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Arrival Home

Ground rules

Before your dog arrives it is a good idea to decide exactly where he will be allowed to go within the house, and think about some ground rules. If you do not want him to sleep on the sofa or go upstairs, then it is unfair to let him do these things even once. He will not understand why something which was alright one day is not the next, whereas if he is never allowed to do these things then he will never expect to.

Areas that you want to prevent him from entering can be blocked with a stairgate, which avoids shutting him off behind a door, and allows him to see and hear what is going.

Sofas are particularly inviting, as not only are they soft, but in many kennels the dogs sleep on a raised platform at the back of their kennel which is set about the same height off the ground as the average sofa. If you do not want your dog to lie on the sofa, offer a good alternative such as a large duvet folded in half on the floor (a thick double duvet can be bought from places such as Argos for less than £20). Another popular alternative is a cot mattress available from anywhere that sells nursery supplies. The advantage of using a cot mattress is that you can easily buy elasticated sheets in a variety of fabrics to use as covers.

First impressions

Depending on the history of your dog, this may be the first time he has ever been away from kennels and inside a house. Everything will be new (and possibly frightening) to him.

Although it may be tempting to make a huge fuss of him, it is better to allow him a few hours just to explore this strange new environment and settle down. He is not used to having someone to turn to for reassurance, so until he learns to do this try not to be disappointed if he seems a little aloof.

It can also help him to settle if you find out about the kennel routine he is used to and follow that for the first few days. Questions to ask include details such as when would he usually be fed, was there a radio playing in the kennels and if so what station, when would he usually be let out for exercise and toilet breaks, etc.

As soon as you collect your dog place a collar and identification tag on him. It is important that he wear this AT ALL TIMES, at least for the first few weeks. This is because until everyone in the family is used to having a dog, and he is used to his new home, he could easily escape. If he should manage to slip out the door he will not know where he is, and no one in the area is likely to know who he belongs to. Having the correct identification tags on at all times can save an awful lot of time and trouble if the worst should happen.

Inside the house the two most common difficulties experienced at this stage tend to be glass doors and stairs. If your dog has come straight from kennels it is unlikely that he has ever come across either of these before.

He may get up stairs easily, but need help to get back down on the first few occasions, either that or he will be too uncertain to attempt them for a little while. If this is the case it is best not to try and pull the dog up, but simply wait until curiosity gets the better of him. If you would like to assist him negotiate the stairs it often helps to use his collar and lead to guide him up and down until he becomes more confident.

Large windows or patio doors need to be introduced before your dog sees a cat in the garden and tries to run straight through them. This can be done by slowly leading or calling the dog over to the doors, tapping them, then encouraging him to touch the glass with his nose or paw. Until you are absolutely certain he has the idea it can be good to place stickers or lines of masking tape at his eye height to help him see when the doors are closed.

The first few nights

If you do decide that your dog will not be allowed upstairs or in the bedroom, then you must understand that he may find being totally on his own for the first few nights very difficult. If you are determined that he should remain downstairs, it may be necessary to either sleep down there with him or accept that there will possibly be a certain amount of whining or barking.

If noise at night becomes a problem, it is often reassuring enough for you to come to the top of the stairs where the dog can see you, and speak gently to him. Many dogs are also reassured by having an item of your previously worn clothing in their bed, but do make sure it is not your best silk blouse just in case he decides to have a little nibble in the middle of the night!

Remember that if you go downstairs and pat him every time he whines/barks, you may be establishing a behaviour pattern that could be difficult to break.

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