How to Get Ready to Adopt a Dog: A Practical Guide for First-Time and Returning Owners

Bringing a dog home is one of the most rewarding decisions you can make. It is also one that deserves real preparation. The dogs that settle in most smoothly are almost always the ones whose owners thought things through before the first day — not during it. Here is what you actually need to have in place.

Prepare Your Home Before They Arrive

Before your dog crosses the threshold, do a walkthrough of your home from their perspective. Dogs explore with their noses and mouths, and hazards that seem obvious to humans are not always obvious to a curious animal in a new space.

Remove or secure:

• Electrical cables and chargers within reach

• Cleaning products, medicines, and toxic plants (common culprits include lilies, ivy, and aloe vera)

• Small objects that could be swallowed

• Food items left on low surfaces — particularly anything toxic to dogs such as grapes, onions, xylitol-containing products, and chocolate

Set up a designated safe space before they arrive — a crate with soft bedding, or a quiet corner with a bed and a few familiar-smelling items. This becomes their retreat when the new environment feels overwhelming. The RSPCA recommends introducing this space positively from day one, never using it as punishment (RSPCA, 2023).

Stock the essentials: a well-fitted collar and ID tag (a legal requirement in the UK and many other countries), a lead, food and water bowls, appropriate food, a bed, and a couple of durable toys.

Choosing the Right Dog for Your Life

Honest self-assessment here saves a great deal of difficulty later. A dog's breed, age, and energy level should genuinely match your lifestyle — not the lifestyle you intend to have.

High-energy working breeds such as Border Collies, Huskies, or Vizslas require significant daily exercise and mental stimulation. Under-stimulated, they often develop destructive behaviours — not because they are difficult dogs, but because their needs are not being met. If your days are long and your living space is small, a calmer adult dog may be a far better fit than a puppy of an active breed.

The American Kennel Club (AKC) and the Association of Pet Dog Trainers UK (APDT UK) both offer guidance on breed characteristics and matching energy levels to owner lifestyle — worth consulting before you commit (AKC, 2024; APDT UK, 2023 — verify current pages before publishing).

Age is also worth considering. Puppies demand intensive time and training in the early months. Older rescue dogs often come already housetrained, calmer, and with an established personality — what you see is largely what you get.

The Adjustment Period: What to Expect

Many rescue organisations reference the 3-3-3 rule as a useful framework: three days to decompress, three weeks to learn the household routine, three months to truly settle in and show their full personality. It is a simplification, but a useful one.

In the first days, do not be alarmed if your new dog seems withdrawn, refuses food, or sleeps more than expected. This is a stress response to an entirely new environment — it is normal and it passes. Resist the urge to overwhelm them with visitors, new experiences, or training in the first week. Let them observe and adjust.

What helps most in this period is calm, consistent presence. Speak quietly, move predictably, and allow the dog to approach you on their terms rather than the other way around.

Building Trust and Routine Early

Dogs are routine animals. Feeding at consistent times, walking at predictable intervals, and having a clear structure to the day communicates safety in a way that words cannot. The British Veterinary Association (BVA) notes that routine is one of the most effective tools for reducing anxiety in newly rehomed dogs (BVA, 2022 — verify).

For training, reward-based methods are well supported by the evidence in animal behaviour science and recommended by the APDT UK. Avoid punishment-based approaches — they damage trust at exactly the point when you are trying to build it.

Nutrition and Diet: Start as You Mean to Go On

The first weeks are the right time to establish good dietary habits. If your dog is coming from a rescue, find out what they have been eating and transition gradually — abrupt food changes are a common cause of digestive upset in newly rehomed dogs. Mix the previous food with the new over seven to ten days, shifting the ratio slowly.

Read ingredient labels carefully. Quality animal protein should be the primary ingredient. Be mindful of calorie contribution from treats — especially in the early weeks when you are likely using them frequently for training and reassurance. Treats should not exceed 10% of daily caloric intake as a general guideline (BSAVA, 2021 — verify current guidelines).

The Role of Natural Chews in the Early Weeks

A long-lasting natural chew can be one of your most useful tools in the settling-in period. As covered in the science of chewing behaviour, chewing promotes endorphin release and helps regulate cortisol — the stress hormone. For a dog navigating a new environment, this is not a small thing.

A single-ingredient chew given during a quiet moment — when you leave the room, after a walk, or during a period when you need to work — gives your dog something meaningful to focus on and provides genuine physiological calm. It also begins to associate your home with positive, satisfying experiences.

Choose chews appropriate for your dog's size and chewing strength, made from natural ingredients with nothing added.

A New Chapter, Well Prepared

Adopting a dog changes your daily life in the best possible way — but that change is smoother when the groundwork is laid before day one. A safe home, an honest lifestyle match, patience through the adjustment period, and the right nutritional foundation set both you and your dog up for a long and happy relationship.

Explore our range of natural single-ingredient chews and snacks — a simple, wholesome way to support your dog from the very first day.

References

1. RSPCA (2023). Bringing your new dog home. rspca.org.uk (verify current URL before publishing)

2. American Kennel Club (AKC) (2024). Breed characteristics and lifestyle matching. akc.org (verify current page)

3. Association of Pet Dog Trainers UK (APDT UK) (2023). Choosing a dog. apdt.co.uk (verify current page)

4. British Veterinary Association (BVA) (2022). Rehoming and settling in a new dog. bva.co.uk (verify current page)

5. BSAVA (2021). Nutritional guidelines for companion animals. bsava.com (verify — some content behind member portal)