How do You Prepare For a New Dog's Arrival? 

PDSA Vet Anna Ewers Clark shared with Bored Panda that it can be incredibly exciting to bring a dog back home from an animal shelter or rehoming center. However, she warned that it’s vital that we’re as prepared as possible to welcome the new woofs into our lives. There are a lot of things we need to consider besides taking cute dog photos of your new friend!

“Your new dog will be used to their current routine and environment, so it’s important to make the transition as stress-free as possible to help them adjust. They’ll also need time to adapt, and the first few weeks can mean big changes for you both,” she said that we should be psychologically prepared in advance that we’ll need to adapt to a different lifestyle.

The Importance of Dog-proofing Your Home

“It’s a good idea to check your home is as dog friendly as possible before moving day. Ask lots of questions about your dog’s current routine and what they like and dislike. For example, their favorite sort of dog toys, if they have a favorite game and where they like to sleep,” vet Anna told Bored Panda that we have to take the initiative and find out everything that we can about our new future pet, and we shouldn't just judge them from the cute dog photos we might be provided with. The more we know, the better prepared we are, the easier the transition will be.

PDSA Vet Anna noted that we should dog-proof our homes: from the rooms to the gardens. What’s more, we should check around the house to see if there are any hazards that might potentially pose a danger to “inquisitive paws or noses.”

Provide Your Dog With a Quiet Resting Place

“It’s also a good idea to set up a space where your dog can have some time to themselves. This could be a crate, den, or a quiet room,” the vet told Bored Panda. We should also have a space for our new pets where they can be all by themselves. We might think they’re utterly adorable, but even they need a break from us taking the cutest dog pictures all the time.

Before bringing our doggo home, we should also buy its bed, as well as a few blankets, in advance. That way, you can bring them over to your future pet in the shelter so it can spend a few nights sleeping in them before the big move. “When they arrive, put these blankets in their safe place so it smells familiar and secure,” the vet said.

Get to Know Your Dog Before Its Arrival Home

“You might also want to set up some pheromone diffusers to keep things calm and relax your dog as soon as they walk in the door. You’ll also want to check which food your new dog is currently eating so you can continue with the same brand initially and reduce the risk of an upset tummy,” vet Anna detailed to Bored Panda what else we can do to make the dog feel right at home. Moving homes is stressful for us as well, so I think many of us can relate to how dogs might feel leaving their shelter homes.

The PDSA suggests that adoptive pet parents spend time with their new dogs before bringing them home. Getting to know each other is very important before the big move. “This could be going on walks, visiting their current home, or taking them for short visits to your house. This will make sure you get to know each other before you take the big step of sharing a house and routine.”

What’s more, vet Anna warned Bored Panda that we should also prepare our current pets that a new member of the family might soon be joining the ranks, and they will not be the sole objects of your pictures of cute dogs anymore. “You might want to think about scent swapping ahead of time (where you exchange bedding between the pets so they can get to know each other’s smell) and make sure each pet has their own space when your new dog comes home so your pets can get used to each other gradually and have their own space when it’s needed.”

Things to Do on the Moving Day

The main thing to do on moving day is to keep things as calm as possible. “Allow your dog time to explore your home (or a couple of rooms that are dog-proofed) and give them their own space—let them come to you when they’re ready,” Anna said.

“Try to stick to a routine from day one, including bedtime and mealtimes, as this will help them know what to expect. It’s also a good idea to prepare yourself for a few mistakes or accidents at the beginning (or even problem behavior), for example chewing, separation problems, or accidents in the house. Moving to a new home is a big step for your dog so be patient and brush up on their training, using positive, reward-based methods, to help them settle in.”

But for now, let’s enjoy the vast selection of cute pictures of dogs that are still on this list. We think they’re so adorable; they have the ability to make even the worst day at least a tiny bit better!