2) Introduce her to the family slowly. She doesn't need to meet all six kids, the other dog, and the four cats at once! Be sure children have received strict instructions on how to handle a dog. Supervise all interactions between kids and canines. Even the best-tempered dog may snap if she's hurt.

3) Take her to the vet. Whatever her origins, you need to make an appointment to have a wellness checkup, get a schedule for shots and deworming, and get a file set up for her.

4) Take her out, don't send her out. Both puppies and new adult dogs need to know where they are allowed to eliminate, not just where they are not allowed to. Go out with her, wait till she goes (no matter how long it takes!) and then praise, praise, praise! If you just put her out in the yard, wait a while, and then bring her in, don't be surprised if she comes
in and pees on the floor. How was she to know why she was outside?

5) Be sure she gets some time alone and has a place of her own for "escape." This can be a crate or simply the space in the corner under the kitchen counter. Puppies especially need lots of sleep. When she seems tired or overwhelmed, it's time to back off and give her some space and time.

6) Establish rules from the beginning. If you don't want your dog to sleep in your bed, don't start her out there. If she won't be allowed to jump up on you as an adult, don't encourage her to jump up as a puppy.

7) Set her up to succeed. Keep training positive by minimizing the chances for mistakes. Get her outside often and you'll have fewer accidents to clean up. Provide plenty of toys for her to chew and supervise! A puppy, or even a new adult dog, should never be left alone unsupervised. Put her in a crate when you can't keep an eye on her.

8) Remember she doesn't speak the language. Imagine being in a foreign country where you not only don't comprehend the words, you don't even get the hand signals and basic sign language! Go slowly and teach her patiently. If you feel yourself getting angry or impatient, put her away and take a break. Anger has no place in dog training.

9) Puppy housetraining: When the feet hit the floor, puppy hits the door. Any time your new puppy 1) comes out of her crate 2) wakes up from a nap 3) finishes eating, she should be taken (not sent!) outside. A good rule of thumb is to add one to the number of months old the puppy is: that's how many hours she can "hold it." Two months, three hours; four months, five hours; and so on to about eight months. No dog should be routinely required to go more than eight or nine hours without a bathroom trip.

10) Socialize, socialize, socialize! Whether your new family member is an adult or a puppy, once vaccinations are complete, she needs to get out in the world and meet people. The more she experiences, the better adjusted she will be.

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