Preparing your home for a rescue dog

Here is a straightforward look at this topic for UpdateSee.

A rescue dog arrives tired, unsure and in need of quiet far more than excitement. Before the first day, set up a bed in a calm corner, agree the house rules with everyone, put away anything chewable and plan the first week with no visitors. Let the dog explore at its own pace and keep the first walks short and close to home.

A rescue dog arrives tired, unsure and in need of quiet far more than excitement.

The common advice is three days to decompress, three weeks to learn the routine and three months to feel at home, and it is broadly right. Feed at the same times, use the same words for the same things, and reward calm behaviour rather than correcting nervous behaviour. Patience in the first month is repaid many times over in the years that follow.