You've adopted a dog - here's what to expect post-adoption

Congratulations on adopting a furry family member. Whether your pet has come from a shelter environment, a foster home or straight from their previous home, it will take time for them to decompress, settle into their new environment and bond with their new family.

With this handy guide, a little patience and a lot of love, you and your new friend will be enjoying life together in no time!

Just like humans, every dog is unique and will adjust differently to their new home. Settling into a new home is not linear, and it’s completely normal to see variations in how your new furry friend is behaving day to day.

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Welcome - let’s get to know each other! 

Welcome to this new journey! It’s natural for you and your furry friend to feel a bit unsure of what the future holds when you start your new life together. If you are feeling overwhelmed, remember you have plenty of time to take it slow and get to know each other. 

The canine experience


Your pet is in a whole new environment with new people, so it’s normal for them to feel unsure, a bit worried and overwhelmed, or even that their life has taken a great turn for the better and their new ‘kennel’ (your house) is the best place they have ever visited! 

How each pet responds depends on their personality and previous learning. Some dogs may not eat or drink, some may withdraw from contact until they get their bearings and get to know you, and some may have accidents in the house.

When bringing a new dog into your house, remember that they don’t know what ‘house manners’ you expect from them. They likely don’t know that it’s OK to chew the fluffy toy with the squeaker inside but not your fluffy slippers (which smell fantastic!). It’s your job to teach them the ‘house rules’, just like you would a new puppy - with kindness and plenty of treats when they get it right. 

Common challenges for dogs who are feeling unsure in a new environment include having trouble sleeping soundly (so being tired and irritable), clinging to their new guardian as a source of safety, or avoiding contact and even hiding from you and your family. It’s important at this stage to keep it simple and help them feel safe in their new home. 

The human experience


As a new dog guardian, it’s normal to doubt if you’ve made the right choice in the days after your new dog comes home. Adopting a new family member is a big life change, so don’t overthink it - your only job right now is to help your new dog understand they are safe and you are their new human. 

Take it slow, create a calm space, and establish a routine from the start. Don’t force your dog to do anything they’re uncomfortable with, and remember to reward good behaviour.

As your furry friend is learning so much about life with you in their new home, it’s ideal to spend the first few days together relaxing and getting to know each other. Skip the walks and big adventures - you’ve got plenty of time for that once you’ve created a trusting bond with your pet. If possible, take some days off work to spend time together.

Connecting and learning phase

As your pooch starts to feel more comfortable in your home, they will begin to feel curious and want to explore with you - this is great as it means they are feeling safe!

The canine experience


As your dog starts to feel safer, sleep better, and understand the rhythm of your new life together, they will let their guard down and start to relax.

They may start to wag their tail more, greet you with some licks when you get home or play with you. You may even notice some extra ‘personality quirks’ shining through as they become curious and start to investigate your home.

Life together won’t be perfect yet - they may occasionally have accidents in the house and may still feel the need to sling to you for safety or chew (hopefully their own toys!) to relieve some tension.

Overall, you should start noticing that they are more comfortable in your surroundings and show you that they want to take your relationship to the ‘next step’ - time to broaden their horizons and explore the world beyond your property! 

The human experience

For most people, once your new dog appears to be settling in, so does your relief. It becomes apparent that you’ve picked a good match in your new pooch, and although there may be some bumps, you feel confident navigating them together.

If your new furry friend has seemingly morphed into an oversized puppy overnight, full of curiosity and getting into everything, and big enough to reach the kitchen counter, you might be feeling a bit less enthusiastic about this phase, and that’s OK too!

Use this time to train, bond, and build a variety of positive experiences with your new dog - think of it like seeing a great movie for the first time and wanting to make fantastic memories together. 

As you go walking in new places, introduce your new dog to your family and friends, and go to some doggy manners classes together, you will uncover more and more of their personality. Now is the time to learn what makes your furry friend smile and how to get them to work really hard for their favourite toy or food!

Remember, though - this whole ‘living together’ gig is still very new to everyone, so when in doubt, go back to basics and train your new friend just like you would a new puppy. Consistency, kindness, and clear, supportive boundaries are key to strong human-dog relationships.
 

Part of the family!

Congratulations, you and your new dog have navigated the waters of a brand new relationship together, and you’re now great friends. Your furry pal is part of the family, and you understand what makes each other tick - and glow with happiness! 

The canine experience

Your dog feels comfortable and secure in your home and trusts you. 


You are both in the enjoyable habit of ‘life together’, and day-to-day experiences are no longer new or challenging for your dog, as they know what to expect when and how to live peacefully in your home.

Their days have a routine, and it’s clear to everyone you meet that you are firm friends!

Now that life has taken on a more predictable routine, some dogs will need and enjoy some more enrichment and training to keep their brain and body in tip-top shape!

You might notice that your furry family member takes some extra time sniffing while out on a walk or is particularly excited and pulls a bit harder when they come across a new friend (or an old one) on a walk.

Just like humans, our dogs sometimes enjoy doing a little ‘something special’ - whether going on a fun adventure together or working on a new food puzzle. 

The human experience

You feel love and trust between you and your dog, and a meaningful friendship has blossomed. 

You can spend less time thinking about ‘oversized puppy training’ and more time just enjoying your new dog, and it feels like they fit into your home now - it might even feel like they have always been there!

To nurture the relationship, continue to spend time with your dog and build your bond by communicating effectively, teaching them tricks and involving them in your life.

Now is also the time to start planning and doing all the fun things you always wanted to do with your dog friend! Also, think about who your furry friend is as an individual and what they might find fun and enjoyable so you can both enjoy learning and growing together.

Don’t forget that dogs age much quicker than we do, so regularly visit your vet for checkups for optimal health and well-being! 

Download the infographic here.

Read PetRescue's guide to finding the right dog trainer here.

Explore the PetRescue library for helpful tips on how to speak dog, training and enrichment advice and more!

Banner image: Rosie, looking for love via Animal Rescue Coffs Harbour.