Shining a light on an important occasion like National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, not only helps raise awareness but also may even encourage people to make room in their hearts for dogs in need. Here at Earth Rated, our team is chock full of people who have experience both fostering and adopting dogs! Because nothing beats the advice from people who've done it all before, we asked them for their top tips.
Here's what they had to say.
- Create a small safe space for the new dog to stay in case they're not comfortable in a crate.
- Stock up on the essentials like Poop Bags & Grooming Wipes (remember: baths can be stressful).
- Try using white noise for stress reduction. - Avoid using any unfamiliar food or treats for the first week.
- Offer a mix of soft toys, balls, hard toys, antlers, etc to see what interests them the most to play/relax.
- If the new dog is being brought into a home that already has animals, try keeping the new pup in a separate space for the first few hours until all animals can smell each other through the door and adjust to new scents.
- Make sure to have a clear line of communication with the rescue/shelter in case of emergencies or general questions - and don't be afraid to connect with them!
It can be fun to daydream about all the epic adventures and experiences you’ll be sharing with your new pup, but keep in mind that some may need you to go at a slower pace. It can take some dogs longer than others to recover from a traumatic situation, so patience is KEY. At the end of the day, giving a pup a second chance to rediscover love and life is a beautiful thing. We want to inspire people around us to be a part of that experience.
