The first weeks with a street dog in the house
You have taken the step!
A street dog gets a second chance at your home and that is something to be proud of. A new adventure begins for you. Here we share what you can expect and how to make this period go as smoothly as possible.
The first weeks with a street dog at home can be exciting, moving and sometimes overwhelming for both of you.
You know that he or she is finally safe and will have a wonderful life. Your dog just doesn't know that yet. He doesn't yet understand that this is the beginning of something beautiful.
Therefore, please provide:
- Time
- Rest
- Patience
- Predictability
The first days: less is more
When your adopted dog enters your home for the first time, everything is new.
The smells.
The sounds.
The floor under his paws.
Nothing is familiar.
Many adopters want to immediately shower their new dog with love, cuddles and attention. That's understandable, but the opposite often works better.
Give your dog space to explore at his own pace.
Let him sniff around quietly. Offer water, food and a quiet place and let him decide when he wants to make contact.
Don't invite friends or family on the first day. Keep the environment quiet, predictable and calm.
Many street dogs have never lived in a house. A television, vacuum cleaner, mirror, stairs or even a closed door can be overwhelming at first.
After a long trip and all the changes, your dog's stress bucket is probably quite full.
Peace, predictability and patience help enormously.
Therefore, keep the stimuli as limited as possible during the first few days.
For example:
- Didn't immediately receive many visitors
- Don't plan busy outings
- Provide sufficient rest periods
- Create a safe and quiet place where the dog can retreat
Create your own safe place
Every dog needs a place that is completely his own.
A place where he will not be disturbed and where he can go when things get too much for him.
Set up a quiet corner with a blanket, basket or pillow. Preferably choose a place in a room where family life takes place, but where it is not too busy.
Do not place the basket in the middle of a busy passage, but in a slightly more sheltered spot.
A crate can help with this, as long as your dog is introduced to it in a positive way.
Leave the door open, put a treat in it and let your dog decide for himself whether he wants to go inside.
Never use the crate as punishment.
For many street dogs, a crate can actually become a safe den: a small, demarcated space in an otherwise overwhelmingly large house.
A blanket over part of the crate can help make it a sheltered and safe place.
In addition, it helps to maintain a fixed structure during the first weeks.
- Feed around the same times
- Go outside at fixed times
- Plan plenty of rest
- Keep the daily rhythm as predictable as possible
Predictability gives security.
Structure provides stability to a dog that may have lived in uncertainty all its life.
Building trust: the foundation
The most important thing you can do during the adjustment period is build trust.
That sounds simple, but it takes patience and consistency.
Trust does not grow by forcing a dog to make contact, but by being reliable time and time again.
For example, you can:
- Sit quietly on the floor and let your dog come to you
- Talk softly
- Giving something tasty without expecting anything in return
- Respect when your dog wants distance
- Respond calmly and predictably
- Let your dog make contact himself
Every positive experience, no matter how small, is a building block.
Sometimes we hear adopters say worriedly after two weeks:
“He doesn't want to cuddle yet.”
Or:
“She barely looks at me.”
And then sometimes weeks later that special moment suddenly comes.
The dog jumps on the couch for the first time.
Or gently lays his head on your lap.
That moment is more than worth the wait.
In our experience stories you can read how other adopters experienced this period.
The 5-second rule
Is your dog insecure, but does he or she seek contact?
It is better to gently stroke the neck, chest or side of the body rather than the top of the head.
You can use the 5 second rule to use. This is also a useful rule for children.
- Pet the dog for about five seconds.
- Then stop for a moment.
- Does the dog seek contact again? Then continue quietly.
- Does the dog run away or does it not respond? Then respect that.
Your bond still needs to grow.
Give each other time for this.
Positive experiences
Dogs learn by association. They link emotions to experiences.
To make an unpleasant or exciting experience fade, several neutral or positive experiences are often needed.
That is why rewarding almost always works better than punishing.
Dogs have to process many stimuli throughout the day. To relax it can help to:
- Take a leisurely stroll outside
- Offer safe chewing material indoors
- Provide sufficient sleep and rest
- Keeping new experiences small and predictable
Sniffing gives dogs information and a sense of control.
Chewing can help release tension and relax.
Peace, structure and positive experiences form the best basis for building self-confidence.
Walking and getting used to the leash
Many rescue dogs are not yet used to walking on a leash.
Be patient and give your dog time to learn this calmly.
His whole life suddenly changed. For the most part for the better, but he doesn't understand that right away.
For many street dogs, a leash is a completely unknown concept. They have always walked around freely and never learned to walk next to a human with a leash.
Your dog can therefore:
- Freeze
- To panic
- Try to escape backwards
- Pulling wildly on the leash
- Not wanting to move at all
Step 1: get used to the harness
Start indoors or in an enclosed garden.
First let your dog get used to a light and well-fitting harness, without immediately attaching a leash.
Reward calm behavior and don't force anything.
Step 2: get used to the leash
When the harness goes well, you can attach a light line.
Have this dragged behind your dog under supervision so that he can get used to the weight and movement.
Step 3: Hold the line
Only grasp the leash when your dog remains relaxed.
Practice first in the garden or another quiet, enclosed space.
Step 4: short walks outside
Keep the first walks short:
- Five to ten minutes
- At a quiet time of the day
- In a quiet and familiar environment
- Without unnecessary new stimuli
Always start in the same quiet place and increase the distance and duration step by step.
Getting a rescue dog used to the leash takes time.
Forcing usually only leads to more anxiety.
Cleanliness
Because everything is new and many dogs have never lived in a house before, accidents can happen.
Often dogs learn the new routine surprisingly quickly.
By going outside regularly and being consistent, you will help your dog enormously.
Some dogs find it exciting to pee outside at first. They feel safer inside.
That is also normal.
Puppy pads can help temporarily, but don't put pressure on the process.
Use the same approach as with a puppy:
- Go outside regularly
- Go after sleeping, eating and playing
- Reward your dog when he does his business outside
- Never punish accidents
- Keep a regular routine
With patience and predictability, this usually works itself out.
The 3-3-3 rule: patience as a compass
Within the world of dog adoption, people often talk about... 3-3-3 rule.
This is a useful framework to better understand your mutt's adjustment period.
The first 3 days
Your dog may be overwhelmed by all the changes.
He can:
- Little food
- Sleep a lot
- Withdraw
- Being restless
- Not wanting to walk
- Hardly any contact yet
This is normal.
Your dog is trying to understand where he is and whether the area is safe.
During these first days, rest and few stimuli are the most important.
The first 3 weeks
Your dog starts to recognize patterns.
He learns:
- When food comes
- When you go outside
- Who lives in the house
- Where he can rest safely
- What the daily routine looks like
Slowly he can show more and more of his real character.
Sometimes this also means that new behavior becomes visible. That doesn't have to be a regression. It may actually mean that your dog is starting to feel safe enough to show himself.
The first 3 months
Your dog is feeling more and more at home.
The bond grows, trust deepens and daily routines become familiar.
He starts to understand the house rules and dares to be himself more and more.
Often you only really see who your dog is after a long time.
The 3-3-3 rule is a guideline, not a law.
Some dogs take longer. Others adapt more quickly.
What matters is that you don't judge your adopted dog based on the first few days.
Give it time.
And finally
Don't forget to enjoy yourself too!
The first days and weeks with a rescue dog at home are the start of a special adventure.
It will not always be easy and everything may not turn out as you expected.
There will be wonderful moments, but also challenges that require:
- Patience
- Concept
- Rest
- To trust
- Flexibility
By giving your dog the time and space to get used to it at its own pace, you will build something very special together.
A bond that grows stronger every day.
And before you know it, that insecure rescue dog is no longer the dog you adopted, but your very best buddy.
See how our adoption process works or take a look at the dogs still waiting for a home.
Now I have come to you, but everything is strange and I do not understand it yet. Don't be impatient if I don't sleep in my basket right away. I don't know that. Yesterday I may have been sleeping on stone. Don't be alarmed if I wolf down my food quickly. Yesterday I may have had to do that to survive. Don't get angry if I have an accident in the house. Yesterday it didn't matter where I relieved myself. Do not be sad when I am frightened by your loving hand. Yesterday it was perhaps rare for someone to pet me. Please bear with me. It's your world, but not yet mine. Never forget that I was a foundling and not used to so much love. But when I get used to it and learn to trust you, I will give you the most beautiful thing I can give you: my heart.