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Q: When bringing a new dog home for the first time, what steps should be taken to make the transition as smooth as possible for the entire family?

Congratulations! You are about to bring a dog home (I hope you rescued one and did not get one from a pet store, as they are fronts for mass-produced factory-like puppy-mills). We all have in our minds an idea of what it would be like to have a dog, and that dog is usually just beyond perfect, naturally. The dog is perfect on its own without any intervention on our part. Well, unfortunately it doesn't work this way in real life... but the good news is that to raise a happy and well-mannered dog is not that different from raising a well mannered and happy kid. First, everybody in the family should agree on the ground rules - Is s/he allowed access to the whole house? How about being on the sofa? The bed? What style of training will you use-an aversion training with choke-chains etc. (which I refer to as the Spanish Inquisition), or The Loved Dog method which is based on clear communication, love and fun games?

Once you have decided on those answers, agree on "common language"- You should give the same name to each one behavior. Otherwise the poor dog that is doing his/her best to understand you will have a much harder time succeeding. Housebreaking is the most tedious chore and it can be very frustrating. Come up with a schedule after discussing how much each person will have to contribute. Then, decide on a designated bathroom area.

Make sure you purchase the basic ingredients necessary to raise a dog- a leash, collar, crate (if needed), pee pads, cleaning solutions, 2 types of treats, the same dog food as s/he been eating, a dog bed, chew toys, play toys, baby gates, and food and water bowls. It is also important to identify a vet that you feel comfortable taking your pet to. Once these tasks have been completed, you are officially paving the way to a paw-friendly home.

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