Introducing a dog into your home is an exciting time, but, for our dogs this can be a time of uncertainty.
Being suddenly placed in a new environment, with different people, smells and routine can leave them feeling stressed and unsure. Happily, there are plenty of things we can do to help our dogs settle into their new home, whether you are adopting a dog or bringing home a new puppy.
Preparation
Before the big ‘gothcha day’, it can be beneficial to speak to your neighbours to notify them of the upcoming changes to your household, such as temporary increased noise levels while your dog settles into their new environment.
Take some time to prepare your home before the dog’s arrival to ensure they are kept safe and secure, and have quiet spaces set up to help them settle.
Firstly, you need to ‘puppy-proof’ your home. Have you ensured your prized possessions are safely out of the way? Are there any exposed wires or cables accessible to the dog? Are there items they could reach on the surfaces or countertops? You also need to ensure your garden is secure and free of anything harmful that they could eat or chew.
Baby gates can be a great way to puppy-proof your house, and can be used for various purposes:
- They can be used to make sure dogs only have access to certain parts of the house. This can help them settle by not being overwhelmed or exposed to the whole house at once and prevents them from going into any unwanted or unsafe areas.
- They can be used to prevent dogs chewing items that are not intended to be chewed, and to help with the toilet training process.
- They can keep dogs away from unsafe items such as wiring.
- They can be a great tool to provide your dog respite from young children or during introductions to other pets in the household.
When you collect your dog, you should be considerate of the fact that they have already experienced multiple stresses by the time they get to your front door – separation from who or what they know, travelling in the car, new walking equipment or harnesses have been put on etc. To help your new dog feel settled you can prepare your home prior to their arrival:
- Set up a few resting areas for your dog to choose from. These should be in quiet areas where they won’t be disturbed, so they feel safe and secure.
- Make some enrichment items available – plenty of chews, breed appropriate toys, and a snuffle mat preloaded with treats or kibble.
- We recommend spraying Pet Remedy or Adaptil products around your home, so your dog is entering a calm environment. This can be a plug-in diffuser or a spray bottle applied to a bandana or other items in the home such as their bed.
- If you are rescuing a dog, you can ask to take some familiar items from the dog’s kennel home with you such as a blanket and a favourite toy. Prior to bringing the dog home you could leave an item that smells of you and your home, such as old clothing, for them to have in their kennel with them until adoption day.
- When used correctly crates can be a useful resource and create a safe space for your dog. Placing some cosy bedding inside and covering the crate with a sheet makes the perfect safe den space for your dog to rest in.
- Lastly, ensure you have booked time off work. Your new pup needs time to build a bond with you and get used to their new surroundings. It is best to gradually build up the time they are left alone to ease your dog gently into a new daily routine.
Signs of stress
Dogs communicate how they are feeling to us through their body language. By learning about dog body language and understanding stress signals it will allow you to know when everything is getting a bit too much. When this happens provide your dog with some down time and space.
The first day
When you first get your dog home it is best to take them straight to the garden. This will allow them to toilet and have a good sniff around. You can even scatter some treats on the ground for them to sniff out which encourages them to scent and go to the toilet before they enter your home.
Do not expose them to the whole house at once – initially keep it to a few rooms and slowly build this up giving your dog breaks in between. At first, we would advise keeping your dog on their lead to investigate a couple of rooms, and then straight back to the garden as dogs will often need another toilet trip after exploring their new home. This can help prevent your dog from feeling overwhelmed.
It can also be beneficial to have classical music playing quietly for your dog. Studies show that classical music can help your dog relax and reduce their anxiety. Reggae music is also another great option!
As everything is new to your dog, keep it low-key on the first day. It’s ok to skip going for a walk and, importantly, you must ensure that there are no visitors on this crucial day. Your dog is being exposed to lots of new things and this may cause unnecessary stress.
The first night
The first night can be very unsettling for your new family member. Your home is still new to them so they do not feel fully safe in this different environment which means it can be hard for them to sleep, so expect some sleep disruption.
Before bedtime it is advisory to take your dog to the garden so they can go have a toilet break. However, remember, everything is new to your dog so expect accidents to begin with.
At first it is best to be flexible with your dog’s sleeping arrangements. They may be anxious, and some dogs can become quite vocal overnight because of this. They may benefit from staying with you at first, so they may need to sleep in your bedroom and then be gradually moved to the location where you would like them to sleep.
The first week
Try to avoid over exposure to new environments and experiences. Your dog’s stress levels will remain high, and too much stimulation could result in ‘trigger stacking’. This is when our dog has multiple stresses stacking up which can affect their emotional state and behaviour.
Please follow the link to an article by Dogs Trust on trigger stacking.
The first week is crucial and your dog is still adjusting. Daily scent work can really help your dog settle. Please follow the link below to a selection of videos, showing different activities to help settle and relax your dog.
These videos are brought to you by our behaviour team.
Regular enrichment and scent games can help your dog to settle, with snuffle mats and scatter feeding both being a great option. To help relax your dog in the evenings you can use reusable chews like Kongs – chewing and sniffing are great stress-relievers!
It is important to note that the first week is a time for you to bond with your dog, rather than focussing on training. You can also use this time to gradually build up a daily routine, and once implemented the structure of this routine will really help your dog settle and know what to expect.
Walkies
For the first few days it is best to stay in your garden before taking them on walks, and when you do begin to venture outside with your dog, keeping to the same route will allow your dog to acclimatise and build their confidence in their new environment.
Bathroom breaks
It is best to supervise toileting at least throughout the first week. Expect accidents, it takes time! To minimise any accidents, take your dog out for regular toilet breaks (we advise every 30- 40 mins for very young puppies). For some dogs this may mean going out hourly and at nighttime, but the frequency will reduce as your dog settles into the home.
Signs your dog may need the toilet include:
- Appearing restless – they may be pacing and panting.
- Hyperactivity – they may be barking or mouthing
- Excessive sniffing and circling.
- After they have eaten, been playing, or just woken up.
It is important not to tell your dog off if they have an accident in the home. This may lead your dog to avoid toileting when you are present both in and out of the home.
Further advice
These elements are all hopefully useful tips for you and your new dog, but if you need further information or support, you can sign up to watch our free ‘Settling in Your Dog’ online workshop hosted by our behaviourist, Rosie.
For further behavioural advice, we offer a variety of dog workshops and talks. Please follow the link below to see what we offer and book your space today.
To speak to our behaviourist and arrange a 1-2-1 consolation please email us on [email protected].uk and our behaviour team will be happy to help.
