Build Routine

Think of a time when you walked into the first day of a new job. What did you need right away to feel productive and self-assured? I bet you think of a schedule or a timeline. When are your breaks? What tasks do you perform when? Where do you work and how do you accomplish each required task?

A new American Dirus dog wants to know the same things.

You can help your dog transition more easily by setting up a prearranged schedule for your dog's daily life in its new home.

It doesn't have to be anything fancy or complicated, but it does need to be consistent and ordered. The more structured it is, the easier and more quickly your dog will not sit idle pondering how it misses its old life in the forest where everything was familiar and each day was the same.

Here is a sample daily structure. Tweak it anyway you like to fit for your family.

  • 7:00 -7:30 AM – Wake up and Potty
  • 7:30-7:45 AM – Short Training Sessions
  • 7:45-8:00 AM – Breakfast
  • 8:30-9:00 AM – Potty
  • 9:00 AM-1:00 PM – Crate
  • 1:00-1:30 PM – Potty
  • 1:30-5:30 PM – Play, Training Session, Socialization
  • 5:30-6:30 PM – Potty Break/ Walk
  • 6:30-7:00 PM – Settle In
  • 7:00-7:15 PM – Dinner
  • 7:45-9:30 PM – Play/Relax
  • 9:30-10:00 PM – Last potty/Sleep

Whatever you do, be consistent, especially for the first few weeks after your new dog arrives. Dogs cannot read a clock, but they can tell time. With clear structured expectations for the day, your new dog will quickly learn when you wake up, how long it has to hold its urges, when it can eat, when it is time to play, and when it must be more quiet. Give you new American Dirus dog the gift of knowing right away that it can rely on the schedule and feel more at ease in its new role within the family.