Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 23 million households have adopted a pet. Readers may remember that in the early months of 2020, animal shelters across the country reported that nearly 100% of their animals had been adopted. This surge in animal adoptions were linked to the growing number of Americans working from home. While many were concerned whether these animals would be re-homed when Americans began returning to the office, this has not been the case as 90% of dogs and 85% of cats adopted during the pandemic have remained with their new families.
With the newest rise of Omicron COVID-19 cases causing many Americans to quarantine within their homes, pet adoptions are once again on the rise. Although some of these owners will have previous experience raising a pet, many Americans currently looking to adopt a pet have no prior experience. Andrew James Lodge MD, a Labradoodle owner, knows first-hand the challenges of being a first-time dog owner. Although Labradoodles have become one of the most popular breeds in the United States, they are also known as a highly energetic breed that can be difficult to train. From his experience raising Labradoodles, Andrew James Lodge MD has gained valuable insights on common mistakes first-time dog owners make and how best to avoid them.
Believing How They Act in the Shelter is Their “True” Personality
According to the United States Humane Society, 1.6 million dogs are adopted from shelters each year. When inexperienced pet owners go to a shelter to pick out a puppy or dog, they often will take different dogs out into the play yard to get a better feel for their personality and see if they are compatible. However, assuming the personality dogs present in the shelter is their personality for the rest of their lives is a mistake. More often than not, shelter dogs are in a depressed or anxious state, having been abandoned by their previous owners, rescued from the streets, or even potentially abused. As such, the personality a dog presents in the shelter will likely be its natural reaction to a stressful environment. Instead, expect to see a dog’s true personality once they’ve become settled in their home environment, anywhere between 2 weeks to 4 months after being adopted.
For many new owners, adopting a dog that seemed calm and quiet at the shelter only to get home and realize the dog is very high energy can be frustrating. If an owner is looking for a quiet temperament in a dog and believes that would best suit their lifestyle, there are steps they can take before adopting to ensure their dog’s personality meshes well. Before adopting a dog, ask the shelter for as much information as possible about the dog’s previous living situation and research the breed to help determine the most likely personality.
Not Setting House Rules Before Hand
More often than not, when a first-time dog owner brings home their new furry companion, they will walk through the door and immediately let the dog off-leash to explore their new home. While exploring, the dog may jump up on beds, put its paws on the table, counter-surf, or get into all sorts of trouble. Andrew Lodge states that when the dog inevitably does this previously unpunished behavior in front of their owner, the owner becomes frustrated with their new pet. However, whether this happens in the first day or the first few weeks, it will result in confusion for the dog. To set your dog up for success, Andrew Lodge says that you must start implementing house rules from day one, which means discussing what rules will be followed with other household members. It is common for first-time dog owners to allow their dog to do an activity for several weeks before deciding they do not want the activity to be allowed anymore. While this is an understandable reaction for new owners, it should be avoided whenever possible.
Being Inconsistent
Perhaps dog owners’ biggest mistake is being inconsistent with their rules and becoming frustrated when their new dog does not follow them. We know that all dogs can learn rules; however, dogs will typically struggle with rules that have frequent exceptions. If, for example, an owner does not want their dog to jump up on guests coming through the door, they will need to respond negatively to their dog jumping up on every person. If an owner loves it when their dog jumps up on them when they come in through the door but does not want their dog to jump up on any other guest, this will likely cause confusion for their canine. Or, if an owner does not want their dog to be on the couch, they cannot let their dog on the couch on certain nights when they are watching a movie. The best way to ensure a dog follows a rule every time is to remain consistent; unfortunately, many first-time dog owners learn this late into their dog’s training.
The best way to avoid inconsistent rules is to make sure that all members of the household agree on the same rules for the dog and understand the importance of following them. Pets thrive when there is structure within the home, so make sure all family members agree on when the dog can be rewarded, what furniture the dog is allowed on, and what kinds of food they are allowed to eat.
