New Rescue Dog? Tips for a No-Bite Transition
To avoid additional stress for both you and your new rescue dog, slowly introduce them to aspects of their new life with you. photo: AdobeStock
It’s an exciting time for both of you, but it can also be stressful, especially for a dog who may have experienced trauma or who is getting used to a whole new world of smells, sounds, and people. Unfortunately, this stress can sometimes result in bites. That’s why it’s important to set up your new friend for a low-stress introduction to their brand new life with you.
As a trainer who works with fearful, reactive, or aggressive behavior, I’m familiar with a variety of potentially risky scenarios and I know that being “hands off” is one of the best things you can do to help to prevent bites. This means giving your new dog plenty of space and choice and reading body language for early signs of stress.
Here are some practical tips to help your new friend feel at home while keeping both of you safe.
Provide options to retreat. As much as you can, let your dog approach you, as opposed to you approaching your dog. If you need to approach your dog, make sure they have space to avoid/retreat from you. If a dog feels trapped, they are more likely to say “no” in an aggressive way to proximity or contact from you. Don’t corner your dog.
Let your dog initiate cuddling. Even if you think your new dog wants to be petted, wait for them to solicit touch from you. Do they lean in, nuzzle, or paw for pets? If so, try petting for a few seconds, then stop and wait to see if they solicit more touch. Keep in mind that sometimes a dog may want to be close to you but not to be petted. Avoid leaning over your dog or sticking your face into your dog’s face.
Give ample space at mealtimes. Don’t pet your dog while they are eating or working on a chew treat. You may even feed meals or provide chewies to your dog while they’re in a separate space altogether, such as another room, an exercise pen, or in a baby-gated zone.
If your dog is sleeping or resting, let them be. Need to wake them? Try using soft noises or even the smell of a treat. For many dogs, the sound of a peanut butter jar being opened is a delightful alarm clock.
Instead of physically moving your dog when you’d like them to relocate, try tossing treats for location changes. If you’d rather Fluffy not be on the couch, toss a treat on the floor for her vs. trying to pick her up or nudge her off.
Introduce new friends to your dog with tossed treats vs. treats offered from hands. If you want to build good feelings about new people and avoid bite risks, ask friends to toss treats away from themselves so that your dog gets to enjoy snacks at the distance of their choice. Do not let new people hand treats directly to your dog or offer a hand to sniff. Your dog may want the food but not the outstretched hand. For an additional layer of safety, use a baby gate between your dog and new people or keep your dog on leash at a distance.
Always remember to read your dog’s body language. Look at the whole dog. Does he seem loose, soft, and relaxed or is he stiff? Do you see stress panting or does he have a softly opened mouth without facial tension? A stiff body, freezing, hiding, growling, or snarling are clear signs to give your dog space ASAP. If you’re seeing conflicted body language or are unsure how to read your dog’s body language, a certified humane dog trainer can help you to decode his signals.
As you and your new dog get to know each other, you’ll learn which behaviors and activities are wanted and enjoyed and which aren’t. Until then, it’s best to err on the side of caution and give your new friend all the room he needs to feel safe, secure, and loved.