{"id":15827,"date":"2023-07-07T11:44:00","date_gmt":"2023-07-07T10:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thelabradorsite.com\/?p=15827"},"modified":"2024-08-07T06:32:52","modified_gmt":"2024-08-07T05:32:52","slug":"bringing-home-a-rescue-dog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thelabradorsite.com\/bringing-home-a-rescue-dog\/","title":{"rendered":"Bringing Home A Rescue Dog"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In this article we look at how to get your rescue dog off to a great start in his new life as a member of your family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We\u2019ll look at some of the challenges you may face after collecting your Labrador from the shelter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And I show you how to overcome them with simple, practical tips that will help settle in your new dog and make him feel at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is it like to bring home a rescue dog?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bringing home a rescue dog is in some ways very different from bringing home a new puppy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And in others very similar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A rescued dog has a past, a history, in which you played no part, and which may have left him with some emotional healing to complete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A full grown Labrador is less portable than a puppy and may have some habits that you need to work on together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He may also feel upset and homesick just as a new puppy would, and need extra patience with house training and basic manners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, he may well be quite well behaved, have a good understanding of basic commands and be well past the chewing, frequent toileting, and biting stages that can make puppies so demanding of your time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plan to spend time with your rescue dog<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Because you won\u2019t really know what to expect until you get him home, it\u2019s a good idea to make sure you are ready to spend a lot of time getting to know your new friend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taking a few days off work, or scheduling time in your diary just for your dog, and making sure you have no major commitments for the next week or two, is a really good idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You’ll be able to spend that time helping your dog to settle in and feel safe, and to help him adjust to happily spending time in your home without you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s look at some of the preparations you\u2019ll need to make before the big day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to prepare for your rescue dog<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a good idea to assume that your dog is not house-trained, even if you know that he is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is because all dogs, when stressed and placed in a strange situation may have a breakdown in cleanliness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is much easier to deal with if you plan for it and expect it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make sure you have the right products for cleaning up any accidents<\/p>\n\n\n

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And think about the potential for potty training puddles and parcels when you decide how much freedom your dog will have in your home for the first few days<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Restricted access for your rescue dog<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The smaller the area your dog has to get used to initially, the more likely he is to treat it as his home and keep it clean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Washable floors will make it easier to cope with any accidents and plenty of human company will help alleviate any home sickness and fear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A family room such as the kitchen is ideal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Baby gates are perfect for keeping a dog in one room or area<\/a>, or for preventing access to rooms with carpets<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sleeping area<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many people like to set up a nice bed for their dog. Of course, some of those beds never get slept in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether or not you are going to allow your dog to sleep on the sofa or even in your bed<\/a> is entirely up to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is no harm in this provided that your dog doesn\u2019t have any tendency to resource guard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it\u2019s worth thinking about in advance as its usually better to begin as you mean to go on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dogs are happier if they know where they stand and what the house rules are. If you are certain that you don\u2019t want dog on your furniture, make that the rule from day one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your dog is used to sleeping in a crate<\/a>, it\u2019s best to continue this to begin with, you can transition to a basket later when he is more at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you know that your new dog isn\u2019t potty trained yet, or is prone to accidents you will definitely benefit from using a crate at night for the first six months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Potty training your shelter Lab<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Potty training an older dog<\/a> takes time and patience but can be done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I recently brought into my home a seven year old dog that had lived in a kennel all her life and never been house trained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I crated her at night and when I went out during the day for the first four months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This, combined with making sure I got up very early in the morning to let her out after de-crating her, meant she was clean and dry in the house within six months, with very few accidents in between.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember, if your dog isn\u2019t used to a crate and you want to introduce one, this is best done in gentle stages<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same applies if previous owners have abused the crating system and left him shut in for too long so that he now dislikes crates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A safety indoors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If your dog is not going to be crated, then you need to make safe any area where he will be left alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Put away your prized Persian rug.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make sure there are no precious ornaments or favourite plants that can be swept off by his wagging tail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remove anything so precious that you will have heart failure if he chews it, and make sure there are no trailing electrical cables for him to munch on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Avoid soft toys, cheap plastic toys that come apart when chewed, or very padded bedding for now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not all Labs chew and most over three years old don\u2019t, but be safe until you know your dog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Senior dogs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Senior dogs can be an absolute joy. They are often past the bouncy, knocking over old ladies, stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And are likely to be calm and gentle companions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your senior shelter dog may sleep a lot and be happy just to lie down near to you, but most will still want and need a daily walk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Older dogs do however need a little extra care<\/a> and may have some medical issues that need attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your new friend is elderly or arthritic, he may need a ramp to get in and out of the car, or up and down any steep steps in your yard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He may also need extra padding in his bed, or if you intend to let him share yours, a ramp or dog steps to reach it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like elderly people, some older dogs can suffer from forgetfulness and may show signs of cognitive decline<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But that doesn\u2019t necessarily stop them spending a happy few years in the comfort of your care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Safe area in the garden or yard<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It is very important to make sure that your yard or garden is secure<\/a>, or that you have a safe enclosure within it where your dog can relieve himself and get some fresh air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many rescue societies will have visited your home in advance and will advise you on this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If not, you should assume that a fit Labrador is capable of climbing over a fence that is less than six feet high or digging under one that is not turned under or sunk below the surface of the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most Labradors are also capable of pushing through all but the most impenetrable of hedges<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Equipment and preparation for exercising your shelter dog<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Daily walks are important for all but the most infirm dogs<\/a>. And your Lab will probably need an hour and a half to two hours of exercise a day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ideally, much of this will be off leash – but you\u2019ll need to take precautions against losing your dog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Especially if you know that he has a history of absconding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll need some kind of ID to attach to your dog\u2019s collar or harness<\/a>. This is a legal requirement in many regions, and a sensible precaution in case your dog ever gets lost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ID tag should have your surname and your telephone number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may want to skip putting your dog\u2019s name on the tag as some people feel that this makes it easier for thieves to steal your dog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Body harness<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A body harness is a much better way of restraining a dog<\/a> than a collar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many rescue dogs have not been trained to walk quietly alongside their human partner and will pull and strain on the leash until their training is completed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A harness protects your dog\u2019s neck and the soft tissues of his throat and is a much safer way to attach him to a long line<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A long line<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Unless, and even if, you have been assured for certain that your rescue lab is well train with an excellent recall, you\u2019ll want to have him wear a long line outdoors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a long trailing line that clips onto the back ring on his harness. It is an important safety precaution to begin with<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plan Your dog\u2019s routine<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Find out what the shelter have been feeding him and stock up on that – changing food at this point is not going to help him settle and may upset his tummy. Find out what time he is used to being fed and walked too as this will all go towards helping him feel mentally and physically at home. Okay – you are all ready to go. You\u2019ve bought food, bowls, leash, bedding, a crate, and secured your yard.
What happens next? Let\u2019s think for a moment about how your dog might be feeling when he arrives in his new home. Because this will influence his behavior and the way that you manage him<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How your rescue dog might feel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Being adopted is a bewildering experience for a dog, no matter how hard you try to help him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everything is new and he is bound to feel confused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because Labs are usually very friendly sociable dogs, it can be easy to assume that the new dog is fine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His tail will wag, he\u2019ll probably eat anything you put in front of him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But that doesn\u2019t mean he has forgotten his past life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He still needs a lot of attention and human contact for the next few days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some rescue dogs are fearful and anxious to begin with and need a serious amount of kindness and patience to bring them out of their shell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your dog was well cared for before, the more you can replicate his familiar routine, the easier he may find it to settle in, so find out as much as you can about what his previous life involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How you might feel when your rescue dog arrives<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Your dog is not the only one undergoing a life changing experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You will have a strange dog in your house and you probably won\u2019t fall in love with him right away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So it is going to feel odd at times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may even have moments of panic or regret, and question your own ability to cope with this stranger in your midst.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is normal and these feelings will usually pass within a few days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If they don\u2019t, or you feel overwhelmed,  it\u2019s important to talk to someone about them, and if necessary, to contact the rescue center for help and advice<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discovering who is the boss?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At one time, new dogs used to be accompanied by strict instructions to show him who is the boss<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some older books and leaflets still dish out this advice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Happily that\u2019s one thing we don\u2019t need to worry about any more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Studies have shown that most dogs don\u2019t want to be in charge and are motivated by getting access to resources, rather than by any kind of wish to be \u2018top dog\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particularly applies to compliant breeds of dog such as Labradors and other gundog breeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You are the one with the opposable thumbs and that puts you firmly in charge of resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore by definition you are in charge of your dog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your role will be to train him how to respond to different situations in your home, and to the cues or commands you give him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This isn\u2019t as difficult as it sounds and you can find lots of help and information in our training guides<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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TRAINING TIP:Don\u2019t overfeed your dog and if he is very shy or indifferent to you at first, use the handfeeding techniques outlined below. Your priority is to make friends with your dog and show him the ropes. Thankfully, all training these days, can be done using positive reinforcement.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Collecting your rescue dog<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If your new friend is shy, the more low key this event is the better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try to avoid taking a lot of noisy teenagers along for the road trip. Just you and one adult helper – to sit with the dog if necesary – is ideal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some dogs get car sick so take some old towels and wet wipes in case you need to clear up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your dog is used to travelling in a car crate this is ideal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some easy going dogs will be happy about climbing in and out of crates even if they aren\u2019t used to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the dog is panic stricken at the though of getting in a crate, it may be better to have a friend sit in the back with him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Safe handling of strange dogs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although you may have met him once or twice, for the next few days this dog is probably still a stranger to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that means taking some sensible precautions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Its important to begin by assuming that your dog may be nervous and that he may feel threatened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even dogs that are usually good tempered may bite if they are scared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are sensible precautions you can take to avoid being growled at or bitten by a dog that temporarily feels completely out of his depth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n