Congratulations on your new family member!! These first few months will be filled with joy and discovery, but there is also a learning curve and you may feel pressured to do things perfectly right away. You will probably receive a lot of conflicting training advice.

Take a breath and don’t be afraid to take it slow. Here are a few overarching guidelines for the settling-in period.

 

Positive Reinforcement Training is the Way

Look for terms like “positive reinforcement” and “fear free” when seeking resources. Positive reinforcement the leading, science-based method of dog training endorsed by all reputable animal welfare organizations including the BC SPCA.
 

All animals learn best when the desired behaviours are reinforced. Punishment and fear may suppress behaviour in the short-term, but it won’t build trust.
 

 If someone talks to you about being the “alpha,” “pack leader,” or dominating your dog — know that dominance theory has been widely debunked in modern behavioural science.

They are vulnerable and depend on you for everything. They are not trying to dominate you. 
 

The Importance of Decompression

You know your dog has a wonderful life ahead – but she doesn't know what's going on. She have just gone through a big transition with all new routines, smells, sounds, and surroundings – especially if she has come through the shelter or rescue system.
 

You may be excited and eager to have adventures with your dog, but remember that dogs may not show stress in ways you expect and they need to process their new environment. 

For the first couple weeks at minimum, keep things chill and focus on learning about each other. Build a routine, calmly explore your neighbourhood, do a lot of sniffing, play enrichment games, and do slow, positive interactions with people and dogs you know.

 

Rules and Obedience

The only thing your dog has to do…is be your dog. There is no prescription to a well adjusted dog that brings pleasure to your family.

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They do not have to:

• Sit before getting anything

• Eat after you

• Stay off the furniture or bed

• Love every person or dog they meet

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It’s advisable to have house rules and teach manners, but think them through first. What is really important to you and your family? What’s a reasonable expectation for the dog? What can be enforced consistently and kindly?
 

Feed the Brain, Not Just the Body

Dogs spend a lot of time in the house, expected to settle and be quiet while we work, run errands or scroll on our phones. There are some simple ways to integrate games and enrichment to create a more fulfilled dog who will then happily settle down when you need them to.

Our pets have a sense of smell that is much more highly developed than ours, and 10 minutes in patch of grass can be a dog’s Netflix and Facebook all in one (pee-mail!!). Sniffing is calming and helps regulate breathing.
 

Meals don’t need to come from a bowl twice a day! These calories can be dispensed in ways that also stimulate them mentally. There are a plethora of toys and feeders in pet stores, online, and second-hand. You can also use items at home:
 

• Roll some treats in a towel or place them in empty containers/boxes before they head to recycling.

• Scatter feeding – tossing the food to sniff out of a snuffle mat, grass, or even just your kitchen floor requires them to sniff and eat one kibble at a time.

• Hide treats around the house 

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Exercise: Enough, Not Endless

There’s a wide variety in exercise needs depending on age, breed, physical health and individual temperament. Don’t stress about it too much in the early days – you’ll figure this out by observing them over time.

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Old-school trainers used to preach that enormous amounts of exercise is the key to a well-behaved dog, but exhausting your dog isn't a sustainable strategy. Over time your dog will adapt to increasing levels of activity, just like an athlete, and this isn’t a lifestyle most people can support. It can also create a dog that doesn’t know how to regulate their emotions because they are always on the go.

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As with humans, a good quality of life involves a balance of physical activity, mental enrichment, play, rest, and connection.

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Connection

This may be the most important thing, and what’s most important to focus on in your first days together. At the end of your dog’s life, neither of you will care how well they sat before going through the door. They will remember how safe they felt, whether they were understood, and whether you were their protector.