Integrating a New Dog

This is probably one of the topics I get asked most about, and so I wanted to dedicate a dog blog to how we integrate new dogs into our gangs and onto our Adventures.

Today we welcomed the energetic bundle of joy that is Teddy. If you happen to read my dog blog late last week about Dog Walker Bingo, then it will come as no surprise that this is our third active adventuring Teddy. In fact we had 3 Teddys out on adventures today!

So how exactly do we integrate a new dog onto our Adventures, and in as stress free manner as possible?

It all starts with a potential owner sending me an email. Hopefully the email will let me know a good bit of detail regarding the potential adventurer dog’s character.

If not, I’ll ask for any missing info which could help give a better overall picture of if the dog will fit in.

We then organise a meeting at a convenient time, normally at home. It is nice to see a future friend in their natural environment and see how they welcome me in. Over the years I have experienced all types of “welcomes”.

During the meeting, which normally lasts between 30 to 60 minutes, I will try to find out as much about the dog and also my potential customers’ needs as possible. We are here to help them and therefore the better an understanding we get, hopefully the better service we can deliver.

I also try to organize the first meeting to be potentially only a few days away from a first Dog Adventure, if they wish to start.

The reason for this is so that I will still be fresh in the dogs memory when I come for the first pick up. If this is not logistically possible then I often will pop by for five minutes in the days approaching the first walk to remind the dog who I am.

Now to the first walk….. I always will try and find a calmer group with which to introduce any new dog. Throwing a dog into a fully energetic dog gang could scare them, depending on their character.

The calmer first walk group allows me the freedom and possibility to get to know the new dog away from its owners and build a rapport with it.

I introduce the new dog to it’s friends one at a time so as not to overwhelm them.

I try to pick a walk area where we will be alone and without too many tempting distractions. This allows us to connect quicker and without too many new stimuli around.

All news dogs are kept close on lead at the start of the Adventure to ensure that they feel comfortable.

Then it goes on gut feeling and what the owners have told me. Some dogs are free on long lead after five minutes, others will take a few walks to settle.

I hope this brief and concise explanation has being helpful into how we do things.

If I have missed anything which you would like to know, please just drop me an email or message.

As for Teddy’s first Adventure today…. I will allow you to make up your own mind on how he fitted in. The Teddy in question is the Golden Retriever who is also on the front of the dog blog today.

Doggies: Palo, Bandido, Stella and Ibsen