Before arriving home:
• Find out as much as you can about the animal's history, it may be useful in the future. If you have the chance, ask the volunteers at the shelter about the animal's character.
• Make sure you know its health status, whether it has undergone veterinary checks and that it is properly identified.
Prepare the house for their arrival:
• You don't know your pet very well yet, so start with prevention: remove things from its reach that it might eat or bite. Think for a moment like your pet would and ask yourself if there are things or noises in the house that might scare or confuse it.
• Find the right place for your pet to rest, in a quiet place, where there is no traffic, and which is not exposed to a lot of noise.
• Have the things your cat will need ready in advance, such as a bed, food bowls, some chew toys, scratching posts, and an appropriate collar and leash.
• Try not to change your diet suddenly, but gradually.
Adoption day:
• Choose a day when you can spend time with him: better on Friday if you have the weekend free, and better in the morning than at the end of the day.
• Have a calm attitude towards the dog. Even if you feel excited about this special moment, you must transmit calmness and security to the animal. It is not about making friends with it, but about showing it that you are not a threat.
• Take it directly home, cats always in a carrier, and dogs always on a leash.
• If you have adopted a dog, before entering the house, you can take a walk around the area, preferably on a long leash, so that the dog can eliminate and learn new habits.
Once at home:
• Introduce the new family little by little, giving the new member time to recognize and become familiar with each one. This includes other animals that can live with us.
• If the animal is nervous, or we don't know how it might react to other animals, do it with a leash on, controlling the interaction to avoid problems. Cats will need more time to get to know other members of the family, so it's best to take them directly to a quiet and safe place, so that the encounters are gradual.
• Show your pet where it will have fresh water and where it can rest, and give it time and peace to explore its new home.
The first days:
• Don't be too close to the animal, it will need time to adapt and trust you. Let it take the initiative to approach you, and when it does, calmly praise it for it.
• Be patient, adopted dogs and cats have generally had a hard time, and sometimes fears or unwanted behaviours may appear. If you see that things do not improve in a couple of weeks, ask for help, contact the shelter or ask an expert for advice. At AM Etología we will be happy to help you.
• Although it is good for the animal to learn the rules of the house from the very beginning, do not focus too much on education. The first objective is for it to be comfortable in its new home and begin to bond with people.
• To teach him how you want him to behave, use food, and praise each behavior you like.
• When he does wrong, remove him from the situation and show him the correct option. Don't yell or punish. The first step is to prevent and teach.
• Leave him alone at home gradually. Start with short periods in one room and gradually increase the time.
• Don't let your pet out into the wild until it has created a strong bond with you and you have worked on a reliable recall, both with dogs and cats. Start by letting your pet out into closed spaces.
If you need help, Contact us, we will be happy to lend you a hand.
