Bringing home a rescue dog: the first weeks (UK)

• A bed and blanket, food and water bowls, food, toys, and something to chew or lick.
• A collar, a lead and an ID tag with your name and address on it, which the law asks for in public.
• A secure garden: check for gaps under fences, and gates that don't close properly.

• Let them settle at their own pace. Some dogs hide at first, and that's normal.
• Keep the house calm and quiet, and put off visitors for a while.
• Put their bed somewhere peaceful, away from a ground-floor window where they'll hear people passing at night.
• Keep walks short and in the same place, so they can get their bearings.

Dogs Trust says to update the microchip details in the first few days, and to register with a vet and sort out insurance. Ask the rescue for the chip number and which database it's on, then transfer the record into your name.

In public, your dog must wear a collar with your name and address on it or on a tag. Our free dog tag wording maker helps you get the engraving right.

A new dog doesn't know your area or the way back to your house, and a frightened dog may bolt if they slip their lead. Until they're settled:

• Keep them on the lead on walks, and practise recall somewhere enclosed first.
• Check the collar or harness is snug enough that they can't back out of it.
• Keep the front door shut while they're loose in the house, and stay with them in the garden.
• Take a few clear, recent photos, just in case.

Start our lost dog checklist straight away, and tell the rescue too: they may know how your dog behaves when frightened. A QR tag on the collar means whoever finds them can reach you in seconds.