*There’s only one known cure for doglessness.

Do you feel the irresistible urge to pet the head, stroke the back, tickle the chin, shake the paw and rub the belly of every dog you see?

Have you ever had a meaningful conversation with a dog without thinking, “Why am I talking to a dog?”

Do you remember the name of every single dog you’ve ever met, but forget their owner’s names?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you may indeed be suffering from Dog Fever.

And the only known cure is to adopt a dog.

*Do your dog homework.
The first step toward finding your new best friend is to work out what breed works best for you and your lifestyle. Think about where you live, how active you are, how old you are, how big your yard is, how much time you can spend with your dog and how much money you can spend on your dog. Sure, it’ll take a little thinking. But the more you know, the better.

Once you know what breed works for you, the next step is to contact your local shelters or breed rescues. You can find a list of them by visiting pedigree.com/dog adoption. Each of them has its own adoption process, so it’s important to familiarize yourself with them. Be prepared to fill out paperwork or, in some cases, sit down for a brief interview. If interviews make your palms sweat, just relax, smile and be yourself. Your sincerity will shine through.

When you find a dog that you think could be the one, find out everything you can about them. Don’t be afraid to ask lots and lots of questions, because shelter and rescue workers will be more than happy to answer them. Especially if it means one of their dogs will find the loving home he or she deserves.

*Dog meet home.
Home meet dog.
Congratulations on finding you new dog. Nice job. Now it’s time to introduce him to the family. And while everyone will be excited to meet their new four-legged friend, it can be a stressful time for your dog. So try not to overwhelm him with too much attention. Give him a chance to settle in, and make sure he has a quiet place where he can retreat if he wants to be by himself.

It’s important to get him into a daily routine as soon as possible. Pick a specific time for eating, sleeping, and exercising, and try to stick to that schedule each day. The sooner you get your dog into a consistent daily routine, the sooner he’ll adjust to his new home. As a precaution, you should also schedule a vet appointment for your dog in the first week. This will make sure any undetected health issues he has will be found sooner rather than later.

When introducing your new dog to people outside your immediate family, make sure to do so gradually. If possible, limit introductions to one or two people at a time. And be sure the dog is leashed so that you can control him if you have to. Your dog may have o sniff the person before being petted, so be sure to keep a close eye on him until you’re sure he doesn’t feel threatened. And under no circumstances should you allow anybody to startle, harass or roughhouse your dog on purpose.

**At PEDIGREE, nothing makes us happier than seeing a shelter dog find a loving home, so thank you for opening your heart and home to one of these sweet dogs. You’ve not only found a friend for life, you’ve saved a life. Your dog will repay your kindness with more licks, loyalty, and unconditional love than you can possibly imagine. And when you adopt a dog, we’ll give you a month of free food as our way of saying “thanks”. Visit pedigree.com/dog adoption/freefood.asp to learn more. But there are still millions of lovable dogs in shelters. So when you buy our food, we make a donation to help them find the loving homes they deserve. Thanks for helping us help dogs.

from The PEDIGREE Adoption Drive