Bringing a Rescue
Brittany Home

Head straight home

It’s natural to be excited and stop by the pet store to pick up supplies or go to a dog park to show off your new kiddo. Don’t. Please remember your Brittany has gone through a lot of changes that can be stressful and confusing. The best thing is to head straight home and settle in for some quiet decompression time.

A rule of thumb is to wait about two weeks before making any non-essential outings, including neighborhood walks if a Brittany is fearful or timid.

Watch your Brittany closely

Close doors inside the house or use pet gates to prevent a new Brittany from having access to the entire house during at least the first week. This will allow time to acclimate to the house and learn what is expected of him/her. Make sure external doors and gates are kept closed and locked. Supervise outside time for at least two weeks, many Brittanys require ongoing outside supervision. Do not teach doggy doors for at least two weeks so you are able to supervise all outside time and be certain your fencing is secure for a new Brittany. You’d be amazed how a Brittany can squeeze through very small openings.

Reward good behavior

Give lots of praise when he/she does things you like such as waiting to go outside, coming when you call, going potty outside. Brittanys are people pleasers!

Give him/her time to adjust

As much as you want to hit the ground running with your new buddy, Brittanys need time to decompress from shelters or changes in homes.

Use the Rule of 3 guidelines:

• 3 days to decompress
• 3 weeks to learn your routine
• 3 months to feel at home.

The Rule of 3: Welcoming Your New Brittany Home

Do slow introductions

Don’t do immediate introductions unless you are certain both dogs are very good with new dogs. Walk the two dogs side-by-side (see photo below) in neutral territory like a park or the front yard so they can meet each other without any pressure.

If you have multiple dogs, introduce one at a time, starting with the most dog friendly of your dogs.

Never expect a Brittany to be safe around cats unless they have previously lived with cats or had a thorough assessment in a foster home. If a Brittany is ok with cats inside, do not assume they will be safe with cats outside.

We want to set everyone up for success so don’t rush and expect pets to be instant friends.

How to Introduce a New Brittany to Your Current Dog

Think like a Brittany

It’s completely natural for humans to hug somebody to express affection. Just as natural as Brittanys sniffing rear ends to say hello. Of course, people don’t share Brittanys’ love of sniffing behinds. And to the same degree, Brittanys don’t always share our love of hugs.

Brittanys use different behaviors to communicate. Misreading your Brittany and subjecting them to hugs can stress them and even result in a bite. So, although it’s instinctive to hug and squeeze what you adore, particularly for children, it’s important to find other more Brittany-appropriate ways to show your Brittany you care, especially in the first weeks and months in a new home.

Thank you again for adopting a BRIT Brittany and remember we are here to help with any questions or issues you may have.

Jan. 2025: This article was reviewed by professional dog trainers, DogFit Dallas (Art Ortiz) & Estill Dog Psychology (Robbie Estill).