A dog’s guide to finding a new home in Chelmsford

We have always been man’s best friend, but it seems this year more and more humans have been wanting to give us a home.  They’ve been spending more time in their homes, and so have felt they have the time to help us settle into their family.  For us, moving home is a huge experience, just like it is for you, getting to know not only where we’ll live in Chelmsford but also our new family.  You have to be warned, we will make some mistakes – no one is perfect!  To help you, help us, our pack has got together to give you some tips to make our first few weeks with your family less stressful.

Are we right for your family?

Your home may determine what size dog would be best for you, our breed may also be a consideration – we know there is a fascination with anything with ‘poo’ in its name at the moment.  Yet there are so many breeds fighting to get your attention, and you may find that the perfect dog for your family is one that chooses you.  Things to consider are what amount of exercise we need – even if we have little legs we can still go a long way, and some of our long-legged breeds prefer a short stroll.

Having company is something we all crave, your work life may have changed now and we can warm your toes in the winter months whilst you stare at a screen.  We love to snuggle watching a movie, and playing with toys – sorry if we mistake your shoes for toys, but they look soooo good!

Can you adopt me?

Sadly, not all of us find a forever home straight away, some of us have to stay in a rescue centre until that perfect family passes by.  With all our big eyes staring back at you, we are trying to make the decision difficult for you, as we all want to be the one.  But our carers are doing a great job, they have got to know us and so they know what kind of family would be right for us.  Some of us prefer to live on our own, others want another canine or even a cat.

Children can be scary; they run fast, scream loud and accidently do things that may upset us.  So if you have children, please ask if your home is suitable for us, we may have been through enough already and we don’t want more disappointment!

Looking for a newborn?

Please be careful if you’re looking for a puppy, as there are horrible places called puppy farms and we can be sold for thousands of pounds.  How much research do you undertake when buying a new car?  We are a living thing, so please make sure you buy us from a place in Chelmsford that has our well-being at heart rather than the pounds.  If you are asked for money before seeing what we look like, there could be something wrong.

Is your home puppy-ready?  Like any newborn, we can be demanding and have zero control of our bodily functions and we can be hyper as we grow, but we’re also fun and loveable, which is why you shouldn’t be too mad when we’ve had an accident, we are young and learning and need a lot of time, effort and patience.

The new normal

Patience is something you will need no matter how you find us, moving home can be scary – so please, can we have a little quiet space to retreat if we feel overwhelmed? We won’t be used to all the sounds in your home, your smells and your rules.  Don’t rush us, it could take us 4–6 months to settle; give us time to become more confident to explore.  And should our ears flatten back, our tail be tucked and we start blinking and licking our lips and nose, these are our signs of stress.  Try to learn our actions as we cannot express ourselves through words like you!

In the months to come, your new normal may change, you could find yourself back at the office and with the kids back in school, and we could be left home alone more often.  Ease us into this change gently – maybe, could a friendly dog walker nip by to break up our boredom and lessen our anxiety?  Because the moment you open that door, and we give you the biggest cuddle, just like you, we will have that wonderful feeling of ‘home’.

A dog is not for lockdown, it’s for life. Make your dog’s experience of finding their forever home in Chelmsford one that your whole family will treasure.

If you and your dog are looking for a new home, give us a call on 01245 835859.