Humans and dogs experience the adoption process very differently. For us it’s the excitement of bringing a new friend home and imagining all the activities we’re going to enjoy together. But a dog doesn’t have the luxury of understanding the situation. All they know is that they’ve arrived in a new environment with new people – everything is novel and strange, possibly even frightening.
They don’t know anything about your routines, your preferences, or why you looked a bit annoyed when they urinated on the couch. Everything is an unknown and there’s a lot to learn.
The first thing an adopted dog needs to learn is that he is safe. Not only is this essential for the well-being of any dog, it is the foundation of everything in your future life with your dog: a dog who feels safe will display fewer unwanted behaviours and will find it easier to learn. Considering that the most common reason for a dog to be surrendered to a shelter is behavioural, this is pretty important.
What you do, or don’t do, during the first few weeks and months after adopting your new companion can make an impressive difference. And here’s what you’re going to need: empathy, patience, self-discipline and loads of treats.
1. Empathy
Consider the magnitude of the change your new dog has experienced. A fortunate dog may have gone straight from their previous loving home into yours. Somewhat less lucky is the dog who has been homed multiple times, or gone from living on the streets to being in a shelter. Whatever their history, their entire life has been turned upside down.
Dogs may grieve for their previous owners or companions, they may have experienced significant physical or emotional trauma, or they could have been in a state of constant stress while kennelled.
The first few days in a new home are the most difficult as during this time a dog will evaluate the safety of the new environment. If you want a good score on your safety assessment, interact with him minimally and only when he requests it. It’s hard not to bombard a new dog with affection, but he needs to be left alone to recover and investigate at his own pace.
2. Patience
You may want to enrol your dog in a training class, start doing park runs with him, or invite all your friends around to meet your new friend. The simple answer? Don’t. Your dog has plenty to adjust to already and this takes time. The first few weeks should be a period of calm and quiet in your home; just you and your dog getting to know each other.
Stress levels will take a while to subside, so introducing anything new could put undue pressure on your dog’s ability to cope. If your dog is still becoming familiar with the sounds and smells of their new environment, throwing them into anything else new is asking too much. You and your dog will have many years together to learn all sorts of fun things; don’t rush it.
3. Self-discipline
This is the tricky one! Allowing a dog space and time to adjust means monitoring our own behaviour carefully. And most importantly, we have to hold ourselves back. Don’t force your new dog to play, give you a hug or sleep on your bed. Now is not the time. He should be making his own choices about what he is ready to do. If the dog is a bit nervous, forcing him to endure hours of cuddles is not going to help. Your main job in the first few weeks is providing a consistent routine, which will assist your dog in feeling safe – a predictable home is a safe home.
4. Loads of treats
Training is something that can be done at any time, but teaching can begin right away. That doesn’t sound quite right if you’re taking a non-invasive approach – but there are ways of teaching a dog that involve minimal input.
From the moment you pick up your dog, make sure to keep a few treats on your person at all times. These treats are not to be used to bribe the dog into doing anything (that’s coercion) or just for being cute. The treats are to reinforce any desirable behaviour such as toileting outside, coming when called, or lying calmly in his bed.
They’re also useful when your dog is experiencing anything new. When they first jump into your car or hear your neighbour’s creaky garage door. If your dog gets a little startled the first time your irrigation system turns on or a door slams, toss a few treats his way – this is a useful way of telling your dog that all these things predict something good, and are therefore safe.
Your dog doesn’t know the rules yet and he will make mistakes. Don’t freak out! You need to be the centre of calm security for your dog, so focus on the behaviours you do like and make them highly reinforcing. If the behaviours you don’t like are a little overwhelming, contact a reputable behaviourist for help at Coape.
By Katherine Brown, behaviourist
