A new dog is joining your family and becoming a central part of your home life - congratulations! Amidst all the joy and excitement, it's important to also remember how overwhelming entering a whole new world can be for your dog.

You can make the transition the smooth experience everyone wants it to be with a bit of advance preparation and some good guidance from seasoned dog trainers to help you support your dog in the first day, first weeks, and beyond for your best lives together.

Here's an overview of the 8 guides created by certified positive trainers and Dogly Advocates to help you set the stage for this critical, beginning time with your new dog to be a comforting, happy foundation for everyone:

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New Dog Prep Guide 1: Essentials You Need Before Bringing Your New Dog Home

When the big day comes to bring your new dog home, you'll want to spend every minute focusing on loving your dog and soaking up the joy. The last thing you want is to have to run out to get some critical supplies you need to make your dog's settling in smooth and comfortable.

Not to worry - positive reinforcement trainer and Dogly Training Advocate Ruby Leslie, who has years of experience working with rescues and first time dog owners, has put together a guide to the top 15 essentials you'll need to have ready before your dog arrives so you can relax and enjoy your dog.

In this guide, you'll learn what you'll need as a new dog owner and why, along with Ruby's recommended choices for specific essentials:

1) Stainless steel food and water bowls

• Why stainless steel is the healthiest choice
• Plus a recommended choice in stainless, non-skid bowls

2) Elevated bowls for dogs likely to find it easier not to bend down for food/water

• Which dogs are likely to do better with an elevated bowl
• Plus a favorite recommended elevated bowl

3) Your dog's recommended food & treats

• Why trainers recommend going with small, breakable, and nutritious treats
• Includes recommendations for easily breakable treats, soft jerky training treats, and a treat pouch to keep them handy for rewards in the moment

You can also learn more on all things dog food for your individual dog from certified canine nutritionists by hopping over to the Basic Nutrition Channel.

4) At least 2 dog beds

• Why and how to choose several comfy beds for your new pup
• Includes dog bed recommendations whether your dog is a circle-sleeper or a chin-rester along with a chill pad for anywhere/everywhere naps

Plus a pro tip/mythbuster: Why it's perfectly fine to let your dog sleep on your bed too!

5) Covers for your couches

• Why worry unnecessarily about furnishings when you have a new dog to love! 
• Includes a favorite cover that's actually great design and truly waterproof

6) Enrichment such as snuffle mats, refillable treat-dispensing toys, interactive dog toys

• Why enrichment is so important for your dog, especially while decompressing and getting settled

Ruby shares recommendations for 3 treat-dispensing, interactive toys: Coffee Cup Treat Dispenser, treat-dispensing Wobble Ball, and Fillable banana and treats.

Plus 2 slow-feeding, relaxing options: "Taco" snuffle mat and Lick Pad/mat and how they work with your dog's instincts to go beyond keeping your dog entertained to engage and enrich your pup.

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7) Dog poop bags

Obvious necessity!

• Includes a favorite easy-open, compostable poop bag supply and a stylish, sustainable poop bag holder)

8) Dog collar & ID tags

• Why you don't want to rely on a microchip alone and the one kind of collar you NEVER want on your dog and why (anything at all aversive like a choke/chain collar, prong collar, or shock collar)

Plus a couple recommendations for what you do want - regular flat collars as well as martingale collars

9) Y-shaped harness

• Why you always want a harness rather than a collar for leash walking for your dog's health and smoother training

Plus recommendations for good harnesses as well as a seat belt for car safety - starting with the first ride home!

10) Dog leash (no retractable leashes!)

• Why and when to use regular, usually 6-foot leashes and you might also want an extra-long leash (and why no retractables!)

11) Baby gate, ex-pen, and/or crate for management

• Why and when you'll want to use one or more of these helpful management tools with pro tips on how to use crates

12) Grooming and daily care supplies

• What you'll need and why - and why dental care is an important part of it
• Includes recommendations for useful supplies like dental care wipes, dental cleaning water additives, and natural lavender and flea & tick shampoos/conditioners.

13) Calming essences & diffusers

• What they are, when and why to use them
• Including recommendations for de-stressing, calming essences and longtime favorites loved by rescues, trainers, and dog parents

14) Warm coat (if winter), cooling vest (if summer)

Plus a recommended favorite - handmade, well-fitted coats (& reasonably priced from a woman-owned company we love)

15) Endless love, patience, & positive training

No doubt you've got the first part covered - enjoy every moment together! As for positive training, we're here for you in the Dogly New Pet Channel after your new dog's arrival when you're ready.

Jump into the full guide here for your 15 essentials checklist and what you need to know about it all. Or see what's next with how to think about setting up for home environment for your new family member...

New Dog Prep Guide 2: Important Things to Think About in Your Home Environment Before You Bring a New Dog Home

Everything is new to your dog in this fresh, exciting life including your (now his or her) home. You'll want to set up everyone, from your dog to family members, for success by setting the stage for your home base to be as predictable and comfortable as possible.

How to do that? In this guide from Dogly Advocate Ruby Leslie, you'll learn to look at your home and your dog with an eye for how to prep your environment to help make it a smooth, no-surprises match from the start.

What you'll learn in this guide:

How to get to know your dog in advance (as much as possible)

• Questions to ask your rescue/shelter to anticipate everything from favorite foods to health issues to play style to reactions to people, dogs, cats, sights, sounds...

Most rescues are thrilled to share every detail about your dog. Everyone wants the smoothest, happiest transition and best forever life for all these precious pups!

How to size up and prep your home with your dog in mind

• Why and how to take a good look (& listen, smell) at your home through a dog's eyes and senses
• What to look for and why since most difficult reactions are based in fear (not necessarily logical to a human but very real to your dog)
• How to take inventory for potentially fear-causing things in 3 categories: sounds, textures, general environment (includes visible, hearable outside activity)

If you're ready to take a look at prepping your home environment for your dog, find the full guide here. Or see what's next with tips for helping your dog settle in...

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New Dog Prep Guide 3: How to Help Your New Dog Settle into Your Home

Almost every dog parent wonders how long it will take for their new pup to settle in comfortably in their new home.

Whether you're a first-time dog owner, you're generously serving as a foster, or you've done it all before with many family dogs, it helps to remember every dog is different. But there are some consistent general "rules" to guide you to help support your uniquely individual dog.

In this guide, Dogly Advocate Ruby Leslie takes you through what to expect from your new dog at key points in time and what you can do to help your dog adjust and thrive.

What you'll learn in this guide:

• How to understand what your new dog needs
• What has your dog experienced before you?
• What do you need to know to ease your dog's adjustment period?
• What is the rule of 3?
• The first 3 days with your dog: what to expect
• The first 3 weeks with your dog: what to expect
• The first 3 months with your dog: what to expect
• What to expect from your new dog's behavior
• What fear-driven behaviors look like in dogs
• What stress signs in dogs look like
• House training: what to expect and troubleshooting

You'll also learn what you can do to keep your dog calm and learning throughout it all:

• Try a scatter feed right away + how to do it
• Try enrichment games over many days - why and how
• Try a sniffari walk to decompress and relax + how to do it
• Why not to force intros with new people + how to say "no" to people gracefully/directly when they or their dogs "want to say hi" to your dog (Oftentimes dog ownership means being your dog's advocate in a gracious but clear way.)
• If you're changing to better food for your dog, how to ease into it
• How to slowly introduce your dog to other dogs (parallel walks!) - and why to stay away from the dog park!

To get right into learning the many ways you can support your dog in settling happily into your life, find the full guide here. Or take a look at what's next with how you and your pup can have a good first day...

New Dog Prep Guide 4: How to Have a Good First Day with Your New Dog

Woohoo - first day of your new dog's life full of new everything with you! So much excitement and joy... it's easy to forget that it's also a huge wave of unfamiliarity from your dog's perspective.

What can you do to ease your dog into it all to feel secure and comfortable from day one? Thankfully, a lot! In this guide, positive reinforcement dog trainer and Dogly Advocate Ruby Leslie takes you step by step through the many things you can do to surround your dog with predictability, security, and all things positive.

What you'll learn in this guide:

• How to make your dog's first car ride home a good one - with 13 step-by-step tips to help your dog become a content car-rider
• How to manage your arrival outside your home with your new dog
• Why to let your dog linger and sniff outside, taking your time before going inside
• How to set up your arrival inside your home with your new pup
• How to support your dog during the first night at home
• How to set up your dog for successful house training - what to do/what NOT to do

Jump into the full guide here to start setting up your pup and you for your best first day. Or take a look at how to support your dog for a good first week together...

New Dog Prep Guide 5: How to Have a Good First Week with Your New Dog

Now that you've prepped for your dog's arrival and set up both your dog and you (and everyone else in your family) for a great first day, keep it going! Your dog's first week - and maybe longer - is all about continuing to decompress and de-stress.

You'll probably be bursting to take your new dog everywhere and introduce your pup to everyone, but you want to be on your dog's timeline not yours. There will be plenty of time for all that later. For now, your focus is on your dog, the bond you're building, and the foundation you're laying for your forever best lives together. Dogly Advocate Ruby Leslie takes you through the dos and don'ts for a successful first week with your dog.

What you'll learn in this guide:

• What to do/not do during your first week together
• Why what you do/don't do this first week with your new dog matters 
• Why everyday house stuff might spook your dog - and what to do about it
• 8 ways to help connect with your dog and do everything at your dog's pace
• Why decompression is so important and how to decompress for success (and what that means)
• Includes "decompressors" like sniffy walks and why they matter

(Pro insight: Sniffing helps dogs gather information about the neighborhood around them through their number one sensory tool: their noses. It lowers your dog’s heart rate, is mentally and physically stimulating and relaxing at the same time.)

• Why decompression means NOT having all your friends and family over to meet your new dog.
• How to manage appropriate, gradual intros when necessary
• Why sleep matters for your dog - and how to set your pup up for plenty of rest

To get started learning how to have a successful first week with your dog, you can find the full guide here. Or see what's next - 2 useful games to teach your dog in your first week together...

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New Dog Prep Guide 6: 2 Games You Should Teach Your Dog in Your First Week Together

Dog parents often ask what kind of dog training they should be doing as soon as their dog comes home. Since job number one is decompressing and de-stressing this first week, Dogly Training Advocate Ruby Leslie always answers that dog training can - and should - take a back seat. At least, for formal dog training.

Instead, you want to think fun, cooperative learning your dog enjoys while making connections and getting lots of rewards for small, easy wins. In this guide, you'll learn 2 games you can teach your dog in this first week together.

What you'll learn in this guide:

• Why you want to set up your dog for success in these games so your dog learns easily and often that wanted behaviors are well rewarded with treats and praise
• Why you want to mark a behavior you want to reward absolutely immediately, and how to use a marker word like "yes!" or a clicker to mark and then treat to make sure it happens in the exact moment of the behavior

Pro Tip: Make sure all family members are on board and consistent with the focus on setting up your dog for success in every way to support decompressing and settling in.

The 2 games to teach your dog in the first week...

Game 1: the Name Game

• How to do the 3 simple steps to play the Name Game with your dog
• Why the Name Game matters and how you're building confidence and your bond with your dog as you connect and reward
• The goal of the Name Game: building positive associations with your dog's name (you never want to use your dog's name in a negative situation, only positive to keep from "poisoning" it in your dog's mind)

Game 2: the Pendulum/Orientation Game

• Why the Orientation Game is great for dogs who might be unsure of their surroundings
• How to do the 3 steps to play the Orientation Game
• The goal of the Orientation Game: helping your dog understand that good things happen when his/her head and attention is oriented toward you
• How to do a variation on the game with more action once you're both comfortable with it

Check out the full guide here to enjoy these fun, relaxing, learning games with your dog. Or take a look at what's next in the series - why enrichment matters in this first week (and beyond)...

New Dog Prep Guide 7: Why Enrichment Matters More Than Dog Training in the First Week

For a new or first time dog owner, a frequent question is what kind of dog training they should be doing and to what degree. Certified positive reinforcement trainers like Dogly Advocate Ruby Leslie will tell you it's a good idea and better for your pup at this point to focus more on enrichment instead.

Though there's a lot of discussion about enrichment, many dog parents wonder exactly what it is, why it matters for your dog's well-being, and how to actually do it. Ruby has you covered in this guide with what you need to know about enrichment and how to make it work for your dog - especially at this important moment as your new dog settles into a whole new life.

What you'll learn in this guide:

• What is enrichment
• Examples of fun, enriching activities for your new dog (like follow sniff walks to follow his/her nose on dog walks instead of leash training)
• Why to keep it simple to start + 4 food-based enriching things to try with your pup
• How to stuff a chew toy for enrichment not frustration
• Simple recipe for stuffing a toy with foods
• What science says about sniffing, licking, chewing, and your dog's stress relief
• The 3-step secret to supporting your new dog with enrichment

Get started with enrichment to support your dog in the the full guide here. Or see what's next in the final guide in this series with a positive reinforcement trainer's 3 most valuable starter tips...

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New Dog Prep Guide 8: 3 Most Important Starter Training Tips

The big secret to a successful training process is training yourself to "think dog." That's true whether you're a first-time dog owner or a longtime dog parent, whether your pup is an adult dog or a puppy. Even more so when you're welcoming a new dog into his or her all-new home.

Now more than ever, you want to "think dog" to set up your dog for success at every opportunity.

What that means

Your focus should always be on making it easy for your dog to show the good behavior you want to see, to set the stage for endless opportunities for positive reinforcement... to celebrate, praise, and reward your pup! In this guide, positive reinforcement trainer and Dogly Advocate Ruby Leslie takes you through how to do that from the moment you welcome your new dog home.

What you'll learn in this guide:

3 key areas where "thinking dog" can help you anticipate how to support your dog

1) Helping your dog make your home his/her home

• How to make your home a haven from the sensory onslaught (smells, sounds) your dog may have experienced
• How to do a "dog perspective" inventory of your home for smells and sounds that can impact your dog's sensitive nose and ears
• How to proactively add calming scents throughout your home in advance (like Drama Trauma, Welcome Home, or Calm Spray and more which you can find here.)
• Pro tip: for scent-free cleaning, try a natural enzymatic cleaner

2) Reading your dog's body language

• Signs of stress to watch for
• How to interpret signs of reactivity and what to do about them

3) Understanding resource guarding and how to manage it

• Why dogs guard resources (it's a natural instinct)
• How to know your dog (always!) and set up your dog to avoid potential guarding situations which can be dangerous around other dogs and kids
• 5 keys to keep in mind to manage resource guarding and keep your dog safe and happy

You can jump into the full guide here for all the important starting tips to support your dog.

Check out the New Pet Channel on Dogly

Once you've finished learning how to prepare for your dog and set both of you up for success in the first few days and weeks, check out the other step-by-step guides in the New Pet Channel from 3 Steps on How to Introduce Dogs to Each Other to How to Enjoy Playdates with Your Dog and other Dogs Safely.

If you want to keep learning about how to help your new dog settle into and thrive in your new life together you can continue in the New Pet Channel or jump to the Manners Channel or any of the other channels in Training, Wellness, or Nutrition to learn the many ways to help your dog live life to the fullest by your side.

And if you need help, you can ask the Dogly Advocates in any channel or work with them one-on-one through Dogly.