Getting a puppy? Make sure to check out the puppy care and training page, too.

 How to adopt a dog

The Insider’s Guide to Adopting a Shelter Dog: From Mental Prep to Picking the Right Dog for You

And check out our free online course: Dog Speak 101

Being able to read canine body language is an important skill for anyone who owns a dog. This twelve-video course from the 3 Lost Dogs Academy will give you a basic, yet detailed, introduction to the wonderful world of canine body language and communication.  Did I mention it’s free? Click here to sign up.

And here’s everything else we’ve got:

Before you get a dog

Preparing for dog ownership

• Whatever Tomorrow Brings: Important Things to Know Before You Adopt a Dog
• 5 More Things You Should Know Before You Adopt a Dog
• Pre-Puppy Jitters: When The Information Overload Starts to Freak You Out

Choosing and adopting your new dog

• Tips For Adding A Second Dog to Your Family

Caring for your new dog

• You Adopted a Shelter Dog: Here’s What to Expect, What to Do, and Mistakes to Avoid
• 14 Ways to Get Your New Dog to Trust, Love, and Respect You
• Is Your New Dog Making You Miserable? You’re Not Alone
• Ask 3LD: My “Old” Dog is Jealous of My New Dog
• What to Do When Your New Dog is Afraid of You
• Training a Behavior vs. Changing an Emotion: What All Dog Owners Need to Know

Good habits from the beginning

One of the most important parts of training a new dog is preventing bad habits from forming. These two articles can help with that:

• Mischief Management
• Play With Your (Dog) Food: The Easy Way to Prevent Food Aggression

House training your dog

If there is one thing that strikes fear into the hearts of almost all new dog owners, it’s potty training. But it doesn’t have to be difficult.

Dog Crates: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – Crate training is by far the easiest way to house train a dog. Just be careful – dog crates are easy to misuse.