| If you are thinking of adding a dog to your family, | | | | adopters to understand their needs and lifestyle so |
| consider adopting your new best friend from an | | | | they can make the perfect match. |
| animal shelter or humane society. You'll not only get a | | | | Bringing your newly adopted dog home is exciting for |
| good feeling from helping a homeless pet, you'll get | | | | you, but may be a little overwhelming for her. Keep |
| an outstanding companion. Many fantastic dogs end | | | | her on a leash as you take her from room to room, |
| up in shelters through life circumstances that have | | | | giving her plenty of opportunity to sniff. It's a good |
| happened with their original owners, and the staff at | | | | idea to make your first stop on this tour a stop at |
| these organizations carefully check the animals for | | | | the dog's bathroom area. The excitement of a car |
| sound health and good temperament. In addition, | | | | ride and coming to a new place can give her the |
| some shelter animals have had the benefit of training | | | | need to empty her bowels or bladder. |
| to develop good manners while they've been waiting | | | | It's important to understand that Dogs are creatures |
| for a new home. | | | | of habit. So the sooner you establish a firm routine, |
| You can find just about any age, size and breed of | | | | the more comfortable your new dog will become in |
| dog at an animal shelter. From entire litters of | | | | her new home. Always feed her in the same spot |
| puppies, to young dogs, to older housebroken dogs | | | | and at about the same time each morning. You'll find |
| too. | | | | she grows to anticipate "what comes next." For |
| When a new dog first arrives, shelter staff carefully | | | | example, if you always feed her after you bring in |
| evaluate it for physical and behavioral soundness. | | | | the newspaper, you'll notice she becomes very |
| They make note of quirks, and work with specialists | | | | excited when you open the door to step outside. |
| to eliminate negative behaviors. Most shelters even | | | | Dogs catch on quickly. |
| have adoption counselors who interview potential | | | | |