Decompress for success
It’s so exciting to bring home a new dog! We want to go for long walks, have our friends and family come over to meet him/her, go for holiday, road trips, meet up with other dogs at the park, etc.
But for the dog, it is very likely overwhelming and stressful being in our home. One day they are in an environment they know, next day their world is upside down. The dog does not know what is happening and whether you are a safe person, how long they will be in your home for, where to sleep, eat, poop etc.
To help your dog find his/her paws in your home, he/she needs to decompress. To do so, we recommend to make his/her first 2- 3 weeks the most boring ones ever. No action for the first 2- 3 weeks. Boring as anything.
That means:
1) No walks (only toilet breaks if you don’t have an outdoor space) because your dog is already incredibly overstimulated and walks will only amp him/her up. No friends or family coming over, no handymen fixing things, nothing. The most boring weeks for you and your dog.
2) Always allow your dog to initiate touch and interactions with you. If they don’t, give them space.
3) Use treats to bond and make friends with your dog. Toss them towards your dog and then take a couple of steps back. Never ‘bribe’ a dog to come to you. This can result in internal conflict for the dog and he/she may move closer to you than he/she is comfortable with.
4) Establish a daily routine your dog can rely on. A routine creates predictability and makes your dog feel safe. Keep it low key and simple, e.g. feeding routine, nap time, toilet breaks, enrichment time, etc.
5) Set up a room or area with a baby gate and create a ‘doggy disneyland’ where your dog can spend some time alone (door open initially) with some toys, food puzzles, cardboard boxes to shred, bones to chew on. This way you can introduce alone time in a fun manner.
6) Less training, more play. If your new dog enjoys play, spend time playing together and bond that way.
7) Capture behaviours you like rather than dive into any formal training session, e.g. your dog lies on his bed, say ‘yes’ or use your clicker to mark the behaviour and then give him/her a treat immediately after.
8) And when things don’t go according to plan, remember your dog does his/her best with the information and training he/she has. Focus on the things your dog does well and write it down to remind yourself of it.