Our new doggy is arriving next Sunday afternoon and, as a novice in the dog-owning field, I'd like to make the transition to his new home as smooth as possible for him.
He is a 6 year-old Boston Terrier, so we're not dealing with a pup here.
He is bringing all of his things with him (bed, blankets, toys etc), so will have some familiar stuff around, and I'm going to stick as closely as possible to the sort of routine he's used to in terms of walk times and feeding time. We'll also continue with the same food.
I've kept the first couple of weeks completely clear of any out-of-the-ordinary events (overnight visitors, trips away etc) so we have a chance to get a routine in place, get to know each other and allow him to find his feet.
The idea of a crate has been suggested to me but I'm not sure about that, because he's never used a crate before as far as I know. His owners say that he's very well behaved around the house - completely housetrained, doesn't chew - and he won't be left alone here anyway, or not initially. He's also pretty obedient (although stubborn at times) and will sit, give paw and come when he's called, although of course I don't know how long it will take him to respond to my commands, which gives me the nadgers a bit. I won't be letting him off his lead until I'm confident he'll come back when called.
I'm probably fussing needlessly and hopefully as long as his canine needs are met he'll be perfectly happy!
Any top tips for helping an adult dog to settle into a new home and getting off on the right foot would be much appreciated