Transition from Kennel to home.
Transition from Kennel to home.
I am in the process of buying a started englsh pointer It has lived in a kennel with other dogs for about a year. When I purchase him and take him home, he will become a house dog overnight - living an home with me and my wife and our weimaraner. What is the best way to transition a 1 year old kennel-raised dog into a house dog. i want to make sure he reacts positively to his new environment. thanks for any advice you can give....
Re: Transition from Kennel to home.
Based on buying a 3 year old who had lived in a kennel for 3 years - The dog will be used to peeing /pooping whenever he wants, until he figures out that the home is his new den. Don't give the dog the run of the house - keep in an area that can be easily cleaned until housebroken ,which I found takes longer than house breaking a pup. If you live in a warm climate all year long , consider a dog door, assuming you have a fenced back yard.
" We are more than our gender, skin color, class, sexuality or age; we are unlimited potential, and can not be defined by one label." quote A. Bartlett
Re: Transition from Kennel to home.
We re homed a lot of our sleddogs at age 7 or 8. Many went to places where they were kept inside. Generally they adapted very well to the change. I found housebreaking the older dog to be easier than a pup, but do advise a kennel. The dog door is great especially if you can find one that locks in case you want the dog to stay in or out and yes, you need a fenced yard for the dog to go into if you use a dog door.
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RoostersMom
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Re: Transition from Kennel to home.
Get a crate and make sure the dog likes it - however you have to make that happen. Then treat the dog like a puppy for potty training. Make it easy for him to learn. I have had many, many, adult foster dogs that were kennel dogs move into my home. Just keep an eagle eye on the dog when the dog isn't in the crate. Also, make sure your intro to the resident dog occurs on non-familiar soil for the both of them. No need to rush their "togetherness," they have a lifetime together ahead of them, take it slowly.
Re: Transition from Kennel to home.
RoostersMom wrote:Get a crate and make sure the dog likes it - however you have to make that happen. Then treat the dog like a puppy for potty training. Make it easy for him to learn. I have had many, many, adult foster dogs that were kennel dogs move into my home. Just keep an eagle eye on the dog when the dog isn't in the crate. Also, make sure your intro to the resident dog occurs on non-familiar soil for the both of them. [/b]No need to rush their "togetherness," they have a lifetime together ahead of them, take it slowly.
Now that's advice I'm writing down. Considering another pup and concerned about the JRT's possessiveness/ protectionism.
" We are more than our gender, skin color, class, sexuality or age; we are unlimited potential, and can not be defined by one label." quote A. Bartlett
Re: Transition from Kennel to home.
I am far far from a trainer, but I did recently bring a 2.5 yr old home that had been in a training kennels his entire life. My advisr go slow. I was shocked to realize my dog had never seen his shadow which he saw for the first time when I let him out the first evening to empty out. They do want to pee and poop anywhere so crate training like a pup is best. Everything takes longer just be patient.