When adopting a dog, setting up a safe, stress-free space for your new furry family member goes a long way, regardless of their past experiences.
How to Get Your Home Ready for Adopting a New Dog
Published on Jul. 31, 2025
When I adopted my sweet rescue dog Annie, she was incredibly nervous and shut down after a difficult start in life. Creating a quiet space and making a few simple adaptations helped her feel more secure and reduced the risk of damage around my home—think potty training accidents and anxiety-induced chewing.
Whether you’re welcoming an into-everything puppy or an anxious adult, preparing your house for adopting a dog makes for a less stressful, smoother and safer transition.
Is Adopting a Dog Different Than Buying a Puppy?
Adopting a dog or buying a puppy is a big decision—both are a big responsibility and a lot of work.
Buying a puppy from a reputable breeder may appeal if you’re looking to introduce a blank slate without any baggage to your household. “However, puppies often need many more bathroom breaks, even more house proofing (since their teething can cause lots of chewing), and more supervision,” Blythe Neer, multi-certified dog trainer, says.
A rescue dog with a difficult past may need more behavioral support and time to settle in, but watching them blossom is a rewarding experience. If you’re a first-time adopter, opening your home to a dog already in foster means you get to know more about what they’re like in a home environment and the sort of home adjustments you may need to make to suit their level of training, energy, and personality quirks.
Tips to Prepare Your Home For Adopting a Dog
Making some adjustments around your home from the beginning better sets your dog up for success. “Dogs thrive on routine, and predictability helps reduce stress,” Certified trainer and behaviorist Erin Askeland says.
Set up a safe sanctuary space
Create a quiet, low-traffic “decompression” area in your home. This should serve as a safe space for a rescue dog to retreat to, allowing them to observe their new surroundings without being forced into interactions. Board-Certified Veterinary Behaviorist Kristin Kuntz explains that this space, whether it’s in a small room or a gated, crated or penned-off area in a quiet part of the home, should be outfitted with a comfy dog bed, food, water, puppy pee pads (if required) and toys.
“To help muffle out environmental sounds that could be scary or trigger alert barking, set up a white noise machine in the sanctuary space,” Kuntz recommends. “If there are windows in the sanctuary space, it can be helpful to apply window frosting in order to reduce the dog’s exposure to passersby that could be perceived as scary.”
Pick somewhere in your home that you won’t need to convert back to a functional family space anytime soon. Askland explains that while every dog adjusts in their own time, you should allow for the 3-3-3 rule. “This means that the first 3 days are for decompression when they may seem shut down or even overstimulated by everything going on,” she says. “The first 3 weeks are when they begin settling into your routine. After 3 months, they’ll start feeling truly comfortable and showing their full personality.”
Kuntz says that the space doesn’t need to include a crate, but can if the dog is comfortable with this and sees it as a secure space. “If your dog exhibits any signs of distress when confined behind a barrier, consult with a positive reinforcement trainer or your veterinarian for recommendations on gradually acclimating them to this,” Kuntz says.
Pet-proof your home
As your dog settles in and explores their new surroundings, their natural curiosity and instinct to chew may take hold. Pet-proofing and decluttering your home helps protect your prized furnishings and accessories while also keeping your dog safe. “Keep items like shoes, kid toys, clothing, food items, trash cans, and other enticing items secure and out of reach,” Askeland says. The same goes for electric cables, medicines and houseplants that are poisonous to pets.
Consider picking pet-safe cleaning products over harsh chemicals. Neer also suggests keeping your counters clear of food—you don’t want to encourage a dog’s counter-surfing habits. “I would also gate off any areas that you prefer the dog not enter so that you don’t have to guide them excessively and to prevent habits from forming,” she says.
Pet-proof your yard
Carry out fence repairs in advance of your dog’s arrival and use a sturdy lock on your gate. Consider whether your landscaping is pet-friendly. Are any of your plants poisonous to dogs? Is there a perimeter around your pool, fire pit, or open compost pile? If your dog likes to dig holes, introducing a designated sandpit can save them from trashing your manicured lawn or flower beds.
“Regardless of whether your yard is fenced-in or not, it is also safest to provide active supervision while your dog is in the yard in order to prevent or calmly interrupt and redirect any undesirable behaviors (e.g. barking, digging, ingesting inappropriate items),” Kuntz says.
Invest in enrichment items
Offering your dog an outlet for their natural desire to chew minimizes the chance of damage to the legs of your valuable vintage chairs, TV remote or dangerous electric cords. Stock up on a selection of enrichment items, including lick mats, snuffle mats, durable dog toys, and veterinary-approved dental chews. A low-cost and healthy favorite of Neer’s is to offer a head of lettuce for shredding. “These types of enrichment can help a dog relieve stress and are great, calm activities for them to engage in,” Askeland says.
Protect your flooring and furnishings
Pick up products that can protect your home against piles of pet hair, scratching claws, and pee stains. A vacuum for pet hair with a HEPA filter, enzyme-based stain and odor removers and runners on your polished hardwood floors are helpful investments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is adopting a dog free?
While animal welfare organizations always have adoption fees, amounts vary from $50 to $500. However, adoption fees are invariably less than the cost to buy a puppy from a reputable breeder, and you know the money is going towards a worthy cause.
How old do you have to be to adopt a dog?
Generally, adopters need to be at least 18 years old. Most rescue organizations also assess a potential adopter’s lifestyle, experience, home set-up, family compatibility, and available time when reviewing applications.
About the Experts
- Erin Askeland is Camp Bow Wow’s animal health & behavior expert. She holds an MSc in Clinical Animal Behavior, is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA), Certified Behavior Consultant Canine (CBCC-KA) and Fear-Free Certified Professional.
- Kristin Kuntz is a Board-Certified Veterinary Behaviorist and associate veterinarian at Insight Animal Behavior Services.
- Blythe Neer, CPDT-KA, ADT, CCUI, is the founder and head trainer at Delta Tails. She is multi-certified, with credentials from the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, Fear Free Pets, Association of Professional Dog Trainers, and Leslie McDevitt.
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