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Dogs make wonderful pets, as anyone who’s ever owned one will tell you. Dogs that have been chosen from dog rehoming centres, though, can have some issues that other dogs probably won’t.  Some of them might have been abused; some might have been neglected; some might simply not have been trained or disciplined and can display challenging behaviour.  Others might have to be rehomed simply because their owners cannot care for them any longer however much they might want to.

Dog rehoming can be a stressful and unhappy time for dog and former owner alike, but you can make the task that much easier by being a well-prepared and loving new owner, ready to get to know your new dog and meet its needs.

If you’ve taken the step of dog rehoming rather than buying a dog from a breeder, then you’ve made a really generous and responsible choice.   This article will offer some suggestions about how to settle your dog into your home and how the whole family can adjust to your dog’s arrival. 

Before you bring your dog home, get down on your hands and knees and see your home from the perspective of your dog: are there any obvious dangers or items that you wouldn’t want to be damaged that are accessible by your dog from that height?  If so, move them higher!

Your new dog might not have been toilet-trained, or might have accidents because he or she is so anxious, stressed or even excited about being in a new environment.   To minimise damage or mess, put your dog’s bed in the kitchen or wherever there is a hard floor rather than a carpet.  Show your dog where it is acceptable for him/her to go to the toilet.

Agree as a family on the sort of words you’ll use to talk to your dog for key instructions like ‘drop’, ‘walk’, ‘dinner’, ‘fetch’, ‘stay’.  If you’re all using the same words then it will be easier for your dog to comply once they know what is expected.  If you don’t have this discussion before your dog arrives, make sure you have it soon after or your dog will end up very confused. 

For the first few days of owning your new dog, make sure the whole family can be around the house as much as possible so that you can all get to know each other well.  Introduce young children to the dog very carefully so that the dog isn’t overwhelmed and make sure the child knows how and where to pet the dog.  Avoid having visitors round until your dog is settled.

Give your dog the same food as it has been given in the rescue centre, and if you want to change brands or food type then start mixing the new in with the old gradually over several days. 

Make sure your dog has been adequately vaccinated and is neutered or spayed before taking them out for the first time and it’s a good idea to have your dog micro chipped: in the early days your dog is more at risk of running off and getting lost than when they are familiar with routines, commands and where their ‘territory’ is.  





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