Welcoming A New Dog Into Your Home

A dog is a fabulous addition to any family. Learn the proper way of welcoming the animal and taking care of training and you've got a happy, well-adjusted and very well behaved dog. The following advice can help you do that.

1. Be prepared with appropriate supplies. Before the arrival of your new dog, his area should be set up for him, along with all the necessities. Have his bowls, brushes, bed, toys and food all situated and make sure to get a strong nylon leash and collar. As soon as he comes in, direct him to the area. As his excitement and curiosity build, keep bringing him back to "his" area. Within a short time he should adopt the space as his own.

2. Welcome the dog to the home. Although you want to avoid overwhelming the animal with a large crowd of on-lookers, you do want to try and introduce him to all family members at the same time, preferably the same day he arrives. People should take turns kneeling down in front of the dog, extending a hand and talking to him. Provided he doesn't have any bad habits like jumping or biting, let him know who the children of the house are too.

3. Responsibilities with the dog. There should be a single trainer for the dog, with others following consistent commands and abiding by the same ground-rules. Also, determine a good walking and feeding schedule and see that someone is always taking care of it; you don't want the dog to skip a meal or a trip outside, that will spell trouble for his training as well as be unfavorable for the dog. See that all his basic needs are met.

4. Introduce training. Unless you've got a large, fairly empty room in your house, you'll need to take your new dog to an outside area that is free from distractions. Try to use the same area each time, especially in the beginning of training, so that he will know what to expect. Bring a ball and some treats and bond with the dog through play and basic vocal tones, such as saying "good boy" and "go get it" a lot. He will begin to understand that you are in charge and a trusted, likeable master.

5. Begin basic commands. By the second day in the training area, start asking your dog to do simple things like "sit" and "stay." Limit the number of challenges he faces according to how fast he learns them completely. Use hand gestures and a vocal tones to direct him specifically. While training is in official mode, avoid getting too goofy with the animal; his attitude will probably fall in line with yours and you want him to take this very seriously.

6. Branch off into specialty tricks and advanced training. Once the basics are covered, introduce a new trick or special training task about once a week, continuing to reinforce everything else he has learned. Go over the basics as soon as you begin each session, to both test your dog and give him a quick shot of confidence. Tell him how smart he is and what a good boy he is, then keep moving forward with your expectations in training.

Taking the time to welcome and train a new dog into your home will help things go smoothly; make the investment and watch how amazing your new dog turns out!