine will all help your dog to adjust. To begin with, sticking to what they are used to at their previous home will help them feel safe and secure.
Preparing Your Home
Bringing a new dog home for the first time is very different from welcoming a puppy. Often, we don’t have much information on their previous lives. We may not know what routine they are used to, or if they even had one. They may have been neglected, mistreated, or have spent a significant amount of time in a rescue shelter.
Plan Ahead
Keeping this in mind, it’s important to prepare your home ahead of time. You will need all of the basics, including:
- A warm, cozy bed
- Food and water bowls
- Food
- A collar with an identity tag
- A lead
- Toys / feeding enrichment
- Dog safe cleaning products
It’s safest to stick to the food they have been fed at their previous home or shelter. This offers a sense of familiarity, as well as preventing unwanted stomach upsets!
Prepare a ‘Safe Space’
It’s important that you set up a ‘safe space’ for your dog. This means an area or den that your dog can retreat to if they feel overwhelmed. You could place a comfy bed in a quiet corner, or have a crate with some blankets in (with the door left open). Importantly, it needs to be somewhere they won’t be disturbed by anyone or any other pets. Pheromone-calming plug-ins or sprays in this area can help, too. If you have a blanket from their previous home or shelter, putting it in their bed can help, too, by creating a familiar scent.
Dog-Proof Your Home
Even an adult dog will thoroughly explore their new environment, including with their mouths, most likely! Make sure hazards such as wires, poisonous foods, cleaning products, and medicines are well out of reach. Make sure the garden and all exits are secure, so they can’t escape.
Now you are ready to welcome your dog!
The First Days and Weeks: What to Expect
Patience, routine, and a calm environment are all key in the first few weeks. Your dog will understandably be feeling anxious, so stay calm and give them time to settle at their own pace.
Day One: Helping Your Dog Feel Secure
Keep day one as a settling day- no visitors, no big trips! Make sure you have a crate or doggy seat belt to keep your dog safe on your journey home. Once you arrive, take them to the garden or wherever you’d like them to do their business. This allows them to explore, stretch their legs, and relieve themselves if needed. Praise them with a treat if they do toilet where planned.
Next, take them inside. It’s a good idea to have each room closed off to begin with. Allow them to explore one room at a time so they don’t become overwhelmed and frantically charge around the house. Stay with them, but don’t interfere. If they come to you for affection, you can offer it, but don’t force them into physical contact. Some dogs take longer than others to build trust, so let them initiate interactions.
It’s a good idea to implement your chosen routine from day one. Consistent feeding and bedtimes from day one helps to create a sense of familiarity and security.
You can encourage them to use their ‘safe space’ by throwing them a treat whenever they choose to lie there. If you have something from their previous home or shelter, place it in their den. Never send them here as a punishment, and always leave them alone when they are settled there.
The First Weeks: Building Routine and Trust
The first few weeks are crucial for building trust and confidence. Just like children, dogs enjoy predictability and routine. Here are our 6 top tips for the first few weeks with your new dog:
- Let them set the pace. Whether it’s exploring or physical contact, always go at your dog’s pace. As tempting as it is to make a fuss of your new dog, you should always let them initiate interactions to start with. If they come to you, try stroking them for a few seconds, then stopping. If they lean in or nudge you for more, you can be sure they are enjoying it! If they move away or hide, don’t worry, they just need a bit more time to settle. Patience is key!
- Create a routine. Knowing what to expect and when will help your dog to settle and feel secure. Initially, it can help if you stick to the routine they’ve been used to at their previous home or shelter. Over time, you can slowly modify it to suit you.
- Physical and mental stimulation. While physical and mental stimulation are important, you need to strike the right balance in the first few weeks to avoid overstimulation. For the first few weeks, try to pick a local walk and stick to the same route each day. This allows your dog to explore the area, without becoming overwhelmed by too many new places.
- Quiet time and sleep. It’s best to avoid visitors initially, as your dog needs to build a relationship with you and your family first. Introducing too many strangers can lead to overwhelm and anxiety. Use feeding enrichment, such as lickimats, to encourage your dog to have quiet, alone time at home. Sleep is also crucial for dogs, especially during periods of stress or transition. Most dogs need around 14–16 hours of sleep in each 24-hour period, so it’s essential that they are left to rest when needed.
- Positive reinforcement. Whenever your dog is showing a desirable behaviour, such as sitting calmly while you’re doing something, toss them a treat. Reinforcing positive behaviours is much more effective than punishing bad ones.
- Professional support. Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Each dog is unique and may display unexpected or unwanted behaviours. Professional support is available through your veterinarian or from clinical behaviourists.
How long does it take for a dog to settle into a new home?
Most dogs will take a few months to fully settle into a new home. However, each dog is unique, and the time period will vary between dogs. There is no right or wrong timeline, and you mustn’t try to rush it.
Managing Common Challenges During Transition
It’s important to understand it won’t all be plain sailing! Be prepared for some bumps in the road as you settle in together. Rescue dogs, in particular, tend to show more fearful behaviours than non-rescues. Many issues can be avoided by learning a bit about dog body language.
Signs of Stress or Anxiety in Newly Adopted Dogs
Dogs are constantly communicating with us. However, a lot of this communication involves subtle changes in body posture, which can be easy to miss. Some signs your dog may be feeling uncomfortable include:
- Yawning
- Blinking more or closing both eyes
- Nose licking
- Lifting a paw
- Looking away with their eyes, so you see the whites of their eyes
- Turning away
- Walking away
- Creeping, looking nervous, or low to the ground
- Ears back
- Crouching with their tail tucked under
- Lying down very still, showing their tummy (not in a playful way!)
- Stiffening up and staring
- Growling
- Snapping
- Biting
This pattern of behaviour is known as the ‘ladder of communication’. If you miss the earlier warnings that your dog needs space, they may progress to more drastic warnings.
Introducing New People and Pets
It can help to wait until your dog trusts you before introducing more people and pets. Any new introductions should be made when your dog has been exercised, fed, and is content. Introductions should be slow, calm, and set at your dog’s pace. If they choose to hide, let them!
Avoiding Common Mistakes
The most common mistakes are from well-meaning, over-excited new pet parents trying to rush the process! Take your time, and never be tempted to skip steps.
Separation anxiety is one of the most common issues, especially in rescue dogs. Teaching your dog that being at home doesn’t mean constant access to you is key to preventing separation anxiety from developing. Use a stair gate or other barrier at times, so your dog doesn’t have non-stop access to you whenever you’re at home.
Long Term Success
You’ve made it through the first few weeks — but it doesn’t stop there! Long-term success depends on routine, consistency, calmness, and plenty of positive reinforcement. If your dog shows any unexpected, undesirable behaviours in the first few weeks, it’s a good idea to involve a certified behaviourist as early as possible. They can work with you for as long as needed to correct the behaviour, ensuring many happy future years for you and your dog.
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