The first days are an adjustment, not a test. A new dog is under stress, and most of what you see in that window is the stress showing.

It may not eat for a day or two. That is common. Leave the food down, and do not force it.

Diarrhea is the other usual response. If it is mild, cooked white rice can help, with a little boiled chicken mixed in if you want. If it is severe, or it has not improved in a day or so, call Shaw PBR or your veterinarian.

Let the dog settle with the household before you bring in strangers, especially children. If company is coming and the dog still seems unsure, crate it or keep it in its room. Supervise every child, yours and visitors, when they are with the dog. Do not let a group of children surround it. Show them how to be gentle. See Adopters With Children.

Keep the dog in one area at first. You can open more of the house later. Taking space back is harder than giving it. A crate helps for the hours you are gone, and for company. Read how to use one before you need it. See Crate Training and The First Few Weeks.

Even a house-trained dog does not yet know how to tell you it needs out. Watch for pacing, whining, or standing at the door, and build a routine around going outside so the signal is clear. See Housebreaking.

Make a veterinary appointment even if the records are current. You will need monthly heartworm preventive, and the dog needs a local vet who already knows it. Take the health record from the adoption packet with you. Heartworm preventive and flea treatment have to continue every month after the dog leaves us.

Feed the best food you can afford. A better diet usually means a healthier dog, and fewer veterinary visits.

Do not hit the dog. Not with a hand, and not with a rolled newspaper. See Obedience Training.

If the dog is coughing or wheezing, it may have kennel cough. Have your veterinarian check it. Do not wait on small problems until they are large ones. See Unacceptable Behavior and Puppy Biting.

See also The Adjustment Period.