[yorkietalkjilly]

I'm so happy for you and for her and Wallee. For the moment, how she adjusts to this big change in her life is far more important than anything else. I'll just offer some thoughts and you can read them and consider if they are something you would be interested in trying as she arrives in your home. You might want to consider these things for your new girl as a home change to many dogs is one of the more stressful times in its life though few people ever think of that as the dog often acts so excited, they think it's happy. The open-mouthed panting as a new dog comes into a new home and looks around they think of as smiling and enthrallment. It's usually not. It's excitement only and it often hides the dog's anxieties.

The day she changes homes and leaves all she's known and has her puppies taken from her having not that long ago whelped them and is no doubt still recuperating from that, comes to a new home with a new dog, cats and new people is going to be a highly-charged occurence in her life, very stressful for her, whether she outwardly shows it or not. She will be highly excited and anxious as she leaves her old home and arrives at the new one filled with a whole cast of new characters, smells and situations. Her bed won't be there, nor her regular food bowl, toys or her favorite spot. Life will be forever different for her. None of the smells she's come to know will be there.

I would probably have plans for how to help her transition and settle in and get a good, quiet start where she's allowed to go to her crate or special area set aside just for her and rest and observe the household as it goes on around her as she adjusts and accepts what just happened in her little life. It won't hit her probably for a couple of days that her entire life is changed forever and she won't see her prior owner or puppies ever again so I'd be prepared to gently nurture her through this time and leave her be, not allow Wallee or the kitties free access to her unless she happily and willingly approaches them. I would simply not approach her the first few days and act a bit aloof so she doesn't feel smothered by these new people. Allowing a new dog their space and the time to slowly access their new surroundings and take the measure of their new family members without stressing them with lots of affection, touching or activities involving family and friends flooding in to meet them will help them go forward at their own pace.

I'd feed her the first couple of days in her new crate or pen, allowing her to see it as the place she's safe and can get her food in peace and security where no one can bother her, though I'd withhold her actual food for a couple of hours when she first arrives. Placing her food and an old toy or two of hers in the new crate will help her want to go in there and make herself comfortable on her new pillow or bed. If she's acting anxious, a blanket over 3 sides and one end of the crate should help her for the first day or two. In time, she'll spread her own scent in there and feel better about her new accommodations.

Allowing her to meet Wallee out in the front yard would likely be a good way for them to meet and get to know one another without challenging his territory so much the day she comes home. Both will likely sniff and pee, etc., though she may be too tense to pee, even after the car ride. Then, I'd allow him to go on into the home and bring her in and allow her to lead you on the leash where she like to go for a few minutes. Then I'd put her in her crate where she can rest and her food and water bowls are there, with no food at the present time, just water. I'd probably have a chew toy in the food bowl as she likely won't be very hungry. After she rests for 30 - 60 minutes or longer if she's asleep, I'd allow her out to pee/potty as she probably needs to go by now if she didn't at first. Bring her back in to her crate and food in her bowl now and allow her to go back in to her safe "den" and rest, observe and consider things for a while longer.

I'd keep some kibble treats sitting in a container on top of the crate and occasionally toss one in as I walk past as she's still adjusting.

Once she's showing signs of wanting to come out of her crate and interact, slowly begin to rub, scratch, pat and show her some gentle affection and the same for Wallee and the cats, keeping them back from her until she approaches them at first. When she begins to voluntarily approach you or your husband or Wallee, you'll know she's settling in and accepting you all as her new family but allowing the new pet to move at their pace makes for a much quicker, calmer and more sensible progression into her new life and in time, she will be begging for attention and you will be lavishing her with all that you have to give. Just some thoughts to consider and use or not as you see fit.