The First Day
The first day is either going to be very stressful or very easy - it’s the hard truth! There will be accidents in the house, there will be whining, possibly unwanted behaviors and that second thought like maybe I shouldn’t have committed to this. This is NORMAL and trust me, you are not the only one who has been through this or felt this way. Bringing home a new dog that just lost everything is hard and heartbreaking!
What To Expect
Accidents or Marking
Not Eating
Altercations to other animals (if introduced too soon or incorrectly)
Growling/Snapping
To make the transition as smoothly as possible, we’ve listed a few items that are proven to make the first 24 hours less stressful on both you and your new dog.
What To Do
If you have other pets in the home, keep them separated for the first 24 hours. Remember, your new dog is stressed; meeting another dog just ads another layer of stress and can result in a dogfight. This goes for even if your dog is the most friendly dog ever or if the dogs have met before. Bringing another dog into your home is different than a casual meeting and dogs reactive differently when it is in their territory.
Show your dog around. Walk your foster on a leash around the house, around the yard, up and down the street (without any nose-to-nose interactions with other dogs).
Kennel your dog in a common place such as the kitchen or living room and allow them to take in their new environment. Don’t forget to give treats throughout this time to earn trust (If your foster is not comfortable in a kennel, baby gate off a small area to put your foster dog)!
Keep a leash on your foster AT ALL TIMES for the first week. By doing this, you are able to redirect your dog easier by grabbing the leash.
Continue to use the same door to go potty each time and take them out frequently those first few days so they learn right away where they need to go potty.
Sit back and observe your new best friend. Let your dog come to you, if you have kids, don’t allow them to hang on the dog, hug or put their faces to the dogs face, etc. In other words, explain to your kids they need to give the new dog some space for a little while.
Before bed, take your dog for a long walk and time to relieve themselves. They will most likely be exhausted from such a big day and that extra bit of exercise will allow them and YOU to sleep without interruption.
Additional Resources
Tailered Dog Training
Rebound Hounds
Foster Guidelines
First Time Foster Advice
The First Two Weeks
From Day One, your dog will need family time and brief periods of solitary confinement. Don’t give in and comfort him if he whines when left alone. Instead, give him attention for good behavior, such as chewing on a toy or resting quietly (Source: Preparing Your Home For A New Dog).
For the first few days, remain calm and quiet around your dog, limiting too much excitement (such as a party or the neighborhood children). Not only will this allow your dog to settle in easier, it will give you more one-on-one time to get to know him and his likes/dislikes.
If he came from another home, objects like leashes, hands, rolled up newspapers and magazines, feet, chairs and sticks are just some of the pieces of “training equipment” that may have been used on this dog. Words like “come here” and “lie down” may bring forth a reaction other than the one you expect .Or maybe he led a sheltered life and was never socialized to children or sidewalk activity. This dog may be the product of a never-ending series of scrambled communications and unreal expectations that will require patience on your part.
Following Weeks:
People often say they don’t see their dog’s true personality until several weeks. Your foster dog may be a bit uneasy at first as he gets to know you. Be patient and understanding while also keeping to the schedule you intend to maintain for feeding, walks, etc. This schedule will show your dog what is expected of him as well as what he can expect from you.
WHAT TO FEED YOUR DOG
Tips to entice eating:
A stressed-out dog may boycott eating, believe it or not. If a hunger strike continues for more than a couple of days, contact us directly. We’re all here to help figure it out! Here are some tips to help increase interest in food again:
Stick to a schedule that works in your household, usually twice a day. Keep food down for 15 min, then pull it back up so they get used to a time and routine.
Scale back or hold treats completely until they start eating.
Try a different bowl or plate, or put the bowl at a different height. These guys like HABITS, so maybe it’s a matter of finding something they recognize as being more like what they are used to.
Mix in a different type of food (hard, soft, different brand).
Soften any hard food with a bit of warm water to make it smellier.
Try bland for a couple of days -- Mix in a little cut-up chicken and plain cooked white rice or macaroni pasta. You can also try potatoes, ground-up turkey or lean hamburger- all plain no spices added
Try toppers to get them going – they often “taste” with their noses:
A few scoops of canned food.
Sardines, tuna, even a little stinky Parmesan cheese. Small bits of deli meat might work, but use sparingly due to fat and sodium.
A little cottage cheese, pure pumpkin, green beans, chicken broth, peanut butter (make sure it doesn’t have xylitol as an ingredient).
Associate mealtime with love and fun.
Diet Change
Some dogs get diarrhea from a diet change. If this happens, feed cooked rice mixed with cottage cheese (2 to 1 ratio) for a day or two, or cooked ground turkey or hamburger. You may try adding canned 100% canned pumpkin (again, not the pie filling!) to their meals: 1 tablespoon per 40 lbs. Then reintroduce dry kibble.
Feeding Schedule and Quantity
Feed at the same times every day. As a general rule, we expect our dogs to be fed twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. Amount will depend on weight, age and activity level of your dog.
Remember to reduce this amount to compensate for any treats, including chews.
Do not feed any people food. You don’t know what an adopter will want to do, so don’t start a habit they will have to break. By feeding only dog food, you discourage begging.
For dogs that have trouble chewing, you can moisten food with water.
Food Allergies
If your foster dog experiences hot spots (red patches of hairless skin), it may be due to food allergies. We recommend sticking to simple, easy-to-digest diets of dry kibble with chicken as the protein ingredient. If your dog appears to be allergic to chicken, look for dog food made with potatoes and duck, or fish. Some dogs react to food allergies by getting raw sores on the pads of their feet, between their toes. Reach out to our Vetting team if you see these reactions.
Foods to Avoid – These can be fatal
Alcohol, Avocado, Caffeine, Chocolate, Coffee, Citrus, Coconut, Grapes, Raisins, Nuts, Ham & Ham Bones, Dairy/milk, Onions, Garlic, Chives, Xylitol (found in some Peanut Butter), Yeast, Cinnamon.
Always provide plenty of fresh water!
Introducing Resident Animals
This is SO important as it sets the tone between your resident animals and dog for their remaining stay. We want the initial introductions to be GREAT so the continued relationship is just as awesome!
Resident Dog
During that 24 hours of separation, while one is out going potty, allow the other to sniff around and learn the new additions smell.
After 24 hours, take both dogs on a long walk together. This gives them time to mentally get to know each other. When I say long, I mean as long as they can go - you want to tire them out.
Next introduce in the home with leashes on and a baby gate between them. This gives them the opportunity to meet each other with a barrier in between so everyone is safe. I recommend keeping them separated with a baby gate for 24 hours. If you see either dog growling or bearing teeth, we recommend keeping them separated for longer.
Once you feel they are ready to meet without a barrier, keep both dogs leashed to easily remove both from any situation. Allow the dogs to meet for short periods then separate to rest. This helps diffuse any over rambunctiousness from one party. Our dogs are seniors so any overly excited puppy may be too much for them. Continue to let them play for short periods until the newness wears off.
We HIGHLY recommend NEVER leaving your resident dog and foster dog unattended for any period of time.
Resident Cat
During that 24 hours of separation, while one is out going potty, allow the other to sniff around and learn the new additions smell.
Next introduce with the leash still on your foster dog and a baby gate between them. This gives them the opportunity to meet each other with a barrier in between so everyone is safe. I recommend keeping them separated with a baby gate for 24 hours. If you see your foster dog growling or bearing teeth, we recommend keeping them separated for longer.
Once you feel they are ready to meet without a barrier, continue to keep your foster dog leashed to easily remove both from any situation. If your foster dog becomes TOO interested, add the barrier and continue to keep the meetings short.
PREVENTATIVES (Flea/Tick & Heartworm)
It is very important to continue giving your new dog preventatives. Please, speak with your vet to order preventatives. You new dog has received flea and tick prevention on the first of each month while in rescue and heartworm prevention on the first of each month April - October.
LOST DOG
If your animal is lost, here are the steps to complete IMMEDIATELY!
Hit the ground running - begin searching everywhere. Bring a leash and treats to entice them to return. Continue to yell their name and look everywhere.
While you are searching, make sure you have someone at home in case the animal returns. You can put out food for a familiar smell.
In the meantime, our team will begin calling local veterinary clinics in case anyone returns the animal along with shelters. We will also contact Lost Dogs MN to post on their Facebook page. We will also recruit volunteers through our social sites to join in the efforts to find the animal.
Follow the LOST DOGS ACTION PLAN here.
