We’re wrapping up the 7th anniversary celebration of Love Has No Age Limit’s publication, what a great time to review three of the most important things to remember when bringing a new dog into the home:
#1: Patience! Just because a dog isn’t a puppy anymore, doesn’t mean he or she doesn’t have a lot to learn about you and your family. It can take a good year for a dog to truly settle into a new home. Don’t panic if there are some bumpy spots during the transition; some benevolent training and patience usually smooths things out.
#2: Just because a dog is house trained in one house doesn’t mean he is in yours. Treat all dogs, no matter how old, like puppies for the first couple of days. Take them out to potty often and give them instant reinforcement for doing so in the appropriate place. You’ll also need to keep a careful eye on your new dog for quite awhile—just because they didn’t chew on someone else’s couch doesn’t mean they won’t chew on yours!
#3: Three really is a magic number! Repeating “three days, three weeks, three months!” is a wonderful way to remind yourself that most dogs are in shock the first three days in a new home, need three weeks to begin to show you their true personalities, and three months to begin to understand the family rules.
In seven years, Love Has No Age Limit has made its way into the hands of over 100,000 people. As a part of the anniversary celebration in June, we’re extending a Buy One, Get One Free offer. Help us reach 100,000 more adopters and get this book into every humane society, shelter, and rescue by buying one for yourself and donating the the extra copy to the shelter or rescue of your choice! Interested in donating even more? We’ve got bulk discounts bringing the cost of the book down to as low as $2.88!
Want to learn more about dogs? Look here for a treasure trove of Patricia’s articles, blogs and videos about dog training, canine health and behavior, and solving behavior problems. Includes links to other helpful resources.
Clear and engaging, Patricia’s books & DVDs are invaluable resources for professionals and dog lovers alike. If your dog could, she’d beg you to click here and check them out.
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