One of the most exciting parts of getting a dog is bringing them home for the first time. Nothing beats the feeling of showing a dog where they’re going to live, especially if they were a shelter dog. They’ve likely never been in a home as welcoming as yours. However, there are specific considerations for getting a shelter dog that will need to be accounted for, which we’ll go over for you in this article.
Think About Their Age
Not all dogs in the shelter are puppies or even young. Sometimes they are in the final years of their life. While we think you should still consider older dogs since they deserve a home as much as the others, it can be hard on kids to have a dog for a couple of years before the pet dies. If you don’t have kids, older dogs are a perfect short-term option for a pet.
Find Out What You Can About Their Past
Even though most shelter dogs are good boys and girls, this isn’t always the case. Shelter employees will always disclose if the dog has bitten people before, but they don’t always know their history themselves. That’s why it’s a good idea to know what can occur if a dog bites you. That way, you can react accordingly if it ever happens. But as we said, this isn’t common.
Be Ready for an Adjustment Period
Regardless of their past, your new pup will take a while to adjust to their new home. Even if they had the most incredible home life ever, they’ll still need time to adapt to their new environment. This is especially true if they spent a lot of time at the shelter. We know it can be easy to smother them with love once you bring them home, so be sure to give them some space when you do.
Prepare for Separation Anxiety
Since most shelter dogs come from previous families, they have already gone through the heartbreak of losing those they once trusted. This usually leads to separation anxiety, which means they are going to freak out any time you leave. There are strategies to fixing this, but none of them are guaranteed to work. As long as you usually have someone at your house, you shouldn’t have to worry about it too much, but it’s one of the top considerations for getting a shelter dog that we want to make sure you know about.
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