Adoption Resources

A guide to help adopters prepare before bringing a new dog into the family.

Thank you for choosing to adopt! We understand that adopting a new dog be both exciting and intimidating but don’t worry, we’re here to help

Before bringing your new dog home, prepare carefully to ensure that the transition goes as smoothly as possible for everyone. There's much to consider, including what rules to set for your new dog, what equipment you'll need, how to prepare you home, and more!

Things to Consider Before Adopting

The first few days or weeks at home can be scary and overwhelming for a new pet. There are a few steps you can take to prepare your home and yourself for your new furry family member to help make the transition as smooth as possible for you both!

• Where is the crate and bed going to be for your new dog? Where is he going to eat and drink? Consider setting up these areas in advance so that they are ready for his arrival. Consistency is a key component in a smooth transition, so think about your spaces carefully so that they don’t have to be changed during his adjustment period.
• Where will your pet be seen for veterinary care, behavioral issues, or emergencies? There are many low-cost wellness clinics available, and we encourage adopters to take advantage of these services for basic care, however it is still important to establish a relationship with a full-service veterinarian or clinic for your pets general health needs, illnesses, injuries, etc. We encourage all adopters to take their new pet to a full-service clinic within the first few days of adoption to help establish this relationship as well as to have your pet receive a thorough first exam! Many veterinary clinics will offer free and discounted first exams, so we recommend researching beforehand to help find the clinic that works best for you!
• How will you introduce children (including any child visitors to your home) to your new dog and establish safety rules? Children and dogs can be wonderful, lifelong friends; however, it is important to always remember that it is up to us as their guardians to keep their interactions safe. Please read through our informational sheet Children & Dogs: How to Keep Interactions Safe.
• What will your dog’s new schedule be? Again, consistency is important during transitions. It’s helpful to plan your dog’s new schedule for feedings, walks, playtime, potty breaks, and training so that you aren’t overwhelmed when you bring him home! Remember that while your pet is learning and adjusting to your new home, it is helpful to offer frequent potty breaks to avoid accidents. These potty breaks can be gradually spread out over time as he learns the ropes! You can learn more about house training your new dog in our information sheet.
• How will you introduce your new dog to your resident pets and visitors? We recommend giving your new pet time to adjust to you, his new home, and his new routine before introducing him to your resident pets, visitors, or your friends & family member’s dogs. Check out our informational sheets on Introducing Your New Dog to Exisiting Dogs and Introducing Your Dog to New People for more helpful tips when the time comes to begin introductions.
• Is your home and yard ready? Remember that while your home is a safe haven to you, to your new dog it is a scary new environment full of unknowns. They may look for a way out or exhibit destructive behaviors in an attempt to escape or out of stress, anxiety, or fear when left alone. Make sure all escape routes are blocked, that the fence is secure with no holes, and that the home is “dog-proofed” with no loose wires, shoes, books, etc. in reach in advance!

For concerns, questions, or adoption updates, please email: AdoptAPet@LeagueCityTX.gov
 Thank you for choosing to adopt! We hope it results in many happy years with your new family member!

A step-by-step guide to help adopters integrate a new dog to their home.

Thank you for choosing to adopt! We understand that adopting a new dog be both exciting and intimidating but don’t worry, we’re here to help! If you haven’t already, we recommend reading our informational sheet Preparing Your Home for a New Dog before beginning.

You know that life for your newly adopted dog has just taken a turn for the better, but your dog doesn’t know that yet. While some dogs move into their new homes and seem to adjust instantly without skipping a beat, most will need your help to show them that their new environment is a safe place and that their new family members are friends that they can trust. They may also struggle with learning the rules, customs, and schedules of their new life. Remember that whether your dog is immediately comfortable or if he needs a little helping hand, it’s ok! This stage is not a reflection on how the rest of your lives will be together, but how you respond can be. This guide will help you transition the dog from shelter dog to loved and adored member of your family!

Things to Remember as Your Dog Adjusts

• Familiarize yourself with signs of stress in dogs beforehand. It is important to understand the signals your new dog is giving you so that you can help him appropriately! We offer resources for dog body language cues and there are also many resources available online as well.
• Never reprimand your pet for communicating. Growling, baring teeth, or even snapping are forms of communicating their boundaries and feelings. Reprimanding them for this will teach them not to communicate with you and may cause them to escalate to a bite instead of a warning in the future.
• Your dog has been through a trauma. Though our staff work hard to provide our animals with the lowest stress environment possible, the shelter is still innately stressful. Whether he was surrendered by his owner and used to being well-cared for or if he was rescued from a rough life on the streets, he has suddenly found himself in a foreign place full of new faces, new smells, new sounds, and likely more other dogs than he has ever encountered in his life. When you bring him home, he’s now in another new place with new people he doesn’t know yet. It’s also normal for a shelter dog to sleep “excessively” for the first few days or so at home as his body catches up! His personality may take some time to shine during this time!
• Be patient! Remember that bringing a new dog home will require adjustments for everyone, including your human household residents. Go easy on your pets and yourself as you both adjust. Provide yourself and your pet with plenty of breaks. Move at the pace that best suits you both during this time.
• Keep things optional. Don’t force interactions. While it’s tempting to want to smother him in affection, this may overwhelm your new pet. Read his body language and respect his cues if he seems uncomfortable. Consider inviting him to come to you, rather than approaching or cornering him.
• Keep it positive. Pair anything you want your dog to have positive feelings about with yummy treats, verbal praise, and rewarding touch. Interrupt any undesired behaviors quickly and calmly by offering a different activity rather than a punishment. He doesn’t know yet what’s expected of him, and reprimands can confuse him or cause him to shut down. Keep voices happy and maintain a light-hearted setting. Keeping treats easily accessible (near the front/back door, the kitchen, and other areas where you will spend time together) so that they are readily available to provide to your pet!
• Confine your new dog in a safe area when you’re not able to supervise him. Remember that while your home is a safe haven to you, to your new dog, it is a scary new environment full of unknowns. He may look for a way out or exhibit destructive behaviors in an attempt to escape or out of stress, anxiety, or fear when left alone. Make sure all escape routes are blocked, that the fence is secure with no holes, and that the home is “dog-proofed” for safety.

First Days at Home

The first few days are an important time to help set your dog up to become a well-adjusted member of your family! Following these steps can help ensure you are starting off on the right track!

• Vet Visit: We encourage all adopters to take their new pet to a full-service clinic within the first few days of adoption to have your pet receive a thorough first exam as well as to help establish a relationship with your vet. Many veterinary clinics will offer free and discounted first exams, so we recommend researching beforehand to find the clinic that works best for you! There are many low-cost options available and we encourage adopters to take advantage of these services.
• Children and Dogs: Children and dogs can be wonderful, lifelong friends; however, it is important to always remember that it is up to us as their guardians to keep their interactions safe. Please read through our informational sheet Children and Dogs: How to Keep Interactions Safe.
• Schedule and Routine: Consistency is important during transitions. Offer your new dog a consistent schedule for feedings, walks, playtime, potty breaks, and training! Remember that while your pet is learning and adjusting to your new home, it is helpful to offer frequent potty breaks to avoid accidents. These potty breaks can be gradually spread out over time as he learns the ropes! You can learn more about house-training your new dog in our informational sheet.
• Resident Pets: We recommend giving your new pet time to adjust to you, to his new home, and his new routine before introducing him to your resident pets, visitors, or your friends & family member’s dogs. Check out our information sheets on Introducing Your New Dog to Your Existing Dogs and Introducing Your Dog to New People for more helpful tips when the time comes to begin introductions!
• Safe Space: Providing your new pet a safe, quite space to retreat to when he feels overwhelmed or tired is helpful in allowing your dog to transition smoothly. You can help establish this space by offering your dog meals, treats, chews, or toys in this space. It is important to be sure that all members of the house understand that when your dog is enjoying alone time in his space that the space is to be respected and not intruded upon by adults, children, or other pets.
• Rest and Quiet Time: Your new pet may need some quiet alone time to rest and take in all the new changes in his life. Don’t take it personally if he needs some space or extra nap time in the beginning!

Following Weeks

These next few weeks are when your pet may really begin to shine! Adopters often say they don’t see their dog’s true personality until several weeks after adoption, while others may fit in without missing a beat! As your pet begins to acclimate, you can slowly begin to expand your dog’s new world! You may consider enrolling him in group training classes or gradually introducing him to friends or family outside of your home, your resident pets, or activities like visiting the park! Remember to pay careful attention to your dog’s body language to watch for clues that it may be too much too fast so that you can adjust to the pace he needs. It is important to maintain the schedule established from the start as consistently as possible to continue this transition process, though the potty-break schedule may be carefully and slowly adjusted to a more realistic schedule.

If you encounter behavior issues you are unfamiliar with, ask your veterinarian for a trainer recommendation. Select a trainer who uses positive-reinforcement techniques to help you and your dog overcome these behavior obstacles and establish a solid relationship with your pet.

For concerns, questions, or adoption updates, please email: AdoptAPet@LeagueCityTX.gov

 Thank you for choosing to adopt! We hope it results in many happy years with your new family member!

How to Keep Interactions Safe

Children and dogs can be wonderful, lifelong friends; however it is important to always remember that it is up to us as their guardians to keep their interactions safe.

Half of all dog bites are to children. In about a third of those cases, the bite is from the family dog and most often to the face of the child. Children are much more likely than adults to require medical attention for a dog bite and the bites are often far more likely to be severe. Children’s faces are physically close to dog’s mouths and kids are tempted to look closely into dogs’ faces.

Why does this happen? Children may not be able to read a dog’s subtle body language indicating stress, fear, or discomfort. (Many adults need help with this as well!) Children’s faces are physically close to dog’s mouths and kids are tempted to look closely into dogs’ faces, which can trigger a defensive response. Additionally, children can often invade a dog’s personal space or unintentionally threaten their resources by handling/taking their food, toys, or treats.

Fortunately, the majority of bites or negative experiences for our children and our dogs are often easily preventable. Building safe relationships takes commitment and consistent effort, along with the guidance and supervision by parents for both children and dogs. These relationships require good behavior from parents, children, and dogs.

Helpful Tips for Setting Your Pet Up for Success

The key to safety around dogs is prevention. Be proactive.

1. When possible, your new pet should be introduced to your children prior to taking them home. Ask the shelter or rescue staff if they have information about a dog’s experience with children from a previous home. Remember, previous exposure to children doesn’t guarantee that a dog will be safe around your child, but it can help provide you with a bit of background.
2. Create a safe and comfortable home for your kids and your dog. Your dog should be provided a quite place to stay away from noises and activity during their downtime.
   1. Use a crate or gates to create child-free zones for your dog.
   2. Teach children to stay away from your dog when it’s in the child-free zone.
   3. Avoid cornering your dog, especially children.
   4. Make sure that your dog has an escape route and can easily get away from the kids if they want. Don’t force them to interact.
   5. Teach your dog to stay calmly in his crate or other confined area when you can’t supervise.
3. Dogs and children, especially those under 10 years old, should always be supervised when together – no matter how friendly your dog is or how often they spend time around one another. Remember, kids (even gentle children), are impulsive and dog behavior changes quickly, so it takes only a few seconds for things to go wrong. Closely supervise interactions between your child and your dog , intervening if necessary. Being in the same room is not supervision – you must watch your children with your dog at all times. Your dog should be in their “child-free zone” when you are trying to multitask. Also, as you supervise, you’re observing how your kids behave with the dog and how the dog behaves with the kids.
4. Make your dog part of the family. Don’t chain or tie her outside and don’t leave her unsupervised for long periods of time – even in a fenced yard. Tethered dogs become frustrated and can feel relatively defenseless, so they’re much more likely to bite. Well-socialized and supervised dogs are much less likely to bite. 

Teaching Kids How to Interact Safely with Dogs

It’s helpful for kids to learn how to behave around dogs in general as well as how to help their own family dog be successful. Teach your children to treat all animals gently and with respect, giving the dog her own space and opportunities to rest. 

1. Children must understand that dogs don’t automatically love them. They should ask dog’s owners for permission to approach or pet any animal. Practice mock greetings at home to help them learn what to do. Kids must never reach through a fence, a car window, or a crate or kennel to pet dogs who are unattended. If there’s no owner to ask, they can’t pet the dog. If a child sees a dog off-leash outside, he should not approach the dog and should tell an adult immediately.
2. Help children learn how to appropriately handle and approach dogs. Practice petting with stuffed animals before they try it on a real dog. Show them what polite petting looks like – stroking or gently scratching areas the dog likes such as their chest or shoulders. Discourage reaching over a dog’s head to pet them, hugging, putting their hands or faces in the dogs face, tugging, pulling, pushing, or poking. Always have children invite a dog (even their own) to approach them, rather than having children approach the dog. If the dog chooses not to approach, children should leave them alone.
3. Teach children when dogs should not be approached. Children should not approach, touch, or play with any dog who is sleeping, eating, chewing on a toy or bone, or caring for puppies. Animals are more likely to bite if they’re startled, frightened, or caring for young. Dogs should be free to enjoy a chew bone, play with a toy, or eat their meal without being pressured by other dogs, children, or even adults. Children should never approach a barking, growling, or scared dog and should never follow or chase a dog that is moving away from them.
4. Teach children how to safely play with dogs. Children who don’t know better may find a dog’s aggressive or warning behavior amusing, and they may actually provoke a dog to lift his lip, growl, or snap. Understand that when a dog reacts this way, he feels genuinely concerned or threatened and may respond accordingly. Dogs should not be expected to tolerate behavior that makes them uncomfortable. If they provide cues communicating that they do not enjoy an interaction, this communication should be appropriately respected.
5. Help your children learn how not to trigger a predatory response. Frightened or even playful children may run away, shriek, or squeal. Dogs are instinctually predators and may be triggered to chase or possibly take down and bite a child as though it were prey. Never allow children to play “chase” with dogs; instead teach them safe activities to play with their dog.

Learn to Read Your Dog

All dogs can and will bite if provoked, however there are usually a series of warnings to let us know they’re in a situation where they feel threatened. Signs like showing teeth, snapping, or growling are obvious, but there are often smaller, more subtle cues that come first. Learning how to read these can help prevent problems early. If a dog displays any of these behaviors, it may be time to intervene immediately.

• Avoiding interaction by backing/turning away, hiding/attempting to hide, or avoiding eye contact
• Licking their lips when no food is nearby, panting when not hot or thirsty, or acting sleepy and yawning when not tired, lifting a single paw, or furrowing their brow
• Attempting to make themselves smaller or less threatening by cowering, crouching, or flattening to the ground, flattening ears backward, lowering head, or rolling on back to expose stomach
• Hyper-vigilant behaviors such as darting eyes or ears (moving quickly in many directions) or pacing
• Moving or walking in slow motion, becoming very still or stiff, or freezing in place

Attempting to make themselves look bigger by standing or leaning forward, holding ears up, & forward, the fur on her back and tail may stand on end or puff out, and her tail may be straight up – it may even wag. It’s important to realize that a wagging tail or crouching body doesn’t always mean friendliness.

A step-by-step guide to help adopters integrate a new dog to their furry family members.

Thank you for choosing to adopt! We understand that adopting a new dog to your home and your other pets can be intimidating but don’t worry! We’re here to help!

Remember that dog relationships, like human relationships, may take time to develop. While some dogs may “hit it off” and become fast friends immediately, others will need more time and patience to develop their relationship. Remember that dogs are individuals and each relationship will be unique. Some dogs will become playmates with other dogs, some will enjoy the companionship of other dogs, and others may prefer to their personal space from other dogs.

Though we know adopters may feel eager to introduce their new pet to the whole family, we recommend providing your new dog with time to adjust to their new environment and decompress from shelter life before introducing them to your other dogs. (Adjustment and decompression times will vary for each dog and recommendations may vary from 3 days - 2 weeks.) Remember that new dogs may also pose a health risk to your resident dogs and adopters should follow any instructions given regarding how long dogs should remain separated.

Things to Remember Before Introducing

• Familiarize yourself with signs of stress in dogs beforehand. We offer resources for dog body language cues and there are also many resources available online as well.
• Stay calm. Don’t hold your breath or apply tension to the leash. The dogs are more likely to stay calm if their handler is calm and the leash is loose and relaxed.
• Keep it positive. Interrupt any undesired behaviors quickly and calmly. Keep voices happy and maintain a light-hearted setting. Offer gentle re-directions of your dog’s attention rather than jerking leashes or reprimanding dogs. (Ex: offer soft claps/pats and a “come here, buddy!”)
• Keep it optional. Don’t force interactions between the dogs. Either or both dogs may ignore one another at first and that’s ok! Allow them to remain inside their “comfort zone”. They will interact when they are ready.
• Be patient. Remember that bringing a new dog home will require adjustments for everyone, especially your current pets. Taking your time and offering plenty of breaks will help ensure a more successful outcome for all! 
• Never reprimand either pet for communicating. Growling, baring teeth, or even snapping at one another are forms of communication. These cues are used by your dogs to communicate their boundaries and feelings. Reprimanding them will teach them not to communicate with each other (potentially causing an escalation to an actual fight in the future) and to associate the new pet with negative experiences. Instead, calmly remove them from the situation and allow a break time. Always praise positive interactions and communications!
• Have at least one person per dog available. This will allow for one person for each leash which is the safest option.
• Choose a location carefully. If possible, opt for a neutral and quiet area away from your home, like a quiet park. An outdoor area with plenty of space and minimal other distractions or stressors is ideal. Be sure that any bones, toys, or food are removed from the area.

Introducing Your Dogs

• If you have more than one dog, introduce them separately. Begin with your most calm and social dog. This will help you set your pets up for the post positive and successful outcome!
• Walk the dogs near one another, but not close enough to interact. Maintain as safe distance of at least 10-20 feet during this time. Give them time to get comfortable with the area and the presence of another dog prior to moving forward. Let them sniff the area and walk around.
• If the dogs are calm, gradually move them closer and allow them to sniff one another. Be mindful of body language and remember that the cues may be subtle or change quickly. 
  • Relaxed bodies, loose wagging tails, open mouths, and play bows are cues that the dogs are comfortable with one another.
  • Tense or stiff bodies, furrowed brows, tightly closed mouths, lip raises, or any signs of stress are cues that it is time to take a break. Breaks should be provided as often as needed and introductions may need to be resumed on another day to prevent tension from escalating to a negative experience.
• Keep it short. Allow them to interact for 3-5 seconds at a time before gently calling them apart. Take short breaks and repeat.
• Keep leashes loose and don’t allow them to become tangled. Move with the dogs as they sniff one another.
• If things are going well and a fenced area is available, you can try letting them interact there. Leave their leashes on, but dragging behind them, so that you can quickly pick up the leashes if you need to separate them. Continue to vigilantly watch for behavioral changes or cues that either dog is becoming uncomfortable or overly excited. It’s always best to intervene before things escalate.
• Move at the pace that best suits your dogs. Outdoor leashed introductions may need to be repeated multiple times before progressing to spending time together off-leash or indoors.
• Walk them together again before moving inside. If you introduced the dogs away from the home and will need to drive them back, give them an opportunity to become comfortable together again before taking them inside your home.

During the First Few Weeks at Home

• Keep things separate. During the first few weeks at home, dogs should be given plenty of time separated from one another and should always be kept separated when they are not supervised. Dogs should have their own food/water bowls, beds, and toys in separate spaces. They should also receive one-on-one interaction time with you as well. Barriers such as baby-gates can be great for transition periods as it allows them to visit and become used to one another but still move away from one another if they aren’t feeling social. 
• Remove toys, chews, food bowls, or your dog’s favorite items from any shared spaces. During the early stages of your pets’ new relationship, these items can cause rivalries or guarding behaviors. They may be reintroduced slowly after a few weeks once the dogs have begun to develop a good relationship.

For concerns, questions, or adoption updates, please email: AdoptAPet@LeagueCityTX.gov
 Thank you for choosing to adopt! We hope it results in many happy years with your new family member!