October is Adopt a Shelter Dog month!
October is Adopt a Shelter Dog month! The month of October means a lot for millions of dogs all over the world. October is not only a month where you can enjoy pumpkin-flavored delicacies or watch the leaves turn into beautiful hues, but you can bring a canine companion home. This month provides an excellent opportunity to help dogs in homeless shelters find a secure and loving home. Today we’re going to go over introducing a new dog to your home and how you can adopt a dog from the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS).
Introducing a New Dog to the Home
We suggest introducing a new dog into the home with caution and proper planning, especially if you already have fur babies in your dwelling. Just like with people, first impressions mean a lot. First impressions set the stage for relationship development and future interactions. Here are a few rules of thumb:
- Leave your other pets at home when you pick up your new fur baby. Attempting to drive and manage two (or more) dogs in a confined space when they don’t know each other isn’t the safest idea.
- Use positive reinforcement. If both your pets seem to get along, reward them with treats, and let them know how wonderful of a job they’re doing.
- Pay attention to your pets’ body language. If your pets start to become stiff and seem to become defensive, you may want to shorten the interaction and divert their attention.
- You shouldn’t force your pets to interact, let them set the pace, and be patient. For cats and dogs, you should separate them first, allow them to become familiar with each other’s scents, and then move on to leashed interactions. When you see that your pets are calm and comfortable around each other, unsupervised interactions can occur.
If you are having trouble integrating a new pet into your home, please don’t ignore this. Reach out to speak to one of our veterinarians about your concerns and we can guide you through the best options.
Adopting a Dog from BARCS
BARCS has a wide variety of dogs (and cats) that you can view online. Once you find a potential new pet that piques your interest, you can fill out an adoption application, naming the pet you want before your appointment, and email it to [email protected]. Before an appointment, your application must be approved.
Other Ways to Honor Adopt A Shelter Dog Month
- Can’t adopt a dog? Then, join the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the 31 Days of Rescue Dogs campaign. Just $31 can provide food, shelter, and a home for a dog.
- You can donate to our team for BARCStoberfest. We will match every donation, dollar-for-dollar up to $1000 to help!
- Share this post on social media!
Here at Mount Carmel Animal Hospital, We’ll Treat Your Pets Like Family!
Mount Carmel Animal Hospital has been serving the Northern Baltimore/Southern York community for over 30 years and is proud to be an independently operated, small animal practice committed to excellence in veterinary medicine and client service. From grooming to wellness services, along with Canine Life Skills Training Courses, and surgical procedures, we have the expertise that will best serve the needs of you and your pet. Contact us at 410-343-0200 and follow us on Facebook!