The day has come to take your new dog home. Remember the transition may be a difficult experience for your dog. Be patient, and ensure all family members, particularly children, allow your dog the time and space that he needs to settle in.

Let your dog adjust
Give the dog time to adjust to his new home. The dog is bound to feel insecure and frightened by a change in environment. Show him to his crate or bed, and where to find food and water. Then leave him alone to explore his new surroundings.

Make introductions
Introduce your dog to your household slowly. Many pairs of hands petting him at once will only frighten him. Later, introduce him to neighbours, regular visitors and other family members. Never leave a dog unattended with small children.

Introduce other pets
Other companion animals in your home should also be properly introduced to your new dog or puppy. Don’t expect them to get along right away, and don’t try to force them to play together. Give them time to adjust to one another. Some dogs are not suitable for homing with cats or other dogs. If you are interested in adopting a dog from Dogs in Distress you can ask the fosterer to advise you on how a dog gets on with other dogs, cats etc.

House training
Your new dog may not be house trained. Whatever method of house training you have chosen, make sure that all members of the family enforce it consistently from the start. Accidents happen, so be patient with your new arrival.

Set house rules
Teach your dog from the beginning what is and is not appropriate behaviour. If something is “OK” today, your dog will think it is OK forever. Make sure that every member of the family enforces the house rules. Consistency is the key to having a well-behaved pet.

Now that your dog has settled in, it’s very important that you learn about your dogs worming and vaccination needs. You can learn about this and more in Health & wellbeing.