New dog

[Lollyhoney]

We are getting a new dog on the weekend. He's a rescue dog and is very nervous. What would be the best way to settle him in. As we do shift patterns he will not be left on his own and will always have company. It's been a long time since we had a 'new dog' as our old girl was 15 when she died! Any suggestions?

[lankeela]

Well done for giving a rescue dog a chance.

Take things very slowly and keep everything low key and calm. Don't encourage too many people to visit at first until he gets used to you. Make sure he doesn't get a chance to escape through an open door, and keep a collar on him with a name and address tag just in case. Don't try to force him to come to you, let him find his own level and almost ignore him until he feels confident to come to you for food or a fuss.

Depending on your fencing arrangments I would consider putting him on a lead to take him out in the garden for a wee (frightened dogs can jump remarkably high). Try to find a food or titbit that he really likes and if he won't take anything from you just leave it on the floor where he can get in when you're not looking!

You may well find that when he is home he is not as nervous as you are expecting, it could be the noisy and busy atmosphere in the kennels that are upsetting him.

Good luck!

[Eric Git]

Hi, When you get your new dog home, let him/her have a good snoff round your home, don't be surprised if he/she marks its territory with a quick pee. If they do don't scold, just clean it up with a non amonia cleaner (if it has amonia in it reinforces the need to mark their space). Once they run round the home they'llwork out wher the water bowl is, and the food and where you are. If you are calm with them then they will settle quicker, ie let them come to you, praise them for doing so with a small treat or pat and then sit calmly and they will lie down with you. Don't be surprised if they don't know how to ask to go out, the easiest way to do this is once they are in the same room as you, shut the door making sure that you have a bowl of water in the room with you. when they go to the door get up and let them out praising them for asking you. This way you can malipulate when your new dog goes out. They will soon settle in, just remember that being calm is better than being anxious, as dogs pick up on this.