What to Know
The happiest people are those who receive unexpected blessings. Encountering a stray dog on the street and ending up adopting him is an incredible blessing you could have.
In most cases, the happiest fur parents are those who never had a dog in their life. They have different exciting stories about how they found their adopted dog.
But one similar thing they have is that they don’t know what to expect when bringing home an adopted dog.
If this is your first time owning a dog, you might have a lot of questions in your mind. Considering that adopted dogs usually come from the streets and the bushes, you may notice some behaviors that need to be worked out.
This is one of the things you should expect when you decide to bring a stray dog to your house.
Adopting a new dog for the first time may give you a little frustration because of too many expectations. But did you know that your expectations can add up to the burden on your dog?
The most important favor you can give to your pup is to remove your unreachable expectations and welcome the unique spirit that your new furry friend can provide to you.
The Trap of Unmet Expectations
The legacy of the ghost dog is one of the various types of the trap of unmet expectations when adopting a pup. The ghost dog refers to the canines that were passed on either decades or recent years ago.
Many think these dogs are almost perfect and do not show undesirable characteristics.
In general, we always remember our departed pups and treasure even the tiniest details about them. Although this is a lovely experience, it is one of the most damaging experiences that your succeeding dogs may experience.
Thus, it would be best to avoid comparisons between your old and new dog. But if the comparison is inevitable on your side, it might help if you will remove those rose-colored glasses.
This is because these are the barriers that are restricting you from seeing the potential of your new dog.
In some cases, it is not all about your departed dog but the kind of fictional pup living in your mind.
Some fur parents have this expansive imagination of how a dog can significantly change their life.
And if this expectation did not happen in reality, it could bloom into a big problem.
Stacking The Deck
Suppose this is your first time owning a dog. In that case, you may want to hire a professional dog trainer to ensure that you can select the dog that can acquire and develop desirable traits or discard the candidates who are less likely to develop those traits.
This may be helpful in stacking the deck for the benefit of the dog and human relationship.
In most cases, many new pet owners would do phone consultations or join training classes with a professional dog trainer, especially when the dog owner starts to experience grievances.
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Consulting at the early stages of your dog not showing desirable traits is good to move the needle toward your perfect vision during the dog’s first weeks and months.
Be Open to New Experiences
Despite having training classes and professional dog trainers on hand, it cannot guarantee that a dog will not show or develop undesirable traits.
After all, there is no way to change the true nature of a dog completely.
The goal of different pet training sessions is to provide satisfaction and delight to the owners while their dogs are in front of them.
Moreover, it is also a way to make new dog owners aware that their dogs can still create an unexpected mess.
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If you are one of those new dog owners who struggle to make your pup a perfect furry friend, here is our advice for you:
Instead of trying so hard to force your dog to suit your ideal vision, why not give them enough time to develop and acquire things in the real world while enjoying their existence?
For example, if your dog shows fright every time you take him to the dog park, why not try going for a hike?
Maybe this is your opportunity to find excellent trails in your locality that you have never seen before.
Moreover, this will also give you enough chance to spend more bonding time with your furry friend.
Be Prepared for Unexpected Things with Your Dog
In some instances, accidents and diseases concerning your dog may happen at the most unexpected time. Parvovirus is one of the deadly threats among unvaccinated dogs. In that case, it might be a great idea to get him dog insurance.
A dog or pet insurance is a policy that covers the medical finances involved in treating your sick dog. In case of surprise illnesses or accidents, having a dog insurance plan is wise to protect your finances.
So, to keep your bank account and your dog safe from possible issues that may arise in the future, acquiring a pet insurance policy is highly recommended.
The main reason new and old pet owners should acquire a pet insurance plan is to minimize expenses related to treating and diagnosing your sick or injured pet.
This is also an excellent way to ensure that you will be financially prepared when anything wrong happens to your furry friend.
Final Thoughts
Bringing home an adopted dog is a new exciting experience for you and your family. Unfortunately, some new fur parents may have high expectations for their dogs.
They usually set high standards and expect their newly adopted dog to show desirable characteristics that will delight them. But take note that this only exists in the perfect world.
Adopting a dog comes with various challenges that both you and your dog should work out together in the real world.
So, the best tip that we can give to you is to be open about the possible things that concern your adopted dog. Remember, a happy pet parent makes a happy doggie.