Rescues

Firstly, if you have welcomed a 'Rescue' Congratulations and thank you for giving your new family member a second (or third or fourth..) chance at a forever home.

Adopting a rescue can be a wonderful rewarding experience and this is a huge commitment that often comes with limited (if any) history about your new companion, but for some reason, and through no fault of their own, they ended up in a shelter, rescue or pound (or gumtree) and found their way to you.

Helping your new companion settle in

Dogs are sentient beings, meaning that they have emotions & feelings.

Moving into a new home can be a challenging  (and unsettling) time, it is definitely one of adjustment . Can you imagine how frightening it must feel like to be lose your home and everything your're familiar with, then be placed in a pound or shelter with a whole lot of  unfamiliar dogs and people and then to be taken to another home with more unfamiliar things, people and places?  

3 days, 3 weeks, 3 months

The first 3 days your dog will be adjusting to their new surrounds, they are going to be feeling overwhelmed, some may be shut down and may not want to eat,  or even interact and seek places to hide or sleep.

• Avoid things like walks, taking them to the beach, trying to introduce them to lots of people or other dogs, just let them settle  

The first 3 weeks your dog will begin to settle in and be more comfortable, becoming accustomed to your routines, starting to form a good bond with you and showing more of his/her personality (this is also when you may start to see behaviour issues).

The first 3 months your dog will have settled in to your home (and hopefully sees this as his 'forever home')  and should now be totally comfortable at home, able to relax and building a great relationship with you as he/she feels safe and secure.

• this is also period that you may see unwanted behviours or identify training needs

Behaviour problems

These may include signs of separation anxiety, destructive behaviour, reactivity, timidness, inability to relax, over excitement and lack of  'manners; or basic training.

Your dog wont automatically know how to do the 'right thing' especially if they dont know how or  understand what you are asking or expecting.

Dogs ( just like people)  will respond based on their life's  experience and what they have learned which enabled them to cope in the environment in which they lived.

Whilst we tend to see behaviour as 'good or bad', 'wanted or unwanted', for the dog it's neither, it is simply what they have learned and adapted to survive in their world and they will continue to do the same things they have always done unless we enable them to develop alternate choices. 

 Dogs are sentient beings, meaning that they have emotions & feelings.

Depending on the 'issues' this can sometimes be a long process, that requires patience, kindness and dedication BUT the end result, a happy healthy balanced dog it so worth the effort and emotional roller coaster that often goes with the journey. 

Booking an in home consultation is a great way to help your Rescue settle in to their new home environment along with providing training,  behaviour and enrichment advice and assistance to help you & your Rescue  to build a wonderful relationship & live together.