It can take as long as six months for a newly rescued dog to become comfortable in his new home. Often the shelter can provide you with some background information, but very often you don’t know why he was surrendered to the shelter or if he was neglected, abused or abandoned.
The best tool you will have is patience.
Here are some tips to help accelerate this process and give your dog the confidence to know this is his forever home now:
- Before you enter your home, let your dog sniff around his new surroundings outside. Let him become familiar with the area were he will be taken to eliminate and encourage him to do so.
If you have other pets, have them meet outside the home and ideally take a walk together.- Enter the home quietly. Don’t let other family members rush up to your dog, but sit calmly waiting for the dog to come to them.
- Take your dog through the house and show him where he will eat, give him some water in the spot his water bowl will be, and show him where he will be allowed to be on his own.
- Close doors to any room that will be off limits. Dog-proof your home, picking up tempting items from the floor.
Set up your dog’s kennel or bed in a common area of the home so he can be a part of the action and be comforted. Show him his sleeping area and give him a comfort toy to keep with him his first night. This toy may quickly become his favorite and go everywhere with him.- Now is the time to introduce him to the family members. Don’t let little children rush up to the dog or grab at him. This can be frightening and overwhelming. Small children can be seated on the floor at the dog’s level and quietly call to him, extending their hands palm up for the dog to sniff. Then they can slowly pet the dog under his chin and even give him a little treat.
Realize that the first few days and weeks with a rescue dog can be daunting. Your dog has to learn new routines, new people, new surroundings, new expectations and new joys.
Give him time and observe his behaviors. He may have unacceptable habits or he may have no manners at all. Join a group obedience class to help him with his basic manners and to also socialize him with other people and dogs.
Kirby has now been in my home four months and just this week he started to play with his toy. For the first time he brought it to me, dropped it at my feet and understood that when I threw it, he was to run after it and bring it back to me. He did this six or seven repeats and had such joy on his little face. To me this was the clear sign he knew he was finally at home.
If you found this article helpful, you may enjoy reading these prior columns:
Choosing the right dog
Tips for raising a well-mannered dog
Importance of early socialization
How to build trust with your new dog
It’s never too late to teach your dog manners
Introducing a new dog into your pack
Photos of Kirby and Coco by S. Grundfest
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