Your dog(s) will soon arrive in Belgium and then you can finally get to know him or her. You have been looking forward to it for a long time and you can hardly wait. You enthusiastically welcome your new roommate. The trip to Belgium is quite an experience for every dog, especially after a stay in the shelter. In order to make the acquaintance and the period shortly after arrival as successful as possible, we would like to give you a number of tips.

It is of course possible that your dog comes out of the travel cage very happy, adapts very easily and has no problems with the transition from the shelter in Spain to his/her new home in Belgium. Fortunately, that is often the case. The tips below are mainly intended in case the transition is a bit more difficult for your dog.

We always strive to ensure that the transport and placement with the adopter in Belgium proceed as carefully and safely as possible. It is important to take into account the perception and previous experiences of the dog.
Keep in mind that:

• The dog, in addition to its caretakers at the shelter, has hardly seen or met other people and can therefore be suspicious;
• Many of our dogs have lived on the streets or in a killing station before being taken to our shelter. Dogs on the street are often chased away or mistreated. They have learned that keeping a distance from people is the safest;
• Once in our shelter the dog has lived with other dogs and can find it scary that he has no other dogs around him. He no longer has anything to hold on to;
• Most dogs are hardly used to sweet words and hugs and can therefore react uncomfortably or anxiously;
• Some dogs have suffered severe trauma and this can manifest itself in a variety of ways, including withdrawal, being restless, running away, fear aggression, etc.;
• The dog has had a long journey and usually does not experience this as safe and familiar. Why would the dog trust that the next step would be pleasant?

Arrival at the airport

The transport of dogs and cats by air transport to Belgium only happens sporadically. This is because in recent years the conditions (number of animals per cage, per passenger) for the transport of pets by air have been tightened and the rates for this have increased enormously, so that it is not justified to continue to do this. If your pet is nevertheless transferred by air transport, you will be notified by our adoption officer when your pet (cat or dog) arrives. Then the exciting countdown of the days begins.

On the day of arrival you will be met by a volunteer from ACE|SHIN† This will hand over your pet to you after it has taken it over from the accompanying passenger. We ask that you bring the following items with you to the airport:

• A safety harness, collar and two sturdy leashes (see below);
• A bowl and bottle of water. Eating is not recommended because the animals have a long journey ahead of them and may also be a bit nauseous. A few dry biscuits are no problem;
• Some plastic bags and a towel in case of any 'accidents';

Arrival by road transport

Most transport of dogs and cats to Belgium nowadays takes place by road. This is because in recent years the conditions (number of animals per cage, per passenger) for the transport of pets by air have been tightened and the rates for this have increased enormously, so that it is not justified to continue to do this. The transport and transfer of the pets is now mostly done by road. The transfer of the dog or cat takes place at the Pento dog boarding house, Nijvelsebaan 250, 3090 Overijse. (https://www.pento.be/nl/home).

A few days/weeks before you have received a message (email or telephone) from your adoptive officer stating that your new pet will arrive on that date. With the request to free you that day for the handing over of your pet.

The animals are collected from the refugio the day before arrival by a professional road transporter. The light truck in which the animals are transported is designed in such a way that the animals can comfortably withstand the long journey. The drivers stop at regular intervals to check if everything is okay with the animals.

They usually arrive in Overijse around noon. It is a journey of more than 2.000 km. There can always be delays along the way, eg due to traffic jams or delays at the border. As a result, we cannot communicate the exact time of arrival in advance.

That is why we are creating a Whatsapp group with all adopters whose pets are on that transport. It is the intention that we keep you informed of the progress of the ride via this WhatsApp group and that we can still inform you of any changes in the arrival time. It sometimes happens that due to traffic conditions they are later (in exceptional cases even earlier) than the scheduled time. Be sure to take this into account and do not plan any other appointments for that day. The exact arrival time is only communicated on the morning of arrival, because then we have a better view of where the transport is located. This Whatsapp group will be deleted after 2 days for privacy reasons.

Do not you have Whatsapp? Please let us know and be sure to remain reachable by mobile phone and/or email!

For practical reasons, the transfer of the dogs is divided into 2 groups. You have been informed in advance in which group you are expected. Please stick to the group layout and be sure to be on time or notify us when you have been delayed. The last transfer usually happens 2 hours after the arrival of the truck.

Since we are allowed to use the infrastructure of the Pento dog boarding house, certain agreements apply that have been made with them. The transfer is done by the ACE|SHIN reception team (consisting of 4 people). The owners of Pento have explicitly asked us not to be present with more people in order to keep the stress for their boarding dogs as low as possible.

We also ask you to wait in your car on arrival in the parking lot. When it's your turn, someone from SHIN will come and get you. Please also place an A4 sheet with the (SHIN) name of your dog visible on the dashboard of your car. This makes it a little easier for our employee to find the right adopter. The parking lot is large and especially for those who are parked at the back, calling them is not so ideal. A maximum of two (2) people are allowed to enter the gate to pick up the dog.

So be sure to wait in your car and do not gather at the gate to catch a glimpse of your dog. Wait your turn calmly.

We ask that you bring the following items with you to your arrival:

• A safety harness, collar and two appropriate leashes (see below);
• A bowl and bottle of water. Eating is not recommended because the animals have a long journey ahead of them and may also be a bit nauseous. A few dry biscuits are no problem;
• Some plastic bags and a towel in case of any 'accidents';

safety harness

A safety harness, also called a three-point harness or anti-escape harness, is indispensable for an adoption dog and therefore mandatory. You can purchase the safety harness yourself and bring it with you when you come to pick up your dog.

You can purchase one yourself and bring it with you when you come to pick up your dog, but you can also order a (RODOG) safety harness from us (as well as collars, leashes, cushions, etc.) before arrival (we will then ask you in advance the measurements of your dog in Spain so that we can provide the appropriate size). Please consult our shop4shin brochure, which is attached to the arrival email, to make your choice or request it via the shop email address. For these orders or questions about them, you can email: shop4ace@ace-charity.org . We will bring all your ordered items on site on the day of arrival, already tailored to your dog. If it turns out that a harness purchased elsewhere does not meet the requirements of a good three-point harness, is too small or too large, you are obliged to purchase one from our organization upon arrival, which we will put on your dog and adjust to size. .

But why is the use of a safety harness so important?

The dog is in a new environment for him/her. It is unknown how he/she will react to stimuli and sounds and no bond has yet been built with the owner. All ingredients that can lead to a completely unexpected panic of a four-legged friend. An anti-escape harness can then prevent the dog from wriggling free and getting lost.

If a dog recoils, he/she can easily squeeze out of a normal harness. Because the waistband of an anti-escape harness wraps around a narrower part of the body, this becomes almost impossible. This extra belly band must be properly adjusted. If it is not tight enough, the dog can still free itself from the harness and escape. So make sure the gear is right!

Use the safety harness, in combination with a double leash on a collar and on the safety harness, for at least six months.

In addition, we also recommend the use of a GPS tracker that can be attached to a second collar, especially for anxious dogs. This collar can keep the dog on continuously, so also in the house.

's volunteer ACE|SHIN will further accompany the arrival: he/she will hand over the dog to you as well as the passport. Please follow the directions of our volunteer. He/she has extensive experience with unloading the dogs. This prevents the risk of escape. With extremely frightened dogs, it is advisable, if possible, to carry the dog to the car or to take him/her to the car in a (travel) crate. If necessary, we ask you to enter the domain by car.

Home in the car

When the dog is safely in the car, let him/her relax and do not overload the animal with hugs and hugs. Ensure that peace is and remains guaranteed. Take care if necessary. for a suitable kennel/bench so that the journey can go safely and the dog has the opportunity to lie down. Make sure you can see the dog even when you are driving. The dog does not have to eat anything yet, that will come later. Maybe he/she would like a drink. You can take the water out of the crate when you are really going to leave.

At Home

Once at the destination, it is important that the dog is not met by many enthusiastic family members, relatives, local residents, etc. It is very understandable that everyone would like to welcome this new housemate, but most dogs do not understand this at all and will experience this as very scary and/or threatening. So even when entering the dog's new home, rest is the most important thing.

Take the dog, possibly with the crate and all, out of the car quietly. Before entering, check whether all doors, fences, gates, etc. are properly closed. Also put some water and possibly a little (not too much) food ready in the place where it will be in the future. Make sure his/her rug, basket or bench is ready at the fixed place.

Once inside, it is very important that the dog is given plenty of time and tranquility to explore his new environment without all eyes on him and without being followed everywhere. Give the dog time to come to himself, to rest from the arduous and impressive journey and do not expose him to too many stimuli. Exploring the house with all the new smells and impressions takes a lot of energy. So rest is the most important thing right now. Your dog will want to sleep a lot in the first weeks and enjoy the peace. In the meantime, he/she learns about your daily routine and gets used to it.

Make sure not to leave the dog alone in the beginning. Staying alone has to be built up slowly.

Trust

When the dog is ready, it will naturally come to you for petting or support. Start by tightening on the chest and under the chin, which instills the most confidence and reassurance. Pay close attention to the dog's body language. Most dogs are easy to read and give clear signals whether they like something or not. You can delve into these signals through information on the internet or in books (Through the eyes of the dog by Jos Oosting is one of the best-selling books). Let the dog set the pace. Some dogs take longer to trust people than others. Sometimes it takes a day, and sometimes three years!

Escape hazard

Because life in Belgium, in a family, in a house, with people who give them attention, is experienced as exciting for most adopted dogs, it unfortunately happens too often that a dog escapes. In most cases, the escape takes place within one month of arrival. This can have several causes:

• The dog needs longer to bond and therefore does not understand that he is meant to stay with you. Why after all?;
• The urge to roam is present. Some have developed a strong independence. After all, as a stray dog, he/she determined where he/she walked and with whom/what;
• The dog finds it all too exciting and just wants to flee, away from this scary/new situation that he does not know;
• The fence/garden gate is too low, in an unguarded moment the dog jumps over it;
• Someone leaves the door open and forgets the dog;
• The dog is startled by something and starts to run (loud noise, scream, bee sting, etc);
• The dog is not sufficiently left alone and/or there is too much appeal to its social capacity without being able to withdraw. Coping reaches a limit, running away is an efficient solution for the dog;
• The use of only either a collar or a harness. It is quite simple for a fearful dog to break free from this. Therefore, always use a three-point harness and a two-legged collar, at least for the first six months!;
• The dog is not used to being on a leash. He finds the collar and harness strange and scary. He therefore tries to get out of this;
• The roll-out belt slips out of control and falls to the floor. The dog is startled, but the roller belt continues to drag behind him, causing the dog to panic and flee. Unfortunately, a number of dogs have been on the run for a very long time because of this. Do not use a roll-out belt in your first period after arrival;
• Too much is asked of the dog by receiving visitors immediately, visiting busy places or taking long walks. The dog wants to get away from all these stimuli.

ACE|SHIN will put the chip of the dog in your name as soon as possible. Especially in the event of running away, it is very important that the chip is in your name and telephone number.

Safe walking/walking

It is therefore important to take it easy with the walks in the first period, in addition to ensuring peace at home. The temptation is of course very great to take the dog for nice walks quickly and to introduce him to all kinds of things from your environment. However, it is very important to build this up slowly. In the beginning, the dog already acquires so many new impressions (smells, language, environment, food, etc.), that the extra stimuli of the beautiful long walk and the introduction (for example with traffic, crowds, etc.) can better wait.
Therefore, gradually expand the walking routes, so that these impressions/stimuli enter the dog in phases.

You cannot walk for long with young dogs anyway. As a guideline, walk 5 minutes for each month. With half a year, half an hour of brisk walking is sufficient.
To learn to walk loose, you first train with a long leash. Then you can train this in a closed area. During the first month(s), work mainly on the bond/relationship between yourself and the dog. If it's good, it usually comes off on its own. Do realize that some ex-vagrants or hunters will never be able to run free because the vagrant and/or hunting instinct is too present. It also affects whether you already have a pack or not (yet).

If you want to let the dog walk next to the bicycle, this is only allowed when they are 1-1,5 years old. This has to do with the load on bones and muscles. Please do not cycle with the dog when the dog has just arrived in Belgium!

In addition to all the above advice and tips, we would like to point out that the dog becomes a new member of your 'pack'. Just like for other housemates (for example children), certain rules also apply to the dog. Every dog, and especially the insecure four-legged friend, has a great need for a clear and stable owner. The clearer you are, the more the dog will see you as its owner. After all, you solve everything for him/her and make sure that nothing happens to him/her. So stick to your rules consistently, even if it sometimes takes time, but in the end the dog will respect you as its "supervisor" and be grateful to you too.

We sincerely hope that our above advice will facilitate the 'integration' of your ACE|SHIN- let your dog (you) go well. A few weeks after your arrival you will receive an email from the aftercare. If you have any questions before, don't hesitate to get in touch.

We wish you many happy and happy years with your four-legged friend!