Getting Ready for a Dog Adoption

On the Day of the Adoption

When you come to one of the Pick Me! SC adoption sites, remember to bring a leash for your new pet. You will also want to have food and water bowls for food and water ready at your house, and if you want to “crate train” your dog, be sure to get a crate. Toys, treats, and love are a great combination to help your new dog to adjust to the new environment.Some of the adoption sites may have these items available for sale, but you may want to call ahead to be sure.

Here are other great resources from Petco!

Picking the Right Dog

Loyal and loving, dogs are social animals who thrive on being upstanding members of their families.

- If there are young children in your home, a puppy may not be your best bet. You may want to consider adopting a medium-sized dog over five months of age.
- It is a good idea to draw up a schedule of who in the family will help with the care of your new dog, including walking, playing, feeding and grooming.
- Don’t forget to have your new friend spayed or neutered.

Getting Ready for a Dog Adoption

Whether it’s tightly sealing your garbage cans or paying attention to dangerous decorations during the holidays, you’ll need to make your home safe before adopting. That includes keeping toxic foods, pet-unfriendly plants and dangerous household items out of paw’s reach. Here are some suggestions for preparing your home to welcome a new canine or feline companion.

Put a cozy bed for your pet in every room. Pets are much more likely to keep off of furniture if they have attractive alternatives.
Avoid vertical blinds, pooling drapery, ornate tassels and long cords that can become strangulation hazards.
It may be a good idea to roll up and store decorative rugs until your new dog is fully house-trained.
Provide your new cat with a variety of scratching posts and perches.
Use dog crates and gates to confine your new dog when home alone until his house manners earn him unsupervised freedom.
Provide plenty of “legal” things for your dog to chew. If he has attractive toys and bones of his own, he’ll be much less likely to gnaw on your things!
Check to make sure that plants in and around your home are not poisonous to pets.

For more information about caring for your new pet, please visit the ASPCA’s Dog Care section of their website.

This Article Courtesy of ASPCA.