The Before & After

When getting your new puppy or dog of your choice, there are a few things to keep in mind when first purchasing. We will call it the before and after. Now, I know it can be exciting for the family to all go together and pick one out, but just take a deep breath and remember if you go to any place with dogs, it’s going to be crazy, exciting, overwhelming, and loud for you and them. I got my German Shepard from a breeder. But there are also animal shelters that have lots and lots of dogs, which is where I currently work. So have fun!

What to know before you purchase one don’t forget about the vaccines, the history of the dog, and how the dog reacts to other animals, like cats or people. If you’re at an animal shelter then they should have a type of sheet posted on the kennel for you to look at, like a profile page. Then they will or should tell you the rest after you pick one out and get ready to purchase your sale.  Also, keep in mind when going to an animal shelter or any place you’re unfamiliar with you would want to keep your hands to yourself. Make sure you Prepare well, ask yourself or the family, what you want to teach them? What is the family or your plan with your new canine? 

The after part when purchasing your little cute furry canine buddy. Now I know you have brought home your furry friend for the first time, I need you to remember that there is a 3-3-3 rule after bringing them home. It takes a new dog 3 days to not be freaked out. 3 weeks to adapt to the environment and 3 months to bond and build trust. Just make sure you keep that in mind after you purchase the dog or puppy. I know when I got my German Shepard, she was nervous the first day but didn’t start showing me who she was personality-wise till the 4 weeks. I got toys and treats to help her ease into the new change and also trained her with simple commands like sit or lay.

Remember if you’re going to try the training part of the relaxing to get them more comfortable. All training should be rewarded based, giving your dog something they really like such as food, treats, toys, or praise, when they show a particular behavior means that they’re more likely to do it again. Don’t forget to capture every moment you have with them.