# Bonding With An Adult Adopted Dog?



## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

I'm not sure if this is in the right place? 

I have a question for those of you out there that have adopted an adult dog, if you already have a dog, how do you bond with your new dog? What do you do for them to make them feel safe and loved?


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## gsdraven (Jul 8, 2009)

I haven't adopted an adult dog but I do foster them. I find that it is really easy to bond with an adopted dog. They are usually very thankful to have a safe, warm (or cool) bed, scheduled meal times, be trained and worked, and receive affection. 

By doing all of the above, is how I bond with them and make them feel safe. The most important thing is getting into a routine with them. We go on walks and take car rides together a lot in the beginning so we can bond and they can see that they will always come back. I train them daily and show them how to play with toys and provide them with consistent meals. I can usually see them relax on day one they realize their is stability. 

When someone adopts one of my fosters, I always recommend doing all of the above. It doesn't take long for the foster to bond with their new family at all even if they are attached to me.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

gsdraven said:


> I haven't adopted an adult dog but I do foster them. I find that it is really easy to bond with an adopted dog. They are usually very thankful to have a safe, warm (or cool) bed, scheduled meal times, be trained and worked, and receive affection.
> 
> By doing all of the above, is how I bond with them and make them feel safe. The most important thing is getting into a routine with them. We go on walks and take car rides together a lot in the beginning so we can bond and they can see that they will always come back. I train them daily and show them how to play with toys and provide them with consistent meals. I can usually see them relax on day one they realize their is stability.
> 
> When someone adopts one of my fosters, I always recommend doing all of the above. It doesn't take long for the foster to bond with their new family at all even if they are attached to me.


Do you seperate your dog and the new dog in order to form a bond with the new dog? Do you spend alone time with him/her?


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## NarysDad (Apr 29, 2010)

When I first brought home Titus I did seperate him from the others here in the vhouse and once i knew that he would get along with the house dogs we let him loose with them. As far as bond goes, well it may take a while before the new guy bonds with you. Titus took almost 2 weeks before he began to totally trust me and now I can't get away from him...lol

It all depends on the dog, it is like the lite switch is turned on, just make sure you don't pay to much attention to the new guy and not your other dog that has already been there.


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## gsdraven (Jul 8, 2009)

LaRen616 said:


> Do you seperate your dog and the new dog in order to form a bond with the new dog? Do you spend alone time with him/her?


I don't separate them but I do make sure to spend time with them individually; especially my current dog so that she doesn't feel threatened. But it's also important to walk them together as well so they can bond.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

gsdraven said:


> I don't separate them but I do make sure to spend time with them individually; especially my current dog so that she doesn't feel threatened. But it's also important to walk them together as well so they can bond.


Ok.

Do you have cats? I have 3 cats, how would I introduce them?


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## gsdraven (Jul 8, 2009)

I have two cats. I cat test the dog at the shelter before I agree to foster him. 

For the most part, I just bring the dog into the house. My female cat never comes out unless she is positive the dogs aren't in the house. My male cat is fearless. 

I usually just let the cat go about his business and don't do any formal introductions. I keep the dog on leash for the first couple of days so I can correct if I need to until they respond better to verbal correction. I have gates in the doorways to the hallway and the cats room and my bedroom door has a cat door in it so the cats can easily get away when they need to. 

The dog does not get unsupervised time with the cat for a very long time.


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## gsdraven (Jul 8, 2009)

I wanted to add that it is a process as well to introduce Raven to a foster and I always do this with another volunteer.

I first evaluate the dog at the shelter to see if I like him and if I think he would get along with Raven. Raven then meets the dog outside at the shelter and we walk them a bit and spend some time in one of the outside kennels to see how they do. If all goes well then we head home. We then walk the dogs for 15-20 minutes together to get them used to each other and to blow off excess energy from the car ride/shelter.

When we get to my house, the new dog goes into the backyard first and gets to sniff around. Then Raven and I go into the backyard and them check each other out (always on leash!). If things are going well, we will drop the leashes and let them play a bit but never take the leashes off just in case. 

After a little while of that then we do the same thing in the house. Foster enters first and then Raven and we let them check out the house together. Leashes are kept on for a few days to a week just in case.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

gsdraven said:


> I have two cats. I cat test the dog at the shelter before I agree to foster him.
> 
> For the most part, I just bring the dog into the house. My female cat never comes out unless she is positive the dogs aren't in the house. My male cat is fearless.
> 
> ...


Ok, thank you! You have been a great help!


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