Is Your Shelter Dog Set for Success?
Tips for Transitioning Your New-to-You Pup
Things have certainly changed over the last several months, haven’t they? The summer of 2020 has brought with it issues of a size and scope unprecedented in our former lives: pandemic, civil unrest, police brutality. In these uncertain times, moving forward together has taken on new importance. Adapting to this changing landscape can be difficult, yet adapt we must.
Most people’s work life has changed, including mine. As a dog trainer, I’ve had to evaluate how I can continue to safely provide services to my clients. A silver lining to the COVID-19 pandemic may be that it’s forced us to become more comfortable with online learning and working. People are spending more time at home, and on a positive note, this has sparked an increased number of adoptions at Bay Area animal shelters.
Did you adopt a pandemic pup? Congrats if you did! Now it’s up to you to ensure your new friend is set for success and well-being in their new home.
When you first bring home a dog from the shelter, allowing time to decompress is extremely valuable to their mental health and behavior. When a dog is adopted from a shelter, they experience tremendous change; their environment, the people and animals around them and their routine are all suddenly different. Because of these changes, it’s not uncommon for a new shelter dog to inhibit their behavior for the first few weeks in their new home. Many dogs won’t feel safe right away and may not show you their real personality until they have had time to settle in and feel safe enough to show you who they truly are. During the first couple weeks in a new home, it’s important to provide them with a structured routine as well as a safe and quiet place to relax. Dogs thrive with structure, routine and safety. Giving your dog ample time to adjust to their new life will ensure that your dog feels comfortable expressing him- or herself around you. Once they’ve adjusted, you’ll have a better idea of what sort of training your new dog might need.
Given pandemic restrictions, it’s quite possible that you’ve never left your new dog at home alone, or if you have, it may have been for just a short time when you went out for an errand. As you go about establishing your dog’s routine during that first month, it’s extremely important to teach them that periods at home alone time are common and they can relax when left behind. Start off by leaving your dog for only a very brief time and gradually increasing the length of your absence as they are successful with previous trials. Confining your dog in one part of your house while you work from home in another is an easy way to ensure that your dog gets regular alone time. If you will eventually return to a full day at work outside the home, it’s important to begin a training plan to get your dog comfortable with being left home alone now, before you have to return to the workplace.
After the first month of living with your new dog and allowing them to decompress, it’s time to start establishing a relationship with them based on trust and positive reinforcement. Using evidence-based practices built around a model of positive reinforcement ensures that your dog will develop good feelings about training with you. Take time to reward your dog for behaviors that you would like to see more of. Giving your dog attention when they are lying down calmly or rewarding your dog with treats for going into their crate or going potty outside are great ways to establish positive routines and behaviors with your new furry family member.
Positive reinforcement exercises teach the dog that their behavior drives ours and that there are positive consequences for responding to our cues. This creates an efficient learner who enjoys the process of learning new things. Teaching your dog to pay attention to you and to enjoy coming in your direction is a great lesson to start with. If your dog enjoys moving in your direction, it is easier to get them to come when called and keep them out of trouble. If you reward your dog for engaging with you, you’ll create a dog who checks in frequently and has a healthy focus on you. A simple exercise for this purpose is The Recall Chase Game. Start by placing a couple treats on the ground for your dog to eat. As they are eating those treats, call your dog’s name and say ‘come’ as you run to another part of the house. When your dog reaches you, place a couple more treats on the ground to reward them, then run away to a new hiding spot and repeat the process. Not only is this a great way to begin engagement and recall training, but you and your dog both will get some much-needed endorphins from the exercise and play that the game creates (check out the video demonstration of the exercise at the following link: https://youtu.be/Nu7uwECJVB4).
Remember, building a healthy relationship with your new dog takes time and effort. Providing regular training time with your dog is the best way to help your pup continue to adjust to their new life with you. Showing up and putting in the work pays off for both you and your new buddy. It’s the best way to ensure a happy and fulfilling life together during the pandemic and beyond.