If you haven’t read PART ONE, you should do so before reading this post! You learned 5 tips in the last post and in this post, you will learn 5 more. I am grateful to know this stuff now and even though I am no stranger to owning dogs, it is hard to remember that every dog has a different personality and stuff that I didn’t even consider for Sophie was stuff that I had to do for Eevee.
Observe Your Dog
This might be easier if you have already had a dog before, but this is important for the introduction process with your dog. Observe your dog’s personality, mannerisms, and quirks. This will make it easier to train, especially potty train, and anticipate what your dog is going to do. I learned that my dog will walk in circles before she poops and then she’ll charge me right before she goes pee. Because of that, I have learned if I don’t want to get plowed over, I should brace myself and stay on high ground.
Schedule a Vet Appointment
This is something that I was very thankful for. Before Eevee was adopted to us, she was seen by the humane society’s vet, but I wanted to get her established with the vet that we use for our other pets. I’m glad that we brought her in because when Eevee left the humane society with a UTI, it didn’t heal right away. Turns out, she probably has a kidney issue that we wouldn’t have found if we hadn’t brought her to our vet.
Dog Proof Your House
I thought that we had dog proofed our house enough before we got Eevee. Turns out, we didn’t. Not even close. Did you know that Eevee can open the toilet lid with her snout? She can even open the gate in the backyard and escape (this was a recent discovery). Make sure that you observe and see what they get into. Dog-proofing your house is a learning process. It has been two months for us and we are still dog proofing our house.
Be Ready to Spend
This may not apply to anyone, but I wish that I had considered how much money I was actually going to spend on Eevee. Between her adoption fee, many trips to the vet, toys to keep her from getting bored, more toys to replace the ones that she destroyed, a kennel, reusable diapers, and other things, we spent so much money. Fortunately, we had it within our budget (mostly) but unexpected costs come with the dog territory.
Teach Them Their Name
Do not take your new dog to a dog park or any off-leash area until they know their name. This may be one of the most overlooked things. Teach them their name! It is relatively easy to do. Make sure you have dog treats and lots of patience. Learn how to teach your dog their name here.
What is something that you didn’t know when you first adopted your dog that you think is important for the world to know? Share it below!
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