Adopting a rescue dog can be a hugely rewarding experience, and the companionship, friendship, trust, and devotion of a dog is a tremendous joy.
The rescue facility should have given you as much information as possible about the background, health, and any known issues with your dog. Your dog should have been vet-checked, vaccinated, micro-chipped and likely neutered.
In the early days of being in your home everything will seem strange, some dogs may be overwhelmed initially, putting them on high alert and in survival mode.
Guidance suggests the 3-3-3 rule:
3 days to allow your dog to decompress from travel, 3 weeks for them to understand your routine/lifestyle, 3 months for them to start to feel truly at home.
Every dog and their experiences are unique and how this could affect their emotional responses and manifest in behaviour can differ greatly between individual dogs. https://www.politepoochesessex.co.uk/post/dog-emotions-how-they-can-affect-training-and-behaviour
During this time, new experiences like meeting other dogs/people or visiting environments they may not be used to, should be kept to a minimum and carefully managed with positive reinforcement.
Possible problems or behavioural concerns.
There is usually an initial 'honeymoon' period, which is that first few days or weeks where the dog is unsure and generally seems well-behaved and this period can last anything up to six months, dependant on the individual dog and previous history. Once a rescue dog has settled in their new environment, it is common for behavioural issues to emerge, mainly for a couple of reasons:
Past learned behaviours can emerge that have been suppressed.
New behaviours can appear that have been accidentally reinforced.
Behavioural issues in rescue dogs can come in many forms, however there are a few common behaviours that could manifest:
• Reactivity/aggression to dogs or people
• Separation anxiety
• House soiling
• Food or toy guarding
• Destructive behaviour
• Self-harm
The first consideration with signs of any of these behaviours, with any dog, has to be a possible underlying health concern, so a full vet check at the earliest best opportunity is advisable. Some illnesses or injuries can be ‘masked’ or go unrecognised within a kennel environment and may not become apparent or develop until a later time.
Reactivity/aggression.
Reactive or aggressive behaviour is usually fear based, once medical factors have been discounted or treated, there can be many reasons why a dog may show this behaviour. https://www.politepoochesessex.co.uk/post/understanding-reactive-behaviour-in-dogs
You will need safety and preventative precautions in place, and carefully managed support to desensitise and recondition.
Separation anxiety.
Right from the first day you can help your dog become used to being separated from you, most rescue dogs are used to spending time alone and even though you want to build a strong bond with them, teaching calm, happy independence is a valuable skill.
House soiling.
In the first instance any medical concerns would need to be ruled out.
Many rescue dogs have been kept in kennels for at least part of their lives and will be used to just going as and when needed, it will take patient commitment to establish toilet training.
House soiling can also be a sign of anxiety, so you would need to keep a diary of when and where this occurs to be able to work out what may be the cause.
Never reprimand or react to toileting in the house, this can make
the problem worse.
Use suitable neutralising cleaning agents, as strongly scented products to ‘cover’ any smells can cause the dog to toilet in that area again.
Food or resource guarding.
Food guarding can be complex and is often due to the dog experiencing hunger in the past. Dogs can also start to guard places, items or even people, often due to the deprivation in the past.
As a dog becomes more secure and learns that resources are not tight, the guarding behaviour should naturally dissipate. But this is something to be careful with, as people can make the behaviour worse by handling it in a way that teaches the dog that they are right to guard things.
You will need to set up a careful procedures and support to build trust around food and/or other resources.
Destructive behaviour, including self-harming.
When any possible health problem has been ruled out, you will need to consider other reasons, such stress, boredom or frustration.
During a dogs adjustment period, try to learn what may be driving the behaviour. Being observant and tolerant, will allow you to put support in place to guide a dog towards wanted behaviour.
How to best support a dog.
Having some knowledge of a dog’s body language will firstly help you understand what your dog is trying to communicate. https://www.politepoochesessex.co.uk/post/talking-dog-language
Doing some research about the breed (or mix of breeds) will help you know what behaviour traits could be likely, and having an understanding of a dogs senses in general will help guide you towards offering enrichment opportunities to promote wanted behaviour.
Guidelines or boundaries.
Clear, consistent and fair guidelines for a dog, from the outset, can prevent “problem” behaviours developing – Whether they are allowed on furniture, or if you are comfortable with jumping up or mouthing, for example. It may be tempting to be lenient in the beginning, yet if changed later those lenient habits will confuse the dog and likely be reflected in unwanted behaviour.
Boundaries:
Set for others, introductions and interactions, with other dogs/people/places will need to be carefully managed and every dog should be allowed choices of who, when and how they interact. This is an important element in building trust.
See video for an example of consent stroking.
I have positioned myself more at the dogs level, not standing over, in an open area so the dog can approach or move away easily and avoid direct eye contact. The dog is petted in a nonconfrontational area, for just a few seconds and then attention is paused to allow the dog to indicate if they wish to continue: which she does by moving towards my hand and making soft eye contact and having relaxed body language.
Set for themselves, They may choose to hide under or behind furniture, approaching them in this area will require caution and they should never be dragged out. You can guide them to a more suitable area by providing a safe haven. Pick a spot in a quieter area, away from foot traffic where they can still observe the environment - but not in areas where the dog can self-isolate. Provide an open door crate or use furniture and add a cover, fill the area with preferred bedding and toys or chews. They may also feel more comfortable eating in a room alone, or even toileting at a distance from you, space is often the key to help a dog feel relaxed.
Allowing them to choose distances and remain undisturbed is a crucial factor to help a dog to safe.
Routine.
Just like people, many dogs feel more secure when they have a regular routine. As your dog becomes more settled, start to build in small increments of flexibility so your dog does not experience any anxiety if dinner or a walk are a little late.
Experiences.
Depending on a dog’s past, much of the world can be an unknown and scary place. Some dogs may have never lived in a house, or a had an amount of time in a kennel environment. A new home environment of different textures, smells and noises can be stressful.
Going for walks can also be very stressful, they are likely to be poorly socialised or had no training support and just having walking equipment put on, which they may be unaccustomed to, will start to worry them. Then when you do get outside, the vast amount of information being ‘thrown at them’, from sight, sound and particularly smell can be overwhelming.
These factors can cause a fearful response,
which will release stress hormones and then possibly signs of associated unwanted behaviour.
Play.
Your dog may never have learned to play, so you may have to teach them this initially, being aware of possible resource guarding risks. Not only will play help build a bond with you, but it will also be mentally stimulating and tiring, alongside building general confidence.
Support and encourage self-entertainment too, with chew items/puzzle feeders etc. There are many options on the market for dogs, but not all of them will interest or suit your dog.
If they show a particular interest in a certain toy, you can use this as a special reward when you start training.
Training.
You and your dog are learning from each other during every moment you spend together and each and every interaction can have an influence. At all times your responses need to be about teaching the repetition of behaviours you want to see, using positive reinforcement and ignoring unwanted behaviours, this will teach your dog that you can be trusted.
You need to consider what training you require for your dog, do you want them to stay safe and protect others, such as lead manners, recall, wait or stay, impulse control, leave it/drop, being calm at the vets/groomers. Or do you expect a high level of obedience.
A link to an article that may help you decide: https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/fellow-creatures/202004/why-dogs-happiness-not-obedience-is-what-counts
There is a lot of free information online that you can use to self-teach, make sure these are respected sources such as RSPCA, Blue Cross, Dogs trust, etc.
If you consider training support from other people, make sure they are experienced and qualified professionals that use force free methods to make the experience as positive as possible for you and your dog.
Any training should be postponed until you feel your dog
is fully settled and feels secure.
Natural behaviours.
When talking about behaviour issues, we must be mindful that not all behaviours are necessarily issues, some are normal dog behaviours that some people can find unacceptable or intolerable. An example of these could include:
Digging.
Barking.
Chewing.
Chasing.
In most cases it is best to try and embrace these natural behaviours and manage them positively using enrichment.
Barking is often a form of communication and forming an understanding of why, at what, or when they are barking will help you deal with the concern appropriately.
their rest is interrupted.
Practicals.
It can be useful to take your dog to meet the new vet quite soon after they move in with you so that they can build a relationship. Discuss with your veterinary practice about just visiting the reception initially, then visit and weigh, make it a regular occurrence, with positive reinforcement. This will help set up your dog to feel more relaxed about visits to the vets.
If you will require your dog to be groomed, set up similar introduction visits with your chosen groomer too.
Regular grooming should be established at home with any dog, still allowing the dog to have choices/consent using positive methods. This not only keeps them clean but allows you a mini health check – eyes, ears, feet/toes, any ticks or grass seeds in fur, for example.
Parasite prevention will need to be administered regularly to keep your dog fit and well. There are many products on the market and your vet will be able to advise on suitable products and dosage. There are also a number of natural, alternative options that you may want to consider.
Legal.
An identity tag for your dog’s collar, engraved with your postal code and phone number, is a legal requirement, alongside a microchip that should be in place before you bring them home. Always check the information registered to the chip is up to date.
This is particularly important as rescues can be a flight risk and often quite adept at escaping.
Car travel, your dog has to be suitably and safely secured.
Insurance.
It is wise to get your dog insured as soon as possible, this not only covers certain vet bills, but also any third party liabilities.
Dogs are extraordinary experts in acceptance and resilience, and by providing a home with patience and tolerance, alongside fulfilling their needs, should produce a happy, relaxed dog and wonderful companion.
If you would like further guidance welcoming a rescue dog into your home, with support towards their transition to a well adjusted dog, I offer a 'Rescue dog manual' package.
I will visit you at your home, observe and interact (if possible) with your dog to gain a better understanding of them and their needs.
Take into consideration your lifestyle and how you wish for the dog to fit in.
Offer you immediate advice and practical tips, followed up with a specific personalised ‘manual’ tailored for you and your dog.
Follow up email and telephone support included.
£100
07979 44 88 49
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