Great advice, for anyone who is thinking of or who has adopted a dog lately and is a must read. I originally posted this article back in 2015 but I thought it is time for a repost because lately I have had a few people contact me regarding the dog they have just adopted.
Again, high expectations (good intentions) on the part of the dog’s new owners, can set them all up, to fail. Lets face it, your newly adopted dog doesn’t know you, your family, environment or routine. It may be stressed, scared or frightened as well as some dogs have a history, you know nothing about. So expecting them to act and behave and do what you tell them, can be a bit hard for them to grasp. Whether it be a puppy or older dog, they need time to adjust and feel secure.
I often try to remember back to when I adopted my first shelter dog. I was so uninformed and inexperienced back then. I had never adopted a dog before. I had absolutely no idea what to expect with an adult dog, especially not one who had a whole history behind her that I didn’t even know about. I probably made a lot of mistakes and bad decisions in those early days (I am sure of it).
What I didn’t know then, but know now is that for a rescue or shelter dog, the first few days and weeks in their new home are risky ones. They are at the mercy of their new human to make the right decisions for them. One mistake, and the dog could end up back at the shelter, or worse, euthanized for a serious mistake that could have been prevented if the human had made a…
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