Adopted dog...?

Question

We adopted a dog from an older person who just passed away. My husband is friends with her son and he was the one who asked if we wanted the dog. We wanted one, but weren't quite sure about the timing. Now the dog's with us and we don't know anything about her. She didn't come with any toys or a blanket or any info on her habits (going outside and daily habits and stuff). Did we make a mistake in taking her in? I was afraid they would put her down if there is nobody to adopt her. The shelters in NY State euthanize animals that are not adopted in a certain amount of time! Please help - any ideas and input is highly appreciated.

Oh my goodness - thanks for all the great answers already!
She's a beagle, 5 years old and very timid for a beagle. She's sweet thing and I guess she is missing her former owner. We do have her "statistics" from the vet and I will introduce her to our vet as well.

Answer 1

Be Aware that this dog has just lost its owner and has been placed in your care. Tender loving care is required not harsh retribution should any accidents occur. Don't be afraid to right any wrongs she does but bear in mind that she is in a strange house with strange people and the stress of being pushed and placed here and there will appear for a little while.

Give her time to adapt to being around you is step one i would think. try and find out what her daily cycle is and consult your vet if your unsure of anything else

Answer 2

It's wonderful that you & your husband opened your home & hearts to the doggie in need. Get her some toys, (my dog loves the kind that squick) Get her a doggie bed or something soft to sleep on. We adopted a 1 yr. old Yorkshire Terrier mix who's original owner was placed in a nursing home. Luckily our dog adjusted extremely fast to us but your dog may need a little time, love & patience. I took my dog to the vet to get her updated on vaccines since I had know knowledge of her health records or anything else for that matter. I also took my dog outside about every hour for a few days and wrote down what times she went potty so I could figure out her potty schedule. I also rewarded her with treats and praise after she did her bussiness. Our doggie has become a very big part of our family. Just give your doggie lots of love and time to come around. She must really miss her previous owner! Good Luck!

Answer 3

If you don't know any of her medical records, I would first take her to the vet and get her tested and make sure she is up to date with her shots. Also, you can ask the vet about testing for allergies the dog might have, such as to a wool blanket. If you know if she has any allergies, it will definitely help so that you don't accidentally give her something that will give her a reaction. Then, once you know the stuff from the vet, make sure to take her outside to "do her duty" every hour or two. I would definitely keep a schedule so that she becomes familiar. Then, give her love and attention and lots of walks, but don't forget discipline for when she does something wrong.

Answer 4

Poor Dog. You are very good people to take her/him in.

The dog has had a traumatic turn of events in her life. It will take a few months to get normal again. Just love her and pay attention to her.

I have had several dogs come from the same situation. Two were Germain Shepard's adopted at different times.

If you can afford it feed her chicken and good dry dog food or what you think she likes. Dogs sleep up to 18 hours a day so don't worry about her when you are at work. She will just be glad to see you when you get home. Make sure she is comfortable... get her a dog bed or if you can't afford one from Petco buy some old comforters from the salvation army to sleep on. Hopefully you will keep her in the house.

Show her what you want of her. Walk her around the perimeter of your yard and tell her where she belongs... she will listen... they are very, smart. Is it good to have her guard the house from strangers..... I tell my dog that she is working now.. on duty.

Good Luck ... God Bless You and Your Dog.

Answer 5

you can do this; and what a great thing; you know animals grieve too for the person that they loved, their leader, their home, their routines but today is a new day and a new opportunity for a new life with you; Dogs adapt , show a lot of love and patience; new toys, new blanket , her daily habits will now have to fit in with you with adjustments and allowances ; just be patient , training, love ; she will grow to love you; she is not the first adopted dog so it has and will work; nice that you saved her; I am sure that her unconditional love will be a great reward.

Answer 6

properly when you're pondering a pitbull i'm hoping you've researched them alot. those are a particular breed (I personal one and love her to demise)besides the undeniable fact that the reason mosy finally end up in shelters is because the vendors want a "advise" canines and don't understand the thanks to precise look after them,in turn they are abandoned,abused or attack someone. once you've regarded into it and want one i'd advise Willow because she's in foster care in the present day,you are able to ask those people how she is in a house placing and it says she's solid with different animals ect. For the different breeds Barry as a stray has no heritage documents and neither does River,so that is troublesome to assert what to assume. Max will be an effective decision pondering the comments. So in all i wager i'm declaring both Max or Willow..solid success and Congrats!!

Answer 7

Bless you for taking in the homeless dog...the poor thing is probably missing the old master, too!

Get her a stuffed toy, one that has a squeaky in it and is soft and cuddly, and a fleece blanket. Establish a spot for her to be her "bed" area. Put her food and water in another area. Feed her twice a day (check the dog food bag for recommended amounts per dog's weight). Some dogs only poop 2x a day, some only 1x, some 3x a day. She'll let you know, I'm sure. Praise her when she does her duty outside, and give her plenty of love and cookie bones.

Answer 8

On behalf of all dog rescuers.. THANK YOU. It is so important to rescue dogs!

I recommend getting a crate if the dog shows signs of not being potty trained, but keep the receipt because adult dogs often can't get the hang of being crated.

A comfy dog bed isn't too expensive, and if you put some treats in it and always take care never to yell at or scare the dog when she's in her bed, she should take to it fairly well. I got one at Walgreens for $10 recently. Teach her "go to bed" and reward her when she does - this can be very handy in a lot of instances.

Try her out on some toys.. Hard rubber KONG toys are good (some can even have treats stuffed in them to keep her busy for ages), rope toys with knotted ends are fun, too. If she's a chewer, hold off on the tennis balls, they're highly destructible and could block her intestines if swallowed. If you want to give her bones, instead consider munchy sticks (they're made of compressed particulate stuff instead of splintery bones or rawhide that might choke her). My dogs also like squeaky toys, although they usually kill the squeak eventually. Plush or not, doesn't matter to them.

if you think she might be a frisbee catching dog, you can start by putting her food in a frisbee like a dish and see how that strikes her.

Any dog going to a new house has to learn the rules and routine of the new place. Don't hesitate to lead her on a leash if she doesn't seem to know where to go. Keep up the praise, speak softly and let her know when she's good. Treats are great but can get out of hand. I've found bags of very small training treats at the pet store - good for early training when she wants lots of reinforcement.

Get her used to handling.. gently "examine" her head, ears, eyes, paws, etc., like a vet would, in case you ever have to do anything "objectionable" to her for her health. Do this frequently and keep the treats coming, so she thinks it's a terrific pastime.

Also, if you're in NY - put an old towel by the door so that it's handy when she comes in with muddy feet. I live near Chicago and have eight little paws to clean in the Spring and Fall. The sooner your dog learns to offer paws to be cleaned or at least not to fight you when you do it, the happier you'll both be.

I would assume this dog isn't food-aggressive, since she came from an older person's home and was presumably an Only Dog. Just in case, you might want to carefully check and see how she reacts to you taking something away from her - better to know ahead of time than too late.

If you have ever seen any aggression in the dog at all, keep her on a leash when people come to the door, at least at first. You will want to see how she behaves when "protecting" you from people who visit, and of course stop her from shooting out the door when it's open, if she's at all likely to do that. Try her out carefully with all kinds of people, so that you can assess how she does - some dogs pick up their owners' prejudices, or are fearful of clumsy or careless children, etc...

Once the weather's decent again, start walking her as often as you can - it bonds the relationship and sets you up as Boss Dog. If you have no experience with dog obedience, also take a beginner class with her. It's a good bonding thing and you both learn a lot.

Dogs are the only love you can buy for money - and yours was free! Enjoy her and love her - she may miss her old owner for a while but will come to love you, too.. Give her a kiss on the head for me and tell her she's "home." Good luck.

Answer 9

I also adopted a dog and he didn't come with info but we checked the vets for his records and got them. We also tried different toys til we found one he liked. It's a trail and error process and it the love of the dog lasts a life time.

Answer 10

that is very sweet of you to take the dog in what kind of dog is it if you dont know what size and color is she even better do you have any pics? just love her and get her a couple toys and take her out everyt couple hours it will take a little time and patience but im sure youll have a friend for life soon!