Congratulations on your adoption!

THE EARLY DAYS

Remember the adjustment period! During the first couple of weeks you and your pet are getting to know one another. They don’t know anything about your home and what is expected of them. It’s a huge adjustment for you as well as the dog. Together everyone in the home has to be patient and forgiving of one another.

Don’t expose your new dog to too much too quickly. Take your time and allow for proper introduction to the dog’s new environment and the people in it. Pets need to acclimate at their own pace.

It is essential to realize that the first few months will most likely be frustrating. Many of our dogs have been neglected and some may still be feeling the pain and bewilderment of being abandoned. In all likelihood, it will take your new pet a little time to learn to trust you and realize that you’re there to give him or her a loving and stable home. Barking, inappropriate urination, and general acting out is all part of this early homecoming process. BE PATIENT. In time, your new dog will pay you back for the wonderful gift you’re giving him or her. In the meantime, work to build a long and lasting relationship. 

SAFETY

HOLD TIGHT! Continue to use the martingale collar that ALR has provided, this is very important! Martingale collars are loose and comfy when not attached to the leash, your dog can eat, play, and sleep in it. They can wear it all the time. When attached to the leash, the collar pulls tight depending on how hard the dog is pulling. This makes it slip proof, the most important thing. No matter how tight a normal dog collar is, we promise your dog can and will slip out if it.  To attach the leash to it, be sure to hook it to the big ring on the collar, and not the ID tag that you attach to the collar. (We lose so many dogs by the leash being hooked to the wrong ring). When attached to the leash it will tighten if your dog is pulling.  It WILL NOT choke them, but is slip proof.  And when worn loose, you should leave three fingers worth of space inside the loop.

Always treat your dog as an ESCAPE ARTIST. If you give them an inch they will take a mile. Always triple wrap the leash and be sure to communicate with anyone walking your dog to do the same. A dropped leash outside, will mean a lost dog! 

Should you add in a harness to your dog’s walking routine, connect the loop of the harness to the loop of the martingale together inside the leash. We have seen dogs slip out of harnesses when used alone without the martingale collar.

Walking Your Dog

Walking your dog is very important, both mentally and physically. The ideal schedule is to let your dog relieve themselves 4 times a day. Dogs have smaller bladders than humans. Dogs can be trained to go less often, but for medical reasons it’s not a great idea to make them hold it for too long. We suggest two short relief walks a day, and two long walks for exercise. Dogs should be able to relieve themselves every 5 hours (ish) while they are awake. So this normally equals morning, lunch, after work, and before bed. 

Walking also is really good for your dog mentally. It socializes them, making them better behaved dogs. We always say "a tired dog is a happy dog.” 

 Socialize, socialize, socialize. The more your dog meets people and other dogs, and goes places, the better he will be. Get out and about and explore together! 

OUR FAVORITE RESOURCES ON IMPORTANT TOPICS:

HEALTH 

We recommend a checkup with your new vet within 2 weeks of adoption. This way, you can have a general wellness checkup, get the medical records established, discuss diet and a healthy lifestyle. Don’t wait until your pet needs a checkup when something is wrong, get set up early so your clinic is ready to go when you need them.

You will receive your dog’s medical records in a separate email that you can then forward onto your new clinic. 

Be aware of common household items that can be toxic to dogs. Should your dog get into anything or ingest something you are concerned about contact Animal Poison Control | (888) 426-4435 | ASPCA. 

Looking for a new vet?

Here is a list of the clinics around the city ALR uses. Your new pet will be in great hands! We are so grateful for the care these clinics provide our cats and dogs while they are in foster care waiting for adoption.

Pure Paws Veterinary Care of Hell’s Kitchen (they also have a Clinton Hill location)

First Avenue Veterinary Hospital

Westside Veterinary Center

Finding a Vet Clinic Near You

Pet Insurance 

Knowing you have protection should an emergency occur or an unforeseen vet bill arise, Pet Insurance can be a life saver. Emergency vet bills can be thousands of dollars in the matter of minutes, it’s important as a new pet owner you have a plan for the unpredictable.

Checkout this link for Healthy Paws pet health insurance. We like pet health insurance because you never have to make a life/death decision based on money. If something goes wrong in your dog's life, vet bills add up FAST (tens of thousands of dollars). 

There are many different pet insurance companies and many plans. The above link is for healthy paws, as we get credit for referrals, but we recommend any company that you want to use. There are monthly plans that fit everyone’s budget, so do a little research and you can find a policy that works best for you and your pet. 

Another pet insurance we are working with is Trusted Pals 

DIET 

Your new dogs’ current diet will be provided in the medical records email. You are welcome to transition your dog to the brand of your choice or discuss different diet options and brands with your veterinarian. When choosing a pet food, it’s important to understand how to read a pet food label so you are aware of what ingredients are in the food you are choosing. When in doubt, discuss your dog’s diet with your veterinarian. 

How to read a pet food label