Care for a Newly Adopted Dog

When a new dog arrives at our home, especially if it's our first one, it's normal for all kinds of doubts to come up. That's why in this article we're going to talk about the most important things to keep in mind, whether we adopt a puppy or an adult dog.

Supplies We'll Need

Before picking up our adopted dog, it's a good idea to have the accessories it will need ready. These would be the following:

• Leash and collar or harness: At first it's better for the leash to be short, since the dog may get scared and it will be easier to keep it close. Also, to prevent it from escaping, both the collar and the harness need to fit it well.

If it's a puppy that hasn't completed its vaccination schedule, it's not advisable for it to go for walks yet, since it could catch an illness from contact with secretions from infected dogs.

• Poop bags: Always on hand for going outside.
• Car harness, barrier, or carrier: If we're picking it up by car, we need to transport it with whatever safety measure we choose. If using a harness, it might be worth having a cover or blanket to protect the car from hair.
• Food and water bowls: It's important for these to suit its size. They come in different materials — plastic ones can cause allergic reactions. The food will be suited to the dog's needs, and it should always have water available.
• Bed: If the dog we're adopting is a puppy, we can start by giving it a box or basket with an old piece of clothing we've worn. This way it gets familiar with our scent, since smell is extremely important for a dog, and also, we won't mind as much if it destroys it, which is what puppies tend to do during their first few months of life.
• Toys: We can get the basics like a tug toy, a ball, and a Kong, especially if we've adopted a puppy, given their need to chew.
• Hygiene: The basics are a brush, a towel, nail clippers, and shampoo. We can add cleansing foam, wipes, etc. depending on our dog's traits.
• First aid kit: Following our vet's recommendations, we should put together a first aid kit with basic medical supplies such as tweezers, gauze, or disinfectants. We shouldn't be without the emergency phone number either.
• Newspapers: If the dog we're adopting is a puppy, it's a good idea to get a good supply, since we'll use them to teach it to relieve itself in a single spot.

The Vet Visit

If we adopt a dog from a rescue organization, it's common for them to hand it over with its vet record up to date, but even so, it's advisable to take the dog to the vet we've chosen for a checkup and to open a file.

If we have no information about the dog's health status, the vet will look at the following aspects:

• General checkup: This consists of weighing it, taking its temperature, checking its mucous membranes, ears, lymph nodes, mouth, etc. to get an idea of the dog's overall condition and detect any possible issue.
• Deworming: If we don't know whether the dog has been dewormed, the vet will proceed with both internal and external deworming and tell us when we need to repeat it to prevent infestations of worms, fleas, or ticks.
• Vaccination: Always after internal deworming, vaccines become essential. At first several doses are needed, but afterward, an annual booster maintains protection.
• Microchip: The vet can place this device, about the size of a grain of rice, via subcutaneous injection. Our information is linked to it so that, if the dog gets lost, any vet can scan it with the reader and locate us.
• Spaying/Neutering: Although rescue organizations usually hand over dogs already spayed/neutered or, if they're puppies, with a date set for the procedure at a partner vet, if we have to arrange it ourselves, this visit is a good time to set a date for the surgery. It can be done from six months of age onward.

Settling Into the Home

In general, adult dogs have the advantage of not relieving themselves indoors or breaking things. Even so, we need to build a bond with them, and walks will help achieve that, along with dedicating at least a few minutes every day to playing together, brushing them, or any other activity that helps build trust.

Along these lines, we should never force contact on them or scold them — it's always better to reward correct behaviors.

In the case of puppies, which we should never adopt before eight weeks of age since this is a sensitive period they need to spend with their mother and/or siblings to support their socialization, it's normal for them to cry at first.

It used to be recommended to ignore them, but nowadays there are differing opinions. Also, we need to choose a spot to put down the newspapers where we want the little one to relieve itself until it can go outside or hold it until walk time.

Lots of affection, but also calm and routines around feeding, grooming, and outings are the keys to caring for our adopted dog.

Even so, there are dogs that can show excessive fear or what's known as separation anxiety, a condition characterized by crying, barking, relieving themselves indoors, and destroying things when the animal is left alone.

In these cases, it's recommended to contact a canine behavior specialist, since it can be resolved.