First 3 Days with a New Adult Dog: What to Do
Bringing home an adult dog is an exciting time, but it’s also a crucial window to establish trust, boundaries, and routines. These first three days are about helping your dog decompress and begin to settle into your home.
🌪️ Working Through Transition Stress
Even adult dogs can experience significant stress when transitioning to a new home. Don’t be surprised if your dog seems shut down, overly clingy, paces, pants, or has accidents—even if they were previously housetrained. This is totally normal and part of the “decompression period.” Prepare yourself to support them as they adjust at their own pace. Keep the environment calm, avoid overwhelming introductions or activities, and offer comforting routines like meals, walks, play, companionship, and quiet time. Speaking in a soft voice, providing a cozy, safe space (like a crate or quiet room), and using calming tools like enrichment toys or lick mats can help them process the change. The key is patience and consistency—they’re learning that this new place is safe, and that takes time.
Day 1: Keep It Calm and Predictable
🏠 Be Home
If possible, plan to stay home or take a few days off. Your presence will help your new dog feel safe as they adjust to the unfamiliar surroundings.
⏰ Establish a Basic Routine
- Feeding Schedule: Feed at the same times each day (usually 2 meals per day).
- Potty Breaks: Take them out first thing in the morning, after meals, after naps, and before bed.
- Walks: Keep them short and calm. Allow sniffing to help relieve stress.
- Quiet Time: Let them rest—don’t expect them to play or cuddle right away. Many adult dogs take 2–3 days (or more) just to decompress.
🚫 Set Clear Boundaries
- Use baby gates or closed doors to manage access to parts of the house.
- Decide early on if furniture is off-limits.
- Use leashes inside if needed to gently guide them and prevent wandering.
🚽 Begin House Training (Even If They’re Supposedly Trained)
- Assume they’re not house-trained at first.
- Praise and reward immediately after they go potty outside. Start putting going to the bathroom on cue immediately.
- Avoid punishment for indoor accidents—clean with an enzymatic cleaner and stick to a schedule.
🚪 Prevent Door Dashing
- Use a leash any time you go near the door.
- Train impulse control at doors early: have them “wait” before you open it, rewarding calm behavior.
- Use baby gates or a barrier near exits as a backup safety measure.
Day 2: Start Building Trust and Confidence
🤝 Engage, But Don’t Overwhelm
- Sit near them and talk calmly.
- Let them come to you. Don’t force petting or play.
- Introduce toys and chews gently.
🔄 Stick to the Routine
- Routines help your dog understand what to expect.
- Keep feeding, potty, and walk times consistent.
- Start approximating what a “normal” day will look like.
🧠 Begin Gentle Training
- Start with simple cues like “sit,” “come,” or “look.”
- Keep sessions short (5-10 mins) and positive.
🏡 Reinforce House Rules
- Keep doors, counters, and furniture rules consistent.
- Gently redirect unwanted behaviors instead of scolding.
- Praise the good! Catch and reward calm and appropriate actions.
Day 3: Continue Settling, Start Bonding
💞 Bonding Time
- Hand feed a portion of meals to build trust.
- Play short, gentle games like fetch or tug (if they’re ready).
- Go for a quiet walk somewhere calm—let them sniff and explore.
🚪 Practice Controlled Door Greetings
- Practice “sit and wait” at the door with treats.
- Reward when they stay calm as you open the door just a crack.
- Use a cue like “back” or “wait” every time you open a door.
- Limit the doors they use to access the outside world and teach a release cue as the indicator they can go through those doors.
🧹 Reassess and Adjust
- Take note of patterns: potty needs, signs of stress, favorite spots.
- Adjust your routine as needed to support comfort and good habits.
- Incrementally build to your normal routine.
🧠 Remember – It’s Easier to Give Freedom Than Take It Away
When bringing home a new dog, it’s tempting to give them full freedom to roam the house or make their own choices right away—but this can backfire. Dogs thrive on structure and clarity, and it’s much easier to gradually grant freedom as they earn it than to take it away after bad habits form. If a dog is allowed to roam freely and begins having accidents, chewing furniture, or bolting through doors, it can be confusing and stressful for them when sudden restrictions are put in place. Starting with clear, gentle boundaries helps set expectations and builds trust, allowing your dog to succeed from the beginning—and giving you the chance to reward good behavior as you gradually increase their freedom.
Final Thoughts
The initial settling period is about patience, observation, and consistency. Adult dogs may come with unknown histories, so go slow and focus on earning trust. Clear routines, calm energy, and gentle boundaries will lay the foundation for a lifelong bond.