Patience is needed when you adopt a pet
The first thing that you do when you get your rescue dog home is absolutely nothing, nothing at all.
RECENTLY there seems to be a spate of animals, especially dogs, being returned after adoption, often after only a day or two. People do not realise that most species of animals take approximately 14 to 21 days to habituate to a new environment, and that is often only the beginning.
An adopted dog can fulfil many expectations, and some rescue animals quickly fit into a new home, new routine, new dogs, new people and so on. However, without some time, energy and effort on a new owner’s part, things can go horribly wrong. It is unrealistic to expect a newly adopted dog to adapt and fit into a family effortlessly or overnight. Patience and understanding is needed.
Most people adopt a shelter dog because they are kind, generous people with a genuinel love for dogs. Because they are caring individuals they tend to want to see fast results. In many cases this is not possible. Expectations need to be realistic, regardless of the dog’s history. Generally speaking, there are no quick fixes. In most cases it takes, time, patience and understanding to see improvements, and the first things the new dog in a household needs are time and space.
The first thing that you do when you get your rescue dog home is absolutely nothing. Nothing at all.
- Don’t force any kind of interaction / social or other.
- Don’t fuss.
- Don’t attempt to play fetch or solicit play behaviour.
- Don’t introduce her to your family and friends.
- Don’t crowd her with your kids.
- Don’t introduce her to your family cat, chickens, parrot and so on.
- Don’t stress for the first day or so about food – and meals – even if the dog is malnourished. Stress often inhibits appetite!
However, after a day or so, if in any doubt or if the dog displays lethargy or lack of appetite continues, do consult with your veterinarian to rule out any possible physiological cause.
Give the dog a chance to become aware of its surroundings, to relax and settle in. Be patient. Being in a kennel can be very stressful to a dog and then for it to suddenly find itself in a home with a garden and maybe other pets can be totally overwhelming and scary.
Should your dog still be presenting unwanted behaviour after a month, then there is an alternative to sending it back to the shelter. Why not seek professional assistance and contact an animal behaviourist who can assess the situation and advise accordingly? Louise Thompson is a well known behaviourist and you can email her on louthomp@mweb.co.za.
So please, if you adopt a rescue pet, be patient and understanding. The dog might exhibit unwanted behaviour to begin with but that’s because it’s unsure and doesn’t understand the boundaries. If you are not prepared to work on the relationship then please rather don’t get a pet.
*This article was prepared with assistance from Louise Thompson (Accredited animal behaviour consultant from the Animal Behaviour Consultants of Southern Africa).
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