Your New Dog

Congratulations on your newly adopted dog from Black Dog, Second Chance Rescue! Many of our adopters have basic questions on how to integrate their new adopted dog with their family, especially children and other pets. This handout touches on all these issues.

Most rescue dogs take several days, even a week or two (sometimes a month!) to adjust to a new home situation. Recognizing that there is a process of adjustment over a period of time, however, will help you understand your rescue dog's changes in behavior.

We encourage you to observe your new dog closely and make adjustments as needed. If you have additional questions and concerns over the next few days, weeks or even months, please don't hesitate to call us or email BDSC or your dog's foster for support.

The Long Walk Home

Please recognize that in the wild, when a dog moves to a new home, they must travel several miles in order to do so. When you bring your dog to your house to live, they view your house as nothing other than a glorified cave, kennel or dwelling. It does not look like a home to them; they don't care about your grandmother's china or that you bought your couch from Raymore and Flannigan! A good rule of thumb, to help your dog understand that they are "going to a new home" is to take them on a long walk (minimum one-two mile hike for big dogs) just before bringing him or her home. This will help your new dog establish the fact that this will be where he or she will now be living, as the "walk" will serve as his travel to his new home, just as it would if he lived in a pack, in nature.

Your rescue dog has undergone many recent changes in his life, some of them possibly traumatic. Our rescue prides ourselves with keeping our dogs in foster homes to help keep this transition as smooth as possible for the dogs. We live with our rescue dogs so they are accustomed to living in a house rather than a kennel situation. We tell you all about their positives as well as their quirks. However, you should keep your household quiet for a week or so to give your new dog time to adjust to her new surroundings. Reduce the amount of visitors you have (everyone will want to come over to see your new friend right away, but ask them to hold off for a week or two), don't fuss over the dog, don't go on vacation, don't rush right out to the pet store with your dog, or do other things that disrupt your normal routine. Let your new dog learn your routine as quickly and easily as possible. Keep routines simple, like bathroom breaks and eating habits. Spend time with your rescue dog, but keep things quiet and peaceful. Let your dog initiate play or indicate interest in specific activities. Don't rush things. Some dogs benefit from a bit of "down time", others are ready to leap into family life; let him tell you which way he wants to go. Keep a dog crate or dog bed in the family room and allow her to have some time to herself if she needs it.

Each dog has a different reaction to being placed in a new home. Some dogs are "depressed" and do little until they absorb the tempo of their new home and start participating. Other dogs display an excess of nervous energy for the first week or so. Both of these reactions (and others in between) are normal. We like to refer to the first two weeks with your new dog as the "honeymoon period". This two week window will be when your new dog is not acting her normal self. After the two weeks is up, and she's had some time to adjust, her true colors will come out and she'll start to feel right at home. Then you can invite the guests over to meet the new love of your life!

Setting up House Rules

As already mentioned, you want to set up a consistent schedule for your new rescue dog. You also need to set up consistent house rules. Decide immediately if you want her on the couch or not and stick to it! It is very difficult to let her on the couch the first few weeks you have her, then decide to change that rule later down the road. (it's not fair, either!) Your dog won't understand the sudden switch and all you'll be doing is confusing her more.

Sit down with everyone in your household and make sure you are all in agreement on the rules. Will she sleep on the bed? Will she be allowed in the office? Make a list of all the rules and make sure everyone reads them. Follow them strictly. Be nice but be firm when correcting your dog. Remember, you are in charge! You don't have to raise your voice, but you have to be assertive like you mean business, or your new pooch won't take you seriously. A firm "No" will do.

You don't have to feel sorry for your dog because of her history and let her get away with things. Your dog needs a strong leader now, not a pitty party. She needs structure and consistency. Expect good behavior from her and don't make excuses. Puppy proof your house to make this entire transition period easier.

Health

Most of the dogs we place into foster care are basically in good health. While we do occassionally take in the "tug at our heart strings" dog, they normally stay in foster care a bit longer until they are better and then we place them up for adoption. We let all of our adopters know about any health issues that we know of, and any/all vetting paperwork is included with the adoption packets. Many of the dogs come with worms. We automatically worm all dogs that come into our rescue as a standard procedure, and your newly adopted dog comes with a free first vet visit coupon, so we urge you to take your new pooch to participating vet of your choice just to have her checked out again as a precaution. (there is a 3 week cycle between passing larvae and eggs).

Kennel Cough

Probably the most common health problem in all rescue dogs is kennel cough. This is an airborne virus that is passed from dog to dog, just like the common cold found in humans. Shelters and boarding facilities are a prime place for dogs to contract the virus. Our rescue vaccinates against kennel cough but in many cases exposure has already happened before they even got to us. We keep all of our dogs in a mandated 7 day quarantine foster before they are even placed in their regular foster homes and up for adoption. Kennel cough may take anywhere from 7 to 14 days before it starts to show symptoms. Therefore, some dogs may already be adopted before the symptoms begin to show. Kennel cough starts out with a cough. Like the human flu, it can be of varying severity. Antibiotics will not help kennel cough. It needs to run its course. However, kennel cough must be monitored closely, because it can easily turn into an upper respiratory infection or something more serious in dogs who have a suppressed immune system. When in doubt, take your dog to your vet.

Heartworm

Heartworm is not terribly common in Western NY, but all of our rescue dogs over 6 months of age are tested for heartworm disease. This is not contagious but rather transmitted via mosquitoes. Dogs under 6 months of age should be put on heartworm preventative immediately (and continue this treatment) to prevent any heartworms from developing should they have been bitten by one of those nasty mosquitoes.

If you have young children, it is up to you, as the adult, to teach them how to interact with a dog. Children should never, ever, bother a dog when she is eating. Children should never, ever, approach or pet a dog when she is sleeping. Children should allow their new dog time to adjust to their new home and leave her alone for the first few weeks.

Remember that young children and dogs should always be supervised. Especially young children may not behave appropriately around a dog (poking eyes, pulling tails), and some dogs may jump up on children and accidentally frighten them.

Don't expect your children to be responsible for your dog's care. A dog can be a good way to teach responsibility to a child, but you will still ultimately be responsible if the child does not do his part. You should, however, involve your child (or children) in caring for the dog. Have them help you fill the food dish, or help you groom or exercise the dog. Involving children in obedience training is an especially good idea.

Other Dogs

Congratulations! You now have a pack. Which means, there will be a pack leader. Let me repeat that. There WILL be a pack leader. Who will that be? Well, for starters, it should be YOU. Have you read our Nothing In Life Is Free link? If you haven't, then what are you waiting for? If you don't read it, and you have more than one dog, you better get going, or you're in for trouble.

We encourage all our new adopters to take their new dog through at least one basic obedience course. Even if your dog is very well behaved, training lets the two of you interact further, better define your relationship, and learn how to deal with new situations together. An untrained dog very often winds up back in our rescue. We have enclosed a video for you to watch. We encourage all our new adopters to work with their new dogs as much as possible to make them part of the family. Get them out of the house and meet as many people and other dogs as possible. Teach them tricks and overall general good behavior. You’ll see them blossom and your new dog will appreciate it!

Obedience Classes that we recommend in the area:

All Dawgs Academy in Tonawanda, Canine Academy in Clarence, Canine Capers in Hamburg.