Advice on a new pet!

Advice on a new pet!

BabyTgirl​(sub female){Not lookin} • Jan 5, 2021

Ok so not a kinky pet but an actual dog!! Me and my family just adopt this sweet boxer mix named Ladi! She is 8 years old. I would be her main caretaker and want make sure I do my best to give her a wonderful rest of her life. We pick her up on Thursday so if you have any suggestions or tips on how to make her transition smooth and give her the best life please comment or message me! Thank you!!

K y i v • Jan 5, 2021

Nutrition is important. Major US brands are Chinese poison! Go healthy for a long life. Stay away from anything advertised on TV.

https://www.veruspetfoods.com/

Has never let me down.

Bunnie • Jan 5, 2021

Boxers are high energy and love lots of fun! They are great companions and will give you heaps of laughs and heaps of goofy love. Remember to return the favour

Helping a rescue dog transition can be tricky because you don’t know their history. Just take some time getting to know each other. The most important thing is to be a safe person to them. Set boundaries and stick to them... not harshly, but consistently. Consistency, understanding and lots of love is key, in my opinion.

LaVieEnRose​(sub female){Learning } • Jan 6, 2021

Like Bunni said, consistency, structure, boundaries are all very important. Exercise especially for a boxer mix is super important as well and not just physical exercise but mental too.

Also make sure that your family thinks about the financial aspects and has a plan. An older dog especially a boxer cross can have health issues that crop up that can be costly or even just unexpected emergencies or even just routine healthcare.

Fallible Malleable • Jan 6, 2021

Congratulations on your new family member! Hopefully, the place where you are adopting the dog from will provide you with some suggestions and guidelines on how to help your pet successfully integrate into your family and home life as they may know a bit more about the pups personality, likes and dislikes, etc.
Keep in mind you and the rescue may NOT know what the dog has been through so expect that there might be some changes with your pup and expect to go slow to build a strong and healthy bond with the dog. Although your pup might be 8 years old in age you may want to think of your dog in terms of a puppy for the time being. This means that you are going to need to establish a schedule and routine for your dog and stick to it. The more consistent things are and the more the dog can come to rely on routines and expectations the more at ease it might be. For example, pup is up in the morning with the family and let outside to do their business then inside for breakfast and back out for a short spell. In the early days and depending on your living situation I would encourage you to always use a leash for outside excursions so you (a) can develop a bond with your dog. Get the pup to learn that leashes are good things and means time outside is for good things like walks etc. (b) it allows you to monitor potty habits so you learn what is "normal" for your dog. You probably already know this but ALWAYS carry extra poop bags and always pick up after your pup!
You want to set your dog up for success so this may mean having a meeting with all family members to ensure everyone is on the same page in terms of how things are to be done with the dog. You are going to want to establish rules and expectations for the pup and commit to them from day one. You could even go so far as to write up the dog’s routine and rules for the dog and post them on the fridge or an area where all can see them. Maybe even have a check list that family members can initial or note so everyone knows that the dog has been fed, or has been outside, or has had a treat etc.
Think about things like is the dog going to be allowed on beds or will the dog have their own special place to sleep at night? You want to set this expectation from the moment the dog comes home. For the first few weeks might not be a bad idea to keep dog in line of vision. If dog isn't going to be monitored does it have a crate it can rest in or a room to be contained? Does the dog have some basic commands down such as sit, stay, come, down, wait? If not, this is another way you can engage with your pup, develop a bond, and get them to use their brain. As others have mentioned most Boxers need not only the physical outlet for their energy via walks, playing ball, sniffs and strolls, but they also need the mental stimulation so things like training, or even food puzzles can be good. Not sure where you are located but you can search on the APDT website and find a listing of dog trainers in your area that might be able to help. Pat Miller has a good book called Do over Dogs that addresses having a rescue dog join your life and it is full of helpful hints. Ian Dunbar also has some good material on how to raise a healthy happy pup and a lot of that material can apply to an older dog joining a new family. No idea if this is your first time sharing your life with a dog or not so apologies if a lot of the suggestions and material above is things you already know.
Just remember to go slow, it's a new situation for ALL of you so take things one day at a time, and most of all just love them for the furry paws that they are. Best of luck to you and your family!
Ps. the food Kiev recommended IS a good food! They are a small American business that was one of the first independent groups to address holistic pet health via nutrition. Just remember to keep your pup lean. For many pet owners food=love. As our four legged friends age-- just like humans extra weight can stress their joints and prohibit maximum mobility. So remember love can = walks, brushing, training, etc. Along those lines it would be wise to also find a good veterinarian to establish a relationship with while your pet is in good health so they can help you keep the pup healthy but also step in and provide assistance should your friend not be well one day. Hopefully you can post pictures of your new friend once they are settled!