Eeekk! I bet you’re so excited to have your new family member home with you (or nearly home with you!)
But… it’s tough, in those first few weeks, and it can be overwhelming for both you and your new friend, so here are some tips to help you through!
First, you should be aware of the ‘rule of three’:
It takes 3 DAYS for your dog to decompress.
It takes 3 WEEKS for your dog to get used to a routine.
It takes 3 MONTHS for your dog to be fully settled into their new home.
*This is for the average rescue. Some dogs, who have perhaps had a horrible start in life, or who have been neglected or abused, or even if they’ve just spent a longer time in kennels, may take longer.
What each stage means:
Decompression:
Just because you’ve been preparing for this day for a long time, your dog hasn’t, and will likely be confused, stressed, and potentially scared. Many rescues have bounced from one place to another, and they won’t understand that this is now their forever home.
Your dog will be feeling overwhelmed, scared, and unsure. They likely won’t ‘be themselves’, and some dogs don’t even want to eat or drink during this stage. Some dogs also will shut down a little, and it’s important that you don’t force them out, but be positive and comforting.
Getting used to a routine:
Your dog during this stage will start feeling more comfortable and will start to figure out the environment and routine. They will let their guard down and start to show their personality, which is great, but this is where you may also begin to see behaviour problems starting to develop. Work through this using positive reinforcement training, and be patient - most rescue dogs haven’t had much - or any - training.
Settling in:
This is where a dog realises that this is their forever home. They are fully settled in, they’ve built trust and a bond with you, and are set in a secure routine.
Top tips
Before your new addition arrivals home:
Purchase essentials, including water bowl, food bowl, bed, chew toys, soft toys, balls, tug toys, collar, harness, lead, ID tag, crate or x-pen, etc. You’ll also need lots of treats ready, including long lasting chews, yummy regular treats, and lots of high value treats like chicken, cheese, or hot dog.
Dog proof your home. Make sure that anything that could be dangerous is out of reach, and that anything you don’t want chewed is away. Provide LOTS of positive chewing options instead.
Set up a safe zone, such as a crate, x-pen, or dog room. This should contain toys, water, treats, chews, and food! Think of this like a doggy Disneyland, as it has to be as positive as possible.
Be prepared
Your dog will have been through so much, and you need to be patient not just with their emotional state, but potential behaviour problems too. Expect toilet troubles, chewing, and barking.
They most likely have had very little, if any, training, and it’s your job to help them understand how to behave. You can help them through this with management (eg: crates, baby gates, and x-pens), enrichment (eg: Kongs, snuffle mats, etc.), and positive reinforcement training.
Be patient
It takes time for your dog to learn who and what is safe. To begin with, keep their world small, and introduce new things gradually, and one at a time. This means that your family and friends shouldn’t be round in the first week (or potentially even longer) to greet your new dog.
Lead walks in a new area may also be scary, so don’t force them right away!
This settling in time is all about you gaining their trust, and the best way to do that is to let them know that they can do things in their own time.
Be understanding of their fears, even if you don’t understand them. You never know what has happened to them before, and it may even just be the fact that it’s new to them and they’ve never seen or heard it before. If your dog has never lived in a home, think of all the noises which will be new, such as alarm clocks, oven timers, smoke detectors, doorbells, phones, microwave, etc.
Safety
Have you double and triple checked your fence in your garden? Are you 100% sure your dog can’t get out? If not, consider only letting them out on a harness and long lead.
Always supervise your dog in the garden, as new rescue dogs have a tendency to jump the fence or dig under it. (And yes, your dog CAN jump your 6ft fence… easy! I have seen a lurcher scale a 10ft fence, a very small x-breed climb a 5ft fence, and a staffie dig under a fence in less than 10 seconds).
Consider a GPS tracker which you can attach to their collar, just in case, and make sure their microchip details are up to date. I recommend Tractive.
Supervise children
Your kids WILL be excited about their new addition, it’s a guarantee, but teach them first about dog behaviour, and explain that their new little brother or sister may be very scared in their new home, and how important it is that you’re all patient and supportive.
Supervision needs to be 100%. It does not mean just in the same room. It does not mean watching them whilst looking at the TV or cooking tea. If you can’t keep your eyes on the children and dog at all times, they should be behind a baby gate or in a separate room. Safety is everything.
Other animals in the home
Other pets shouldn’t be introduced right away. Let your dog settle first, then swap blankets so each animal can smell the other’s scent. When they are ready to meet, it should be supervised with one adult per animal, and no toys or potentially guard-able resources should be around.
Good Luck, and Enjoy Your New Friend!
Those first few days, and maybe weeks will likely be hard, but you can do it! Just think about the future and how worth it, it will be. And if you’re at all concerned, don’t hesitate to reach out to a positive reinforcement trainer, such as myself, or anyone in your area!
Book a free discovery call with me today:
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