Bringing home a dog for the first time is one of life’s most fond moments. Therefore, preparing your home for the arrival of a dog for the first time is just as critical as you would for the arrival of a baby.
The key to successfully adjusting to your home involves being patient and prepared. It can take a week or even a couple of months for you and your new pet to adjust living with each other.
Here are a few tips to help you and your new furry friend make a swift and seamless transition.
1. Invest in Dog-Friendly Furniture
If you’re going to have a dog in your house, then you need to understand you’re going to be sharing couches and chairs. However, dogs leave more than just hair on furniture.
Stinky smells and unwelcome stains from your dog will almost definitely seep into the fabric of your furniture. This makes the time you dedicate to relax and lounge, a rather unpleasant experience instead.
It is, therefore, important that you invest in furniture made with stain-resistant fabric such as synthetic microfiber. It’s also a good idea to avoid bright colors to make the stains easier to get rid of.
2. Consider Your Flooring
Your dog will probably be running around the house daily. Unfortunately, carpets are not designed to be durable enough to withstand damage from pets. There’s also the fact that carpets tend to retain nasty smells.
As a solution, you should invest in either tile or ceramic flooring. Tiles are scratch-proof and can provide a cool surface for your dog to rest on when it’s hot. Having a couple of rugs around the house is not a bad idea.
However, avoid those made from the thick sisal try and instead opt for easily washable ones.
3. Where Will Your Dog Sleep
Part of making your home welcome for your dog involves making sure they have a designated area where they can sleep. You also need to ensure that the dog feels it is a safe place they can go to rest or take a nap whenever they want to.
If your dog is still a pup, make sure you buy a big sleeping basket. Pets grow rather quickly and you might find your dog has outgrown the basket in just a few weeks.
Their comfort area also needs to be away from toxic materials the dog can easily access such as lawn fertilizer. Consider buying nonhazardous alternatives such as pet safe weed killer and eco-friendly cleaning agents.
Don’t Make It Ruff for Your Dog
Regardless of whether you’re bringing a puppy home for the first time or have lived with one for years, it’s very important that you make your dog feel right at home just as you do. For them to go into a new home, they probably had to leave behind their mother or litter-mates.
This can be stressful for any dog, but it doesn’t have to be that way. You must be prepared to make sure your new dog is safe, fed, happy, and comfortable.