Loading

YAY! Time for a SLEEPOVER! Helping your new dog transition to their new home.

Thank you for undertaking the journey to adopt a dog!

We know how nerve-wracking it can be to take home a dog you don’t know well yet and hope that they will integrate smoothly into your household routine.

We work hard to find homes that are a good match for the dogs under our care, but there are also a few things you can do during the sleepover period to help make it a success!

Here's what's included:

Have questions?

Email Us × Call Us × Text Us

GET your dog ready to stay home alone

Even if you work from home, you’ll eventually want your dog to feel comfortable at home when you aren’t around. The Adoptions Team is equipped with background information on how the dog has acted in a home before (if they’ve been in a home!), whether they like being crated or not, and a whole host of other details that can help you smooth the transition to their new place.

If the dog is used to being in a crate when left home alone (what we call, “crate trained”) continue to practice crating them, even if your goal isn’t to crate them every time you leave, doing it occasionally keeps up the practice and helps them know that things are 'normal' in their new home. Crate-training can also be extremely useful for situations like traveling, home renovation, and having guests over.

You’ll want to take a day or two to help them get used to being crated according to your work schedule.

  1. Get as much information as possible about the situation in which they were crated (or not) in any former home and try to emulate this as much as possible. What kind of bedding were they left with? Were they left with a particular kind of treat or toy? What kind of pre-departure routine did the former caregivers have? For example, did they have a particular cue for the dog to enter the crate? Did they leave music or the television on?
  2. Spend the first day or so with your new dog at home. Don’t smother them with attention—let them acclimate to the new sounds, sights, and smells. Many dogs do not feel comfortable being left alone in a place that is brand new to them, so you being there really helps them adjust!
  3. Provide ample exercise and enrichment (training, playing, food puzzles, etc.) to help reduce stress and avoid any accidents inside.

Start with some frequent, but momentary, departures, as if you were checking the mail or taking the trash out. If this is the only animal in the home when you do this exercise, you can sweeten the deal by leaving them a tasty treat just before you close the door. If these short departures go well, you can start lengthening them to 5-15 minutes at a time.

If the dog is anxious or distressed about being home alone, you will notice it in the first few minutes that you leave. They may ignore food/treats, bark, scratch at the door, or paw at the blinds. In this case, contact the Friends For Life Adoptions team right away for help.

When the dog looks relaxed and comfortable in the new living space (calm, can enjoy periodic naps/not panting, sniffing around, or startling at new sounds), you can start practicing leaving them alone. You should close off areas that are not puppy-proofed, if necessary.

  • Take care to empty trash bins of contents that smell like food.
  • Raising blinds and drawing curtains can prevent potential damage from curious dogs.
  • Leaving a long-lasting, tasty food treat (bully stick, stuffed Kong, slow feeder with wet/dry food mixture, etc.) can help dispel the initial stress of being left. Only do this if this is the only pet in your home or you are already familiar with how the new dog is around food/resources with other pets.

If the dog isn’t crate trained, use our crate training protocol before leaving the dog confined while you are away. (Again, we're always here to help you do this!)

Dog behavior resources

The First Two Weeks with Your Dog — Open Paw® gives an excellent overview of the things to do in the first two weeks of getting your new dog.

Canine Enrichment — The opportunity to solve problems, use cognitive skills, and focus energy contributes to an animal’s well-being, reducing the likelihood of undesired behaviors.

Loose Leash Walking — To teach dogs to walk with you without pulling, you must teach them that they will be rewarded for walking without pulling.

Proper Dog Equipment — There are so many options out there for dog equipment! Here’s a breakdown of the most common ones.

Houston Training Resources — A list of trainers in the Houston area who can help you with your pets.

Dog wellness resources

Proper Nutrition — Guidelines to ensure your pet gets the nutrition they deserve.

Hazards in the Home — Make your home a safer place for your pets by keeping them away from hazardous household items, plants, foods, objects, and trouble areas.

Houston Area Low-Cost Spay/Neuter and Wellness Clinics — Low cost clinics book up so call well ahead of time to schedule your appointment!

Houston Grooming Facilities — We’ve got your grooming needs in Houston covered with this list.

Houston Recommended Veterinarians — A list of veterinarians that we recommend in the greater Houston area.

Houston Emergency Vet Clinics — Find the closest 24-hour veterinarian to you and keep their info posted on your fridge. Be sure to call ahead to be sure that the clinic is accepting patients!

Friends For Life Mini-Clinic and Pet Food Bank — We offer at-cost/free vaccinations and preventatives right out of the shelter!

Common challenges

(and resources to help!)

Crate Training Your Dog — Whether you’ve got a new puppy, or you’re trying to acclimate an older dog to a new living situation, crate training your dog has so many benefits—from housetraining to preventing destructive behavior to creating a safe space for a nervous dog.

Destructive Chewing — Dogs chew to relieve anxiety and boredom, as well as for entertainment. Here's how to ensure that they are chewing on appropriate items.

Excessive Barking — Barking is as characteristically doggy as wagging a tail or burying a bone. Dr. Ian Dunbar covers the reasons dogs bark, how to reduce the frequency of barking, and how to train your dog to bark on cue.

Digging Problems — Dogs consider digging to be a perfectly normal and natural doggy activity, and they don’t really see what your problem is with it. *shrug emoji* This resource covers the reasons dogs dig and how to redirect undesirable digging activities to more desirable pursuits.

Houston Apartments Without Breed Restrictions — Moving with a bully breed can be hard. We put a list of apartments in the Greater Houston area that have no breed/size restrictions. We try to keep this list up-to-date, but policies change often, so be sure to check with the apartment management company (and send us any updates you know of!).

Friends For Life has a lifetime commitment to the animals that go through our program - if you EVER have behavior questions or challenges, we're here to help (for free!).

Puppy Resources

Housetraining Your Puppy — Housetraining a puppy requires time, vigilance, patience, and commitment. We’ll help you break it down step-by-step.

Dr. Ian Dunbar: Before You Get Your Puppy

Dr. Ian Dunbar: After Your Get Your Puppy

Houston resources

Houston Training Resources — Trainers in the Houston area who can help you with your pets.

Houston Boarding and Pet Sitting — Looking for a boarding facility or pet sitter for your furbaby? Check out who we recommend.

Houston Grooming Facilities — We’ve got your grooming needs in Houston covered with this list of recommendations.

Houston Recommended Veterinarians — A list of veterinarians that we recommend in the greater Houston area.

Houston Emergency Vet Clinics — Find the closest 24-hour veterinarian to you and keep their info posted on your fridge. Be sure to call ahead to be sure that the clinic is accepting patients!

Houston Apartments Without Breed Restrictions — Moving with a bully breed can be hard. We put a list of apartments in the Greater Houston area that have no breed/size restrictions. We try to keep this list up-to-date, but policies change often, so be sure to check with the apartment management company (and send us any updates you know of!).

Friends For Life Mini-Clinic and Pet Food Bank — We offer at-cost/free vaccinations and preventatives right out of the shelter!

Have questions or need help?

Where's always here to answer questions you have and we LOVE getting photos of the animals we love in their forever homes!

friends4life.org

Created By
Friends For Life
Appreciate