Pets

Pet Adoption Tips and Welcoming Your New Dog Home

Pet Adoption Tips and Welcoming Your New Dog Home

Welcoming a new dog or pet into your home is a big deal! Adding any new pet to the family is exciting, but can also be stressful. I for one believe it’s important to research animals and breeds before deciding on the right dog (or pet) because they each have different temperaments. I went through a couple of trial dogs over the years, before finding the perfect dog for our family. Some weren’t patient with little kids, some were barkers or hard to house-train. Then there’s the mess factor you need to consider and prepare for. It doesn’t have to be a big challenge when you have products like Swiffer for a quick clean. Based on my experiences with dogs, I have some pet adoption tips to make welcoming your new dog home go more smoothly.

Pet Adoption Tips and Welcoming Your New Dog Home

I grew up with Dachshunds – we bred them and I adored them. They made for the cutest little puppies, but they were also yappers. We would joke about having a barking couch because when guests would come over, you would hear all this barking come from under the couch. Then as I got a little older we got our first rescue dog, from the animal shelter. She was a Golden Lab/German Shepherd mix and she was oh so much fun, but also had to overcome some abuse and being timid. Now we have a Dorkie (n Dachshund/Yorkie mix) and she’s perfect for our family. While we loved all of our dogs the same, there are some differences between the Dachshunds and the big dog: shed, the amount of food they ate and the size of the gold mine they produced in the backyard. 

Here is my rundown of pet adoption tips and how to make that transition a bit happier.

Research the animal/breed beforehand and get to know common traits to look out for.

Pet Adoption Tips and Welcoming Your New Dog Home

Spend time with the dog to make sure there is a fit with their personality. If you have children, make sure you see the dog around the kids, to know if there is a fit there too. It would be awful to get a dog home and discover they don’t like kids! Teach the kids appropriate behaviors with the dog as well, to ensure both are safe and happy.

Ask the previous owner/shelter what food they have the dog on and gradually transition them (or keep it the same), so there are no digestive issues when you welcome the new dog home. 

Consider a crate so the dog has somewhere they can feel safe to go to. This can also help with leaving them home alone or at night when you can’t keep an eye on them. We started out with a crate and gradually lessened our use of it.

Arm your house with appropriate toys, grooming supplies, food dishes (be sure to always have a clean and full water dish) and the proper cleaning supplies. There’s nothing more frustrating then getting a new animal, falling in love and then finding you’re too frustrated to keep them. That’s stressful for all parties involved.

Pet Adoption Tips and Welcoming Your New Dog Home

Pet messes are one of the biggest reasons people don’t get or hang onto dogs. I’ve been there so I get it. I have an arsenal of easy cleaning supplies that make cleanup quick and easy and I have Swiffer to thank for that. I’m not an expert on housebreaking dogs so I would research that topic too, so you know what you’re in for, but every dog is different. I can say that I’ve noticed when dogs are stressed in their environment, accidents are more likely to occur. Lessen the stress by considering the above tips, and then be ready with the Swiffer Sweeper to pick up food messes and pet hair. 

Pet Adoption Tips and Welcoming Your New Dog Home

Unless there is an allergy issue, don’t let pet hair deter you from letting a new love enter your life (in the form of a dog). I also love the new Febreze One fabric and air freshener to get rid of the dirty dog smell we sometimes find here and there. The dry cloth on the Swiffer Sweeper has deep ridges and grooves that conform to the surface of your floor to TRAP + LOCK dirt, dust and hair. I also LOVE the Swiffer Duster because I do have a lot of allergies and it can fit into virtually any space giving every surface of your house a 360° clean. It’s great for picking up dust and those short dog hairs that seem to find their way onto random surfaces. Swiffer is the fast and easy way to tackle mess so you can always enjoy a clean home – no matter what pet you may have!

 

About the author

Emily Buys

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