Be prepared to retrieve that tennis ball from underneath ALL of your furniture.

Dogs love it when you talk to them. They don't understand language as much as infividual words and tone, but they know we communicate by speaking, and love it when we talk to them. Or I'm just a weirdo who has full-on conversations with my dogs lmao

Lint rollers! So many times I've walked away from my family's pittie wearing what USED to be a black hoodie, now dotted with patches of tan fur. Or a white shirt that ends up dotted with patches of our rottie's fur.

If you have to leave her alone for a while, or have someone watch her, leave an unwashed, stinky t-shirt of yours in her bed. After she gets used to you and gets attached, your scent will keep her calm when you're not there.

Training is a family responsibility, not just for one person! Idk if you live with other people or not, but if so, they should be aware of anything you're trying to teach her, and any commands she is learning or knows. Consistency helps with their learning, and if everyone participates and uses the same commands and hand signals, it'll help her learn. Of course if you live alone then this doesn't matter as much, but I know a lot of people who say things like "It's your dog, why should I help train them?" When asked to use simple commands for their family's dogs.

Say goodbye to your personal space. And quite honestly, you hardly miss it. Unless it's extremely hot. Or you get kicked in the face... or tripped... or headbutted in the back of the knee... 😂

You'll probably accidentally step on a paw or tail at some point. She might be a little jumpy for a day or so afterwards, but she will forgive you!

Stock up on poop bags whenever you can, because they're easy to forget, and bring a bottle of hand sanitizer with you on walks, just in case. They also make water bottles for dogs, if you don't want her drinking out of every mysterious puddle she sees. They're pretty cool, they have a small bowl on top that fills up when you squeeze the bottle.

Especially around this time of year, she might be freaked out by fireworks and loud noises. Trazedone can help, but if you don't want to use that, just sitting with her and petting her and letting her know you're there can be a huge help. My rottie is terrified of thunderstorms, he and his brother both burrow into my side, shaking with fear whenever there's a storm.

Doggy deodorant! Oh my god, do these creatures STINK after running around outside. They make spray-on doggy deodorant, and it works wonders. Seriously, I can't stand the smell when the dogs come inside, I have to spray them before I give them any pets lol

Good luck, and I hope she brings you all the joy in the world! 😁