Fri 5th March: Expectations versus reality

 With another weekend coming up meaning (hopefully) more dogs and puppies being chosen at either of our Homing Centres, it also means lots of follow-ups by our trainer, Cactus.  Every adopter gets an introductory message from Cactus offering support as and when needed, and many take up that offer as they encounter the usual settling-in challenges so I'd like to cover some of these again as they're so common.

Amie at Ap Lei Chau

Puppies adapt quickly to a new environment, but this is almost certainly the first time in their lives that they have been without other puppies to play and cuddle with.  You can expect them to be confused and upset, and to cry during the night when there are no people around either.  Allowing a puppy to sleep in a bedroom with any of the family members is the easiest way to provide comfort and ensure a good night's sleep for all. 

As puppies settle and become accustomed to their new home they become playful, and this is the next most common problem - playbiting.  All puppies bite with their tiny and very sharp teeth and it's nothing to do with them being aggressive, it's part of how they learn.   The best and easiest way to deal with that problem is to have a second puppy, or a willing adult dog who can teach the puppy in the way that dogs do, but if that's not possible then it's up to you to train the puppy.  However you can't avoid the fact that it's inevitable that you'll get punctured at times and things that are left around will get chewed.  Puppies grow and learn very quickly so this phase will pass before you know it.

The next problem comes when the puppies reach puberty, and I wrote about this only recently.  To re-cap, animals go through the same hormonal changes that humans do when they reach the "teenage" stage and you can expect to see behaviour changes during that period, especially with males.  Please don't think that this is permanent and give up, it's only a temporary glitch and you may not even notice it.  Once the dog has grown into adulthood he will settle into good behaviour again.

Throughout all of these stages it's very important that you don't punish a puppy for "bad" behaviour, rather reward the good bits and keep reinforcing the positive with treats or praise.  Puppies love to please and be told that they've done well, and even adult dogs should always be rewarded with a "good boy (girl)" every time they do something right.  

Igloo was returned a few times until she found the right home

Moving on to dogs that are adopted as adults, the time it takes for them to adapt can vary tremendously.  However even with those who seem to be happy right from the start there is always going to be a settling-in period before they really feel at home and secure.   There is often the expectation that rescued dogs will be so grateful to be in a home that they will be thrilled to be petted and cuddled and showered with love.  However this usually not the case, and most dogs prefer to be left alone until they have had time to process what's happened, where they are and who everyone is.  Forcing a dog to accept cuddles, have a bath or nails clipped can ruin the relationship before it's even started.  Please be patient, and give your new dog space and time, and even if it's a bit smelly hold off on the bath for a while.  You'll know when the dog is ready to start interacting when it comes to you and asks for attention.