Advice for new dog owner
Discussion
Hi all,
I've spent some time going through this section but either my search skills are carp or I've missed some similar threads.
We are looking to adopt a rescue dog as we've moved away from London, my wife or I are always home and I've always wanted a dog. We have had family dogs when I was younger but this was in a different country where they were looked after by lots of different people, lived outside and were semi guard dogs so I'd rather start from scratch as this is a family pet.
Rescues we are looking at will be between 1-5 years old, and with less trauma and vague history given our inexperience.
What are the best resources to get ourselves and the home ready, learn more about what's involved and responsibilities and preparations we need to do before we get the dog and ongoing tools to manage the dog so he/she has a happy family and home.
Is there a couple of good books or websites where this info is in one place as opposed to tens or hundreds of websites with one para each?
Thought I'd check here as I know there is massive love for dogs here and even some trainers and experts around.
Thanks for your patience and I'm happy to be told I'm doing things wrong or I need to do more ...
I've spent some time going through this section but either my search skills are carp or I've missed some similar threads.
We are looking to adopt a rescue dog as we've moved away from London, my wife or I are always home and I've always wanted a dog. We have had family dogs when I was younger but this was in a different country where they were looked after by lots of different people, lived outside and were semi guard dogs so I'd rather start from scratch as this is a family pet.
Rescues we are looking at will be between 1-5 years old, and with less trauma and vague history given our inexperience.
What are the best resources to get ourselves and the home ready, learn more about what's involved and responsibilities and preparations we need to do before we get the dog and ongoing tools to manage the dog so he/she has a happy family and home.
Is there a couple of good books or websites where this info is in one place as opposed to tens or hundreds of websites with one para each?
Thought I'd check here as I know there is massive love for dogs here and even some trainers and experts around.
Thanks for your patience and I'm happy to be told I'm doing things wrong or I need to do more ...
There are some basics, but it does also depend on what breed of dog you are planning on getting.
I applaud you for wanting a rescue rather than jumping on the latest designer fad and paying many thousands for the privilege. Rescue dogs will reward you in spades for providing them with love, shelter, food, warmth and stability.
Routine is key. Establish that quickly. Breakfast and/or dinner times as consistent as possible. Walk times as consistent as possible.
A dog will become a product of its environment. A calm environment will result in a calmer dog. Teach younger children to treat them with respect, be gentle and so on. Let the dog have its own space. Like humans, they like to have somewhere to call their own and retreat to for a nap.
Engage the dog in the garden or out while on a walk with balls or other toys a couple of times a day and interact with play. They need to be stimulated from time to time or they will get bored and do naughty things for attention.
There is so much, this is just a few things, but common sense plays a big part in it.
There are quite a few books available, like this one:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dog-Owners-Manual-Instruc...
I wish you the best of luck finding your new family member.
I applaud you for wanting a rescue rather than jumping on the latest designer fad and paying many thousands for the privilege. Rescue dogs will reward you in spades for providing them with love, shelter, food, warmth and stability.
Routine is key. Establish that quickly. Breakfast and/or dinner times as consistent as possible. Walk times as consistent as possible.
A dog will become a product of its environment. A calm environment will result in a calmer dog. Teach younger children to treat them with respect, be gentle and so on. Let the dog have its own space. Like humans, they like to have somewhere to call their own and retreat to for a nap.
Engage the dog in the garden or out while on a walk with balls or other toys a couple of times a day and interact with play. They need to be stimulated from time to time or they will get bored and do naughty things for attention.
There is so much, this is just a few things, but common sense plays a big part in it.
There are quite a few books available, like this one:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dog-Owners-Manual-Instruc...
I wish you the best of luck finding your new family member.
I have three rescue huskies and mrs RJWR is a vet. (i had the huskies before I met mrs RJWR, you see cheaper to marry a vet than pay one...) anyway, I highly recommend getting two huskies.
They will not play fetch, they will not come back (so never let them off lead) they will kill anything thats not human and or canine but they are mega easy to look after, do not need the exercise people claim, can be left all day (in pairs or more) without issue, do not bark, and are often sent to rescue shelters because people do not know what to do with them.
if you have one on your own, expect some attention grabbing behaviour, hence the reputation. Have two and they are amazing.
They will not play fetch, they will not come back (so never let them off lead) they will kill anything thats not human and or canine but they are mega easy to look after, do not need the exercise people claim, can be left all day (in pairs or more) without issue, do not bark, and are often sent to rescue shelters because people do not know what to do with them.
if you have one on your own, expect some attention grabbing behaviour, hence the reputation. Have two and they are amazing.
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