Dogs, like people, need time to adjust to new surroundings and a new routine. I work from home and am lucky enough to control my own diary and schedule and to be free to come and go as I choose.

Having been in the rescue centre for any length of time a dog loses its usual routine. Like people, dogs have a routine of when they get up, when they go to the toilet, when they eat etc. For a rescue pet this will change when they join the dog shelter and then again when you take them home.

Often dogs are caged for long periods of time. In Holly's case it seems she was caged from 3pm/4pm when the centre closed until 9am the next morning. A long time to be confined for an active dog and no chance for an evening's walk and wee.

Holly forgot herself last night and in the middle of snuggling with us in front of the TV, went and peed on the living room carpet. Try not to scold or shout when this occasional lapse of house training happens. It is a momentary lapse and will probably only happen once (hopefully!).

Eating patterns will come once the dog settles into the household routine. Holly, like our last dog, Tippy, prefers to eat when the family eat. We make sure she has her bowl of dog biscuits before giving her any table scraps. Don't expect dogs to eat regularly in their first week, until their routine becomes more familiar. It's also important that you stick to the food they were used to at the dog shelter before switching to another brand.

Experts recommend you keep the dog on the pet rescue centre food until the first bag has almost gone (Blue Cross give you a bag of their recommended dog food when you adopt them). Then, if you are changing their food, gradually add in the new food by starting with 1/3 of the new food with 2/3 of the old food, for a few days. Then move to 50:50 for a few days. Then 1/3 old food and 2/3 new food. After a week or so you should be able to give your dog just the new food.

Make sure you are not likely to experience any major upheavals in the first 3 months of adopting a new dog. Moving house, going away on holiday, putting the dog in the kennels etc will unsettle it and should be avoided.

Try to keep to your normal routine as much as possible. In particular keep walks to similar times so your dog can quickly get used to when it will go out which will help it to regulate its bowel movements and make life easier and more predictable for everyone.

If your dog needs training there are different things to consider. For basic obedience training it's best to wait until the dog has settled in and you have built up trust between you and the family members. For behavioural issues, such as aggression or separation anxiety, it may be better to deal with these sooner rather than later. Consult your local dog training school or dog behavioural expert for advice.

We were advised not to let Holly off the lead for the first 2-3 months until we have built up absolute trust and authority so that she will come to us when we call. A newly rescued dog may go charging off and not come back when called. Being in unfamiliar territory it may easily get lost or be in danger of straying onto the road.

Of course, this is all practical advice. The absolute most important thing of all is to show your dog love and patience and enjoy the process of getting to know each other. The human dog bond is one of the most rewarding and wonderful relationships you will ever have, and once you have bonded you will have the most loyal and faithful companion you could ever imagine.

For more information and advice on re-homing a rescue dog visit http://hubpages.com/hub/Why-rescue-a-border-collie and follow my rescued border collie's story at http://www.hollydogblog.com/