Bringing Your Shelter Dog Home
- wabniaq
- Aug 29, 2024
- 2 min read
It's never good to anthropomorhize with a dog, but where I see the most serious and long-lasting damage is when the new human owners bring a dog home from the shelter, turn it loose, give it the run of the property, free-feed it, and set no rules, assuming that the dog wants to "be free" or "just be a dog" i.e. because they would like it then the dog will like it.
That is not how dogs work.
Here are some very good -- albeit brief and somewhat superficial -- discussions of the subject:
Every point in all of these articles could be a conversation in itself. To start, please simply recognize that canine behavior is rule-governed, dogs thrive on structure, and they feel safer when they know where the boundaries are.
Establishing a nurturing, benevolent, and appropriate routine with appropriate rules and boundaries is one of the kindest things you can do for your new dog.
Make sure all family members are in agreement on how the dog is to be treated. Dogs thrive on this sort of consistenc. Inconsistency in the rules of the house can create anxiety troubles that can be hard to correct.
Right from the start, control all access to all resources. Democracy does not work for dogs.
It is likely that you will see different behavior at home than you did in the shelter, and it is likely that your dog will be somewhat disoriented for the first three days, more or less. The dog has no idea who you are or why it is there, and there are a real lot of new smells and sounds to process. Make sure the dog always has water, a comfortable place to rest, plenty of quiet time to rest, and ample opportunity to relieve itself outdoors, preferably on-leash.
Keep the dog's world small for the first three days. Being confined to one room is preferable for many dogs. Being crated next to their new human (like having a dog crate next to your chair in a home office, for example) can be particuarly helpful for dogs that have unusual difficulties. Allow the dog to become accustomed to your voice, your touch, your smell. Be patient, calm, clear, and consistent.
Notice I got through this discussion without using the word "rescue." I find it best to abandon the concept. Some of the worst behavior cases I encounter are dogs that belong to people who are hung up on the idea of having a "rescue dog."
Your dog doesn't care what happened last week or last year. Gently, firmly, consistently, lovingly, using meaningful rewards to reinforce deirable behavior, teach your dog how it goes in this house now.
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