The First 24 Hours: Helping a Nervous Dog Settle In

Hour 0 to 1: the arrival

• Have the room ready before the dog arrives: bed, water, a quiet corner, nothing else on the floor.
• Keep voices low and greetings short. No crowd at the door.
• Let the dog out on a lead into the yard or garden rather than a walk.
• Put the dog in its space, then leave the room.

Hour 1 to 4: nothing much

This is the hardest stretch for owners because it feels like doing nothing. That is the point. Sit nearby with a book or your laptop, avoid eye contact, and let the dog investigate in its own time. Do not follow it around, do not offer a tour, and do not introduce other pets yet.

Hour 4 to 8: food and toilet

• Offer the dog's normal food in the normal bowl, in the normal place, then walk away.
• Pick the bowl up after 20 minutes and offer it again at the next normal mealtime.
• Take the dog out on a lead every couple of hours at first.
• Note whether it ate, drank and toileted. Those three facts are your score for the day.

Hour 8 to 24: the first night

• Keep the evening calm: no visitors, no new toys, no training.
• If the dog normally sleeps near a person, keep it in or near the bedroom.
• Use a crate only if the dog already knows one, with the door left open the first night if that is how it is used at home.
• Expect some pacing or a whine. Give it five minutes of quiet company, not a conversation.

The first morning

• Same wake time, same food, same toilet routine.
• A short walk on a quiet route, and let the dog sniff as long as it likes.
• No new people today. No new places.
• Write down what changed from yesterday. Eating without prompting is the sign you are looking for.

What to avoid in the first 24 hours

• Visitors, especially children or a group.
• Baths, nail trims, or anything the dog cannot opt out of.
• Long walks in busy places, dog parks, or anywhere with a lot of noise.
• Lifting the dog to move it.
• Comforting a frightened dog in an excited, high voice.

If you are the sitter

Ask the owner for the routine in writing, keep it, and send a photo of the dog eating or resting within the first few hours. That single message is what stops an owner worrying, and it is the standard Mary E. uses for every new dog that stays with her in Deerfield Beach.