Bringing Your Rescue Dog Home!
Woohoo, you’ve found a pooch that completes your family, congrats!
It can be one of the most rewarding things, bringing your new dog home. However, it is important to remember, while you are overly excited to share your lifestyle with your dog, he might be feeling overwhelmed, anxious and confused. Rescuing requires commitment, time and effort, especially if your pooch needs extra support while adjusting. It’s highly important to take your time with new activities, once your dog has learnt to trust his new family you can gradually begin to introduce him to unfamiliar activities, eg. cafes, inviting visitors over. Allow your dog to slowly experience new things, because too much, too quickly can be very overwhelming for your adjusting dog. Your New Dog's First Days, Weeks and Months
It takes approximately three days for a new dog to simply get over the shock of moving homes.It takes approximately three weeks for a new dog to get used to his new location, people, other pets, routine and rules.It takes approximately three months for a dog to fully and truly settle into his new life.
Activities to avoid during the first 3 days minimum, up to 3 weeks for more anxious dogs:
Ask friends and family to wait a week before visiting. Take it slow, it’s best to have only one or two visitors at a time.Only introduce your new dog to pets that live with you, don't try to introduce him to non-resident dogs yet.Trips in the car.You don’t know what might frighten your dog on walks, therefore, no trips to the park or walking. Try to keep your dog on your property unless medically necessary.Any other activity that might be scary or unfamiliar could trigger your dog, try to remain in routine until your dog settles in.
Some dogs will want to stay close to you, but some will need more personal space until they feel safe. Provide two comfortable places for your pooch to sleep, one where you spend your time with your dog and one which is a private place where your dog can get away from family activities. Establish a predictable routine for daily meals, sleep, walks and snuggle time. When your dog knows when and where events in his day will take place, he will feel less anxious.If your dog makes a mistake or acts out, remember why you chose him and how he made you feel when you first met him. Give him a chance, it is often that you as his owner will learn how to incorporate his needs into your lifestyle, rather than making him suit your life prior to bringing him home. It’s important to maintain healthy boundaries between you and your dog, so he begins to develop what is classified as right and wrong. Practise and repetition make’s perfect! Resources: Retrieved from: www.DogTrainingNewcastle.com.au