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We want to help you with
the transition of settling your dog into its new home.
With
our volunteer base and our combined experience, we can help with
most situations.
Don’t wait until you’ve become overly frustrated with yourself or
the dog to contact us.
We will always be here to help!
Please
click here to email us
or contact the foster or coordinator you worked with.
Table of Contents
Selecting Your
New Dog
Before You Bring
Your New Dog Home
The Adjustment Period
Interaction and Socialization
Your Dog’s Identification Info
Your Dog’s Health
Your Dog’s Training
AGSDR’s Commitment to You and Your Dog
The first step in finding the right
dog for you or your family is to look over our web site and review
the biography on each of the dogs we have available. Once you
have come up with your list of prospects, contact the
representative you have been working with and request the contact
information of the persons fostering the dogs you want to visit.
You will be provided their email addresses and you should contact
each of them to set up a time convenient for both of you that you
can meet the dog.
We always recommend that
you visit at least two dogs before making your final decision.
But we also know that many times, there is no doubt in your mind
and heart that the first dog you meet may be “the one.” The
decision about which dog is the best match for you and your family
will be a decision you and the foster will make together. If the
foster has any reservations about the match, we ask that you
respect their knowledge of the dog’s personality and
temperament and their insight should they believe the dog
not be a good choice for you.
Remember, when you adopt
a dog, it becomes YOURS! Your responsibility to care for it, love
it, address any behavior problems, train it, and see to its
veterinary
needs does not
end until the dog dies. Your circumstances may change (new cat,
new baby, move, whatever!), but your dog will always depend on YOU
to take care of it. Your dog will have no one else, so please
select your dog with care. Select it with the FULL expectation
that you are responsible for the life and well-being of this
animal for the rest of its life, even if your dog isn’t perfect!
When you visit each dog,
here are a few things you might ask the foster:
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Does the dog need additional obedience training?
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Has the dog displayed any specific habits?
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What type of socialization has the dog had (children, older
adults, cats,
other dogs, etc.)?
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Can you describe your impression of the dog’s
personality/temperament?
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How much exercise does the dog require?
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What room does the dog sleep in?
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Does the dog have free roam when left alone, or is the dog
crated?
- Does the dog enjoy
being outside at times, or is it an indoor-only dog?
Once you and the foster have decided
that it is a great match for you and your family, the foster will
have the adoption agreement for you to read carefully
and sign. The foster will sign the agreement and accept your
check or money order for the adoption donation and forward the
agreement and check to the appropriate AGSDR representative.
A copy of your adoption contract,
vet records, microchip registration, and any other information we
have about your new dog will be sent to you by EMAIL after your
signed agreement and payment have been processed.
Please
bring a collar, leash, and ID tag with you
when you pick up your dog!
Crate: Consider bringing along a dog crate when you get your dog.
At the very least, ask how he travels beforehand. Why start off the
dog's first day with him getting ill in the car? Crates are
much easier to clean!
Fence: Even
though we conducted a home visit, PLEASE take the
time to walk your fence line and make sure there are no missing or
loose boards or gaps
between the ground and the fence. You will be amazed at what a
large dog can get through or under with determination. And even a
small gap can entice a dog to dig, especially if you
have dogs next door or a path frequented by people walking by.
Remember...many
things can become more interesting than being alone in a yard, so FOR
THE FIRST SEVERAL WEEKS...DO NOT LEAVE YOUR NEW DOG ALONE IN THE
BACKYARD without supervision.
Items you should purchase before your new dog comes
home:
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Collar – flat style for ID
(not choke, prong, or other training collar) |
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Collar (training)
– we suggest a “prong/pinch” style collar |
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ID tag with your
name/address/phone number on it |
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Leash |
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Food and water bowls –
most of our fosters prefer stainless steel |
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Crate – Large or x-large
depending on the dog you've adopted - Please, for the
sake of your new dog, your home, and your other pets, use a
crate while your dog is transitioning into its new home.
Read more here. |
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Dog Bed/Blanket |
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Dog
Food – (ask the foster what they've been
feeding and switch over gradually if you want to feed
something different) |
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Safe chew toys –
remember: giving your dog appropriate chew toys can help him
to not go hunting up inappropriate ones! |
Questions you might ask when picking up your new dog are:
1.
What food is the dog currently on?
2.
How many times per day does the dog eat?
3.
How much per feeding does the dog eat?
4.
When is the dog due for its next
heartworm preventative pill?
5.
When is the dog due for its next
flea/tick protection?
6.
What brand of flea/tick protection has
the foster been using?
7.
Are there any known allergies?
8.
How does the dog respond to grooming?
9.
What toys/bones does the dog enjoy most?
Please be prepared to have an
adjustment period when you introduce your new dog to your home and
family members (human and furry).
Remember, this is a
whole new world for your GSD. Be Patient!
Dogs love
routine—give them one! When the dog begins to understand the
routine and surroundings, it develops trust and most negative
adjustment behaviors will begin to change. The length of the
adjustment periods will depend on you, your home environment, and
the personality of the dog. It can range from a few days to a few
weeks. Just give it time…that’s all it takes!
To help you with this
issue, please read "adjustment
period" for what you can expect and how to deal with it.
Your dog has
had a microchip inserted. We currently use HomeAgain microchips.
- Immediately
after adopting your dog, please
send an email to us with your contact info. We will add
your info to the registration info at
Home Again.
- If at any time your contact information or
your vet information changes, notify us immediately so we can
update the information at
Home Again.
We always
remain the primary contact on dogs we adopt out. This is so that
we can ensure that even if people move and forget to update the
information for the dog’s ID, the dog will not be accidentally
euthanized.
For more information, please see "microchips."
It is also important to keep
regular ID tags on a flat collar on your dog at all times.
For info on why this can be important, see "ID
Tags."
There are a number of health issues
discussed on the Resources section of our web site. Only a few
are covered here.
As your dog's
new guardian, it is your responsibility to ensure that your dog
stays healthy. Doing so requires providing:
- Quality food
in the proper amounts (see “Feeding”
on the Resources section of our web site).
- Fresh, clean
water at all times.
- Regular,
adequate exercise (see “Exercise”
on the Resources section of our web site).
- Regular
grooming (which not only serves to strengthen your bond with
your dog, but is also a perfect time to check for wounds,
growths, or other signs of ill health or injury) (see “Grooming”
on the Resources section of our web site).
- Protection from pests such as fleas,
ticks, flies, and mosquitoes (see “Fleas
& Ticks” on the Resources section of our web site).
Your dog’s
health also relies on you providing necessary healthcare. This
includes, but is not limited to:
- Being
kept current on heartworm preventative. Your dog has
been tested for heartworms. If he tested positive, he has
either been treated or is currently on the "slow-kill method" of
treatment (depending on the dog's health, age, etc.).
Regardless of if your dog initially tested positive or negative,
your dog MUST be kept on heartworm preventative year
around in most southern states. Please see "heartworms"
on the Resources section of our web site for more on this issue.
- Being
kept current on necessary vaccinations. Your dog has
received vaccinations which included a Distemper/Parvo combo.
Most have also been given a Bordetella (kennel cough) vaccine.
Please check your dog's records to
determine if it was given a 3-year rabies vaccination or just a
1-year. By law, there are rules about when each can be given (if
we do not know the history of a dog (strays), we must give the
1-year vaccination and they can receive the 3-year the following
year). For your dog’s safety (legally), you must keep the dog
compliant with state and local ordinances regarding rabies
vaccinations.
Please see "vaccinations"
on the Resources section of our web site for a short discussion of
when to vaccinate and what to vaccinate for. Included on that
page is a link to the current
American
Animal Hospital Association guidelines, which will help you
determine when the next vaccinations are due for your dog. Please
consider this information along with that provided by your
veterinarian when making a decision on what vaccinations to
provide and when.
- Receiving Annual Physicals by a
veterinarian. Even if your dog is on a minimal vaccination
schedule, your dog should be tested yearly for worms (heartworms
and other worms) and receive a general physical. The physical
will include things like checks of the dog’s teeth, gums, ears,
eyes, etc. A general physical is a great way to identify
problems early, before they become unmanageable.
Older dogs can require additional
recurring vet care, so please discuss an age-appropriate
healthcare plan with your vet. Many suggest annual or semi-annual
blood and urine tests to ensure the elderly dog’s organs are
working properly.
Please see "Physicals"
on the Resources section of our web site for more on this issue.
Poisons and Other Dangerous Items:
An
amazing array of information, both true and false, exists on the
internet and in common household knowledge across America
regarding what is and is not harmful to our pets.
“Poisons” on
the Resources section of our web site discusses some common
poisons and other common dangers using only one source as our
reference…the
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center web site. We also provide
links to various sections of that web site with info on each.
Housetraining: Our dogs
were house dogs as fosters, and generally come housetrained.
Not always completely reliably…it depends on how much time they
were in a foster home, what their past was (never housetrained,
badly housetrained, etc.), and even what their health was when
they came to us.
We
adopt them to homes that have agreed, as you have, to
have them as indoor companions. If you are having any
problems with housetraining, please see "housetraining"
and read the links provided there also. If you still have
any questions or concerns, please contact us (see below under "AGSDR's
Commitment to You and Your Dog"
for contact info).
Obedience
Training: We highly recommend that you take your new dog
to obedience classes and have the entire family attend if
possible. Please see "obedience
training" for a discussion of this issue and its importance to
you and your new dog. Also, please see "leadership"
for a discussion of the importance of establishing your human
family as leaders of the pack for your new dog (and your others if
you have them)!
Crate
Training: We highly recommend crate
training your dog. In fact, we will likely have started this
training for you. Done properly, many if not most dogs learn to
think of their crate as “their pad” and will use it when they feel
stressed or tired.
Crate training
serves the initial purpose of being able to contain a new dog
(whose behavior is unknown) when you are unable to monitor it or
to contain a dog while housetraining it. But crate training has
benefits well beyond these initial uses. Crates provide a dog
with a mobile dog house of sorts…a mobile “safe place.” This is
especially important if your dog is under stress due to travel or
moving.
Crates also
provide a mobile form of containment for various situations such
as travel, injuries which require limited mobility, or accidents
where your dog has gotten muddy or rolled in the dead frog they
found so enticing (locking them away until you are able to bathe
them sure beats them deciding the couch would smell really cool if
it had the enticing odor of dead frog too!).
If you’ve never
given crate training a try, now is the time to start. Sooner or
later, you’ll wish you had! Having the dog learn under pleasant
circumstances sure beats them being even more stressed during a
potentially already stressful time when you suddenly find it
necessary.
Please see
Crate Training for more specific info on why this is a good
idea and how to go about it.
ANY TIME an issue comes
up…you’re not sure about a trainers approach, you have general
questions, or you just want to give us an update (we LOVE
hearing from all of our families!)…please NEVER hesitate to
contact us.
Just as you have done for the
rescued German Shepherd Dog you adopted, we have made a life‑long
commitment to these dogs. We will always be here to help!
Contact the
person who was fostering your dog, the adoption coordinator you
worked with, or
email us here.
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