Guide to Welcoming a New Dog into Your Home

Whether you are adopting a new dog, fostering, or watching a dog temporarily in your home, this guide is with you, your current pets, and your new dog’s peace and happiness in mind.

This guide is built based on what I’ve learned over the years through pet sitting and dog walking, as well as, from my experiences fostering a dog for the first time.

Dog Introductions

• Learn about dog body language before starting introducing dogs.

• Meet outside and go for a parallel walk - Allow for enough space in between so they cannot reach each other at the end of the leash.

• Let them sniff where each other has peed - This helps them begin to get acquainted with the other dog’s smell.

• Separate the new dog from your current pets within your home - this is especially true if the new dog is new to meeting dogs (or cats) and/or new to living in a home. This could quite possibly be the case when fostering or adopting a rescue dog.

• Remove any favorite toys, chews, bones, and beds when allowing a new dog to share a space with your dog.

• Leave a leash on the new dog - This will allow you to redirect the new dog from trying to knock baby gates or x pens over to get into your dogs separate space. It is also good for when they are in a shared space together, you are able to redirect the new dog from your dog if you see undesirable body language without having to grab onto a collar or harness which could cause the new dog to snap at you out of surprise.

• All of the above tips work well for other pets in the household as well.

Leash Walking Basics

• Start with the gear the new dog will be wearing - For the most safety, you will want to use a martingale collar and a front clip harness, and clip your leash to both the collar and harness in the front.

• Start slow - If you’re dog is overwhelmed (whining, jumpy, pulling a lot) at first, then stick close to home until those behaviors dissipate. Try sitting and doing nothing outside of your home and allow the new dog to observe life go by. This will help them feel more confident in going on walks beyond your property.

• Redirecting - If and when the pull at the end of the leash, call their name and say “here” or "let’s go” to get them to turn around and follow you. Wait until they turn back then say “yes” or “good boy” or your version of rewarding them with verbal praise. Just keep the words you use consistent so it’s easier for the new dog to understand what you’re asking and reinforcing.

• Your dog, or new dog does not have to meet other dogs while on a walk - Often times, dogs meeting on leash is overwhelming to both dogs. Take your time with this, let your new dog observe other dogs from a distance. Space is your friend here. The most ideal scenario is that your dog can be calm when they see other dogs so that when they do eventually meet another dog they will be better prepared.

• Let them sniff - sniffing allows dogs to get familiar with their surroundings, and become more confident, which is important for shy, less confident dogs. Now, this comes with a few caveats:

  • Redirect your dog if they pull toward a scent. You don’t want them dragging you to everything they want to smell.

  • Check for safety - Check out what they’re smelling to make sure it’s not something harmful if they decide to eat it, and if they want to go sniff in the middle of a busy road that’s not recommended:-)

Crate training basics

• Location of the crate - place the crate in a calm area of your home, and against a wall. This will help them confidence in the crate.

• Make it cozy - cover the crate with a sheet or blanket to make it den like. You can put a bed, blanket or towel in the crate if they won’t chew it up. Spray adaptil in the crate for calming.

• Special treats - choose a few special treats, chews, and enrichment toys you will leave in the crate with your dog. When we first got our foster dog, Dimetri, we smeared wet food in the bottom on his crate about 6 inches in, then about mid way, then at the back of the crate to encourage him to enter. We also gave him lots of verbal praise as he made progress entering into his crate.

  • You can leave these in the crate for your new dog to discover on their own, making it an extra special place for them to return to feel safe. These could be things like a Kong with wet food, a bento ball with their inserts or other treats, or marrow bones. Be sure to watch your dog chew/eat any treats before leaving them unattended with them to make sure they’re not going to eat the toy or swallow something big or sharp. Note: bully sticks haven’t worked in the crate with our foster dog because when it slips out of the crate he has a fit that he can’t get it back in. Poor guy!

  • When getting your dog to go into the crate, toss an extra special treat in such as chicken liver treats , a dollop of wet food in the back of the crate, or hot dogs if they really need some encouragement. Every time they you ask them to go in say “crate” or the word of your choice, then when they have all four paws in, say “good crate.” This will help you down the line when it’s crate time.

  • Feeding time in the crate also helps create positive associations with the crate.

• Increasing time left in crate - Start by practicing going in and out without closing the crate door. Try closing the door and stay nearby when they are calm and eating or chewing on something. Then slowly increase the time with the door closed while you’re still there. The next step increasing time with door closed without you there. It’s also helpful to set up a camera or if you don’t have a camera, you can video chat yourself to see how they do over time in the crate without your supervision. This will give you information on how you may need to adjust your routine with the crate.

I hope this is helpful as you welcome a new dog into your home whether is your new foster dog, your new rescue dog, or just a visitor for a few days.

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