If you’re a first-time dog owner, bringing home an adopted dog can be tricky, even if you’re not daunted by the prospect.

There are so many things you ideally need to take care of to make it a smooth homecoming. And there isn’t just a single new puppy checklist…

No. Just getting the dog food, bowls, puppy pads, and dog car seat covers wouldn’t cover it…

There are different things you need to prep and do in stages. We got into some of the things you need to do before you bring a new dog home in an earlier post.

In this post, we’ll talk about what to do on the very first day that your new puppy is home.

That’s right…

Bringing home an adopted dog isn’t all that straightforward. But that’s why we’re here to walk you through it.

What to Do on the First Day While Bringing Home An Adopted Dog

Getting off on the right track on the first day when you’re bringing home an adopted dog can really help your new pup get settled in her new home as quickly as possible.

She will be thrown off by your home since it’s a strange, new place for her after all. And if there are other members of the family in the house, that can be even more unsettling.

Quite, natural, isn’t it?

So the first day can help you introduce everything properly, and make her feel at ease. Here are some things you should do…

1. Give Your New Dog Time And Space to Get Used To The New Home

Let your new dog find her bearings in her new home. No need to rush things. Let her explore the house and its new sights and smells at her own pace.

She wouldn’t want a quick tour for sure, not after a stressful ride over.

And if you have a family at home, make sure that they aren’t crowding around her and overwhelming her. It’s best she gets a little familiar with the house before meeting a bunch of new strangers.

2. Spend A Lot Of Time In The Designated Toilet Area

Speaking of stress, all that is going to stimulate her bladder real quick. So what should be one spot you really need her to familiarise herself with?

That’s right…the toilet/potty area.

If you don’t plan to have one at home, make sure to take her for a walk as soon as possible, and linger for a good while in the spot so she remembers the smells and the memory of relieving herself there is reinforced.

And don’t forget to reward and praise her when she does relieve herself there.

If you do plan to use a spot in the house or in the backyard, at least until she’s housetrained, for her to use, make sure to stock up on puppy pads.

Besides making it so much easier to clean up messes, they also act as a marker for her, so she would be less likely to make her mess on the pads rather than other spots.

And for the hectic period, until she’s housebroken, we also have an Autopad service, so you don’t have to keep re-ordering the same pack of pee pads again and again.

3. Keep And Maintain A Calm Energy

This is such an important thing to be mindful of, especially if you’re a first-time dog owner. And when you’re introducing your new dog to her new family.

You’re basically introducing a new dog to your pack, whether it’s people or other pets. And in such a situation, your energy and demeanor as the “alpha” of the pack are essential for a good start.

Besides that, maintaining a calm vibe for the first few days also helps you focus more on your new pup. Take the time to observe and get to know her, and her behavior quirks.

She’ll be learning stuff about you too.

Leave any exciting stuff you might have planned out for a few weeks down the line after she’s starting to feel home.

4. Start On The New Schedule On The Very First Day

Like we mentioned in the earlier post on prepping for bringing home an adopted dog, it’s important to jump right into training from day one.

By jumping in, we don’t mean into the deep end, of course. Start with light stuff, in very short sessions. And with plenty of positive energy.

Besides training, make sure to establish a proper schedule for eating, walks, playing, and sleeping right off the bat. It’d be good if you plan it out in advance. That discipline will help her settle in quicker too.

We hope you found these tips on bringing home an adopted dog useful. If you know any other tips or suggestions from your own experiences, do let us know in the comments section below!

Featured image by instagram.com//jbr_bullies/