Dog Proofing
Tips for dog proofing
Your new family member from Pasado’s Safe Haven may not have lived in a house before. They may be nervous of normal household things or extra curious about them. It’s a good idea to do some dog-proofing in your home before bringing your rescue dog home.
DO keep in mind that it is not necessary and often not desirable to let your new dog have the run of the home for the first few days. Options include keeping them on lead and tethered to you as they explore the house (this is good for preventing potty accidents as well), and giving them access only to one or two dog-proofed rooms to start with.
DO take the dog outside to potty every couple of hours. Reward generously EVERY TIME the dog goes outside.
DO give the dog a safe space – a bathroom, laundry room, or spare room – with water and a bed where they can retreat to if they get either too overwhelmed and shy or too over-stimulated and excited. It is okay to give your dog downtime on their own in this space as they acclimate. Give them a stuffed Kong toy, food puzzle, or chew to work on.
DO keep things as low key as possible. This means short walks or just exploring the back yard to start with. Do not introduce to a bunch of new people or new dogs. Keep just to your immediate family for now. Expand your dog’s circle after they’ve become more comfortable and relaxed with YOU. Hold off on baths and grooming as well. Establish some basic trust with your dog before trying new things.
DON’T feel bad about restricting the dog’s access to everything for the first couple of weeks and being a bit boring to start with. You are setting your dog up for a lifetime of success. Once you’ve introduced your dog slowly to the home life and built some trust between you and your dog you can start expanding the dog’s world. Remember, just being in a home is excitement and challenge enough!
DOG PROOFING FOR A DOG WHO IS TOO EXCITED
Some dogs, when coming home, will want to explore everything and show a high level of anxiousness. This dog will be panting, pacing, drinking lots of water, and racing around. They will not settle.
- Pick up shoes, socks, that expensive scarf, etc. Do not let your new dog get off to a bad start by eating your favorite thing. Pick things up and secure them safely away!
- Remove any tasty or smelly items from counters. Dogs will counter surf and if they are rewarded by being able to nab a tasty snack, this can quickly become a habit!
- Put trash cans up and out of reach or behind child-proofed cupboards (many dogs can figure out how to open cupboards!). If dogs succeed at going through the trash once, this can become a fun game for them (and trouble for you!).
- Use baby gates to keep the dog out of areas that aren’t easy to dog proof (the room with the white carpet and fancy pillows for example).
- Use baby gates to keep the dog in places where things are easy to clean up and unclutter (bathrooms, laundry rooms).
- Supervise the dog, use a tether, baby gates, exercise pens etc. to start with.
- You can also start crate training the dog –ie, teach the dog that the crate is a safe, enjoyable place to be. DO NOT put a dog in a crate without teaching them to enjoy it first and practice leaving them in it for short durations, first while you are present. See our crate training plan here.
DOG PROOFING FOR A DOG WHO IS TOO NERVOUS
Some dogs will find the new home to be too overwhelming at first and may not want to move around much. They will want to hunker down in a safe place and may be startled by lots of usual household things. This dog may also not have much appetite for treats or dinner at first. This is normal.
- Turn the TV down to the lowest volume and watch something quiet. This is a great time for All Creatures Great and Small, The Great British Bake Off, or Bridgerton. Not anything with guns, explosions, or thunderstorms.
- Blenders, dishwashers, vacuuming and washing machines may all be startling sounds, too. Having a new dog is a great excuse to put off doing any loud chores!
- Having a safe space is even more important for these dogs and a safe place next to you may be preferable for most. Put a bed by your space on the couch. Set up a bed, crate, or exercise pen in your bedroom.
- Keep the dog on leash when taking them outside – they may not come back in or may hide if startled.
- Use baby gates to block off outside doors. The dog may startle and run out of doors.
- Carry lots of small tasty treats with you at all times so you can reward the dog for encounters with all kinds of new things.
DOG PROOF YOUR YARD
Never leave your new dog outside in the backyard unsupervised. Always go out with the dog (don’t just send them out on their own). You may want to have the dog on lead or dragging a leash. This is helpful for potty-training as well since you will want to reward the dog immediately after going potty (you can’t do that if you aren’t there!).
Walk the perimeter of your yard. Make sure there are no places where the dog can dig under or jump over the fence. Secure those places.
Double-check gates. Do they latch securely even if casually closed? If not, you may want to get a lock that can be attached to make extra sure the gate is actually closed.
Double-check hiding spots. Can a nervous dog hide under a deck or in a corner where it would be difficult to get them out of? Secure those spots. You may want to use gates or a pen to give your dog access to only part of the yard. You could also tether the dog while supervised to make sure they aren’t exploring or digging where you don’t want them.
It can be a good idea to trim shrubbery so that you can see underneath it as well, eliminating spots where the dog can hide.
DOG PROOF YOUR WALK
Take lots of small, smelly tasty treats out for your first walks with your new dog. Make sure their harness and collar are on securely with just enough room for a finger to slip underneath. Walk your dog on a six-foot strong lead (cable or rope or something that can’t snap or be chewed through quickly).
Double-clip leashes to the dog’s harness and collar, the dog may bolt if scared. Hold tight to the leash. It can be a good idea to use two leashes as well. One clipped to the front of the harness and one on the back.
If the dog panics on lead and jerks away from you, don’t yank them back. Step toward the dog and try to keep the leash loose. The tension on the lead makes things scarier (the dog will panic and pull harder) and pulling back can pull the harness off over the dog’s head.
If the dog is a strong puller on the lead, stop walking when they start pulling and stand still until they turn and look back at you. This will relieve some of the tension on the leash, so you can start walking again. You may need to do this every few steps for a while. You can also call them back to you and give them a treat to relieve the tension on the leash.
For the first few days stay close to home while your dog gets used to you and you get to know how your dog will do in new situations. You will want to see how your dog reacts to bicycles passing, people passing on the sidewalk, cars, machinery, other dogs, lawn ornaments etc.
You may start by just taking your dog out to the front lawn and rewarding your dog as they watch new things pass by.
The first walks can be short, 5-10 minutes. Yes, if you have an energetic dog you will want to take them out for longer, but it’s okay to work up to this. In the meantime, you can offer food puzzles, play training games, let them explore the yard, or play some fetch.
Don’t introduce your dog on lead to other dogs. Again, get to know the dog a bit better first before trying this.
Take things slow and steady and make all new experiences as positive as possible. You will have this dog for life so it is worth taking the time to get off to a great start and make a great first impression.
For more information, Pasado’s recommends:
- Love Has No Age Limit: Welcoming an Adopted Dog into Your Home
by Patricia B. McConnell and Karen B. London - Fear Free Happy Homes