Speaker: Chris Bern, JustAnswer Expert
Chris Bern: Hi, I'm Doctor Chris Bern, a veterinarian with 27 years of experience. And I answer veterinary related questions on JustAnswer.
Chris Bern: Today, I'm going to be talking about safety concerns and general tips for new dog owners, especially people who have never had a dog before and what we can do to help that transition out.
Chris Bern: When bringing a new dog home, the key is to be patient. This is new and stressful to that dog. While you're going to be providing a safe, loving home for that dog, you're a new person and are taking it to an environment that it doesn't know. The first few days are going to be the most stressful. So you need to have a lot of patience, understanding and love. Make sure you already have food, treats, toys and an appropriate crater kennel. So you can immediately start introducing your new dog to an established environment that's made just for them. Be prepared with a plan to introduce your new dog to other pets, which I'll talk about in a bit. Family members may be really excited to see a new dog, but too much activity can be stressful. So prepare to give your dog some time to itself and check around the house to make sure that your dog cannot get into any human medications, food, trash, small objects or other things that can cause toxicity or intestinal obstructions if they chew or swallow them.
Chris Bern: Next, I want to talk about creating a safe sleeping and resting space for the dog. So you want to use a crate or a kennel that is just big enough for the dog to stand up, turn around and lay stretched out. With puppies, you may need to get a kennel that is as large as you would expect them as an adult. But use a divider to reduce that size that they have available and then modify it as they grow. Put a better blanket in the kennel, but make sure to watch that they don't chew it up and risk swallowing pieces. Keep the door to the kennel open at all times. So they come and go as they want. And when feeding, put the food bowl in the back and leave the door open when you're putting them in a kennel and when you go to sleep or leave, give them a special toy or treat that they only get when that door is closed and never use the crate for punishment. We want that space to be as positive as possible so they feel comfortable going in there.
Chris Bern: When introducing your new dog to other pets, remember that it can be very stressful and unexpected for any dogs and cats you already have. Initially you only want supervised interactions with a new dog on a leash so that you can easily control their excitement and pull them away if they or your other pets become too stressed or aggressive. Watch for any growling, biting, hair raised on the back of the neck as these are signs that one of the pets is too anxious and you'll need to separate them for a while. Make sure any existing pets have spaces to get away from your new dog. if they get too stressed. Feed the pets in separate rooms with doors closed and don't leave the food out at all time and never punish your other dog or cat for growling or hissing as this can actually increase that pet's fear and anxiety.
Chris Bern: Now, I want to talk about managing your new dogs, stress and anxiety during this transition period. We want to focus on positive reinforcement of good behaviors rather than punishment of bad behaviors. This means looking for the behaviors you want to see him or her do and reward those with praise, love and treats. Never hit or yell at your dog for bad behaviors. as this increases stress and fear. Consider using a pheromone diffuser to reduce stress. If the dog wants to move away from people or other pets to go somewhere quiet, let them do so and don't force them into situations that cause fear or anxiety. And try to have a regular schedule daily for feeding, walks, being let outside and going to sleep as dogs do best with very predictable schedules.
Chris Bern: If you have any questions or concerns about dog health, please reach out to us directly via the link in the video description.
