If you haven’t read my previous blog post, we adopted a new dog from the Humane Society named Eevee.  We already have a dog named Sophie who is now 5 and she is pretty well behaved.  I definitely thought that we could handle a new dog and while we can, there were some things that I didn’t consider after we adopted her.  I was surprised to see that being a previous dog owner, these things still came as a shock to me.

Consider Training Immediately

I have had dogs where we didn’t train them at all, dogs that we’ve trained completely, and dogs that have had some training.  I will tell you, putting your dog through training classes is so important and will save you a lot of hassle.  Classes are not tremendously expensive and definitely worth every penny.  Especially because my dogs are at work with me, it is especially important for them to be trained.  If you have children, plan to take your dogs out in public, or have company that is not used to dogs at your house, I would consider getting them trained immediately.  They have puppy training classes and you really can teach an old dog new tricks (it’s just harder).

Socialize Right Away

I let my dog be anti-social with other dogs and it really came to bite me in the rear end.  Of course, some of the lack of socialization is due to her personality, but Sophie will snap at other dogs if they are too forward (I don’t really blame her).  I would have loved for Sophie to be a little more social with other dogs.  It’s fine now because we have our own mini dog park in our backyard, but with Eevee I want to get her socialized ASAP.  I don’t think we’ll have a problem with her being social, but I definitely think we’ll have a problem with her being too social.  Eevee cannot catch a clue.

Anticipate Disaster

Do you know what happened after Eevee was brought home?  She peed everywhere, she chewed through a table, a counter bottom, a stool, a door, and a baby gate.  I forget that she’s still a puppy because she’s so big, but if puppies (and adult dogs too) get bored they can sometimes chew.  Well, Sophie chewed but not this much.  I have learned not to be surprised if something gets ruined or disaster ensues.  If you anticipate it (and are prepared for it) you’ll be able to react in a way that won’t scar your dog (or other people) for life.  Anticipate accidents, chewing, and other things that you didn’t think was possible.

Prepare To Be Loved

When we first got Eevee, she was already a year old and pretty established with her ways.  Sophie, on the other hand, was still a tiny puppy and grew up with us.  You can definitely tell the difference between the two.  Sophie is a dog that never leaves my side and Eevee is a little more independent from us.  There are times, however, where Eevee will be extremely lovey and it is the best.  For those who don’t know, Husband and I rescued her from the Humane Society.  Her attitude and behavior have changed so much since we brought her home to now.  You can tell that she knows that we are her forever family and she’s been more loving towards us because of it.  Prepare for that.  It will tug at your heartstrings so much.

Address Concerns With Previous Owners (If Possible)

Like I mentioned earlier, we got Eevee from the Humane Society.  This tip can’t always be exercised, but if you can, use it.  When we first adopted Eevee, we were told she only had a UTI and they gave her a round of antibiotics and sent us home with them.  Well, it’s turned into something much bigger that has grown too big for our wallets.  Because of that, I had reached out to the Humane Society.  They couldn’t offer much, but they did offer to refund her adoption fee so that we can cover the cost of the testing that she needs.  The vet believes she was born with a chronic kidney illness and the testing will be on the upwards of $600 for everything.  We are very thankful that the Humane Society is willing to help us keep her in her forever home and stay as healthy as possible!

Related Posts:

30 Days of Me – A Picture Of My Animals

Storytime – Eevee’s Grand Adventure