Adopt a Dog and Create a routine for a new dog

When you adopt a dog, it's very important to establish as soon as possible concrete meal times. If you want to change your dog's diet, do it little by little and gradually to avoid digestive problems. You will need to let your dog know where it is he is going to be sleeping, and where he must do his needs, but be patient if it takes him awhile to learn all this. Remember to prize the dog each time he has done what you want him to. Readopted and rescued dogs are more likely to become excessively dependent on you. So you must avoid showing the dog too much affection during the first days or the dog could get separation anxiety.You will need to leave the dog alone during a little while several times a day; start by leaving for five minutes, then ten, etc up until three to four hours if necessary. If the dog is too boisterous, this type of training will help the dog calm down. Make sure though, to leave the dog with lots toys to avoid him from getting bored. Walk the dog about thirty minutes every day and take some time to play with him outside so that he can let off energy. You can use a long leash and make sure to not let him off the leash when you are in a public place during the first weeks you are getting to know him. Even though the dog is obedient in the house, you can never be sure about how he is going to react while outside of the house with cats, other dogs, people, children, traffic, noise, etc.

Questions and answers
Q: We just got Barnes, a terrier, from an animal shelter. He is a very quite and shy dog. What can we do to help him?
A: It's possible that Barnes' previous owners did not give him any attention. You will have to get Barnes' trust little by little. Many of the dogs that live in animal shelters or pounds have never learned how to play and have fun. You can try to get your dogs attention by buying a noisy toy. If this does not work, try one of those wrapping a ball with a sock that has a strong odor to see if it arouses his curiosity. As soon as the dog catches on the idea that you want to play, he will begin to feel more relaxed.