I know it’s a bit past Halloween, but I couldn’t pass up posting these photos from Heidi and her sweet Maltese, Casper. Casper is actually a star in his own right. You can see videos of him at his own YouTube channel here: Casper on YouTube.

He has his own website as well, called DoodleApproval.com, where you can seek his advice on any concern you might have.

Thank you Heidi for sending these in. Do you have a good shot from Halloween? If so, send them to ideas@asmalldog.com.

There is a recurring theme in small dog ownership that keeps rearing its head. I believe it’s at the heart of most of the problems we have with small dogs. The theme is this: we tend to confuse our small dogs with children. Many of us say, “Oh, I know he’s just a dog,” while we secretly believe, in our heart of hearts, that our dog is a child.

Then there are those who just come right out and say it, like the person who came into our shop the other day to pick up her small dog. This un-neutered dog responds to the abundance of testosterone coursing through his veins by peeing on every vertical surface he passes. One of the ladies at our shop, tired and exasperated from continually mopping up after this dog, asked the owner why the dog had not been neutered. The owner’s response: “You wouldn’t do that to your child, would you?”

What’s Wrong?

What’s the problem with this? Am I being petty? I don’t think so, because if you look at the behavior problems of small dog-children, you’ll see the disconnect. While people understand and enjoy dogs as children, dogs really don’t understand the role of a child. Sure, they get the part about hugging and kissing, but they don’t understand the rest of the conversation. It’s gibberish to them.

Lost in Translation

Think of it this way. Imagine yourself all alone in another country where you don’t speak the language and you don’t have a feel for the culture. How would you fair in the first hour after you set foot in that land? You would be pretty disoriented. You would rely on your normal habits. By luck, some of the things you would try would be culturally acceptable, but some things would not. In time, through trial and error, you would probably work it out.

Here’s the deal with small dogs treated as children. They are visitors in a foreign country, except they are continually stuck in that first hour after arrival. They don’t get the language, and never will. They don’t get the culture, and never will. They may eventually figure out some of the customs and habits of this strange world, but they will never fully master their environment.

That is why small dogs, treated as children, seem to run amok. That is why they do things that disappoint or frustrate us. They aren’t trying to be bad. They are just doing what they naturally do because nothing else makes sense.

Change is Hard

The solution is hard—very hard. It requires us to discard the lenses that make us see small dogs as children. It’s a sacrifice that many of us are not ready to make because there are so many benefits to being the parent of a small dog. The benefit is all ours.

Take Action:

Evaluate your relationship with your small dog. See if you are:

• Explaining your expectations to your dog in sentences.
• Placing affection ahead of guidance.
• Reacting emotionally, rather than rationally, to your small dog’s misbehavior.
• Referring to yourself as your small dog’s mom or dad.

If you are doing at least two of the items on this list, and your small dog is a model citizen, write and tell me I don’t know what I am talking about. If some or all of your dog’s behavior is driving you nuts, it’s time to re-evaluate your view of your small dog.

Confidence 101: Kelsey chasing Canada geese. See the full video on our home page.

When I use the word confident, I am talking about a dog that focuses on doing what a dog does naturally without worrying about negative reactions from people. I don’t mean a confident dog is one that pees all over your house without worry. I mean, your dog can go outside, have fun, and not expect to be punished for being himself.

Shyness

Many, but certainly not all, rescued dogs are extremely shy. This shyness comes from not knowing where a dog fits in among people. Many rescued dogs are abused or abandoned for reasons that are not apparent to the dog. When a dog can’t make sense of why its being punished, the dog shuts down emotionally. Behaviorists call this “Whipped Dog Syndrome.” Some rescued dogs end up in rescue situations because they are naturally shy. I know it may seem ridiculous to you, but some people reject dogs that do not live up their expectations of a lively pet.

Other rescued dogs display a lack of confidence by behaving aggressively. It seems counter-intuitive. A dog lacking confidence can hold the world at bay by threatening anything and anyone that gets too close. Dogs displaying this type of behavior are known as “sharp shy.”

The Treatment

Luckily for us, the treatment for shy and sharp shy dogs is the same: build confidence. Here’s how to do it.

First, identify activities that your dog enjoys. The only way to do this is to expose your dog to a wide variety of situations and monitor his behavior. The “go” sign is alertness without fear:

One of the best ways to introduce your dog to a new activity is to lead him on a loose leash. If he pulls ahead, he wants to give it a try. If he lags behind, he’s not sure. If he stalls or turns the opposite direction, it’s a no-go for now. If your dog hesitates, you don’t need to retreat immediately, but you should not force him into the activity. Give him time to decide.

Expect–Nothing

Now is as good a time as any to talk about your expectations. Get rid of them. I mean, don’t force your dog to do anything just because you believe its good for him. For example, just because you believe your water dog should dive into the lake for a swim the first time he sees the water does not mean your water dog is ready to swim right now. Maybe he just wants to stretch out on the shore and enjoy the sun. A shy dog needs time and breathing room to explore new activities. When he’s ready to go, he’ll tell you; and he may never be ready. That’s okay, because the last thing your shy dog needs is to be forced into another situation that makes him uncomfortable. He’s already been there and done that.

On the flip side, don’t worry and fret your dog might not enjoy an activity. Go in with an open mind and give your dog a chance to adjust. If the activity is his cup of tea, he’ll come around in time. Let him go at his own pace.

And please don’t become the classic soccer mom or soccer dad, shuttling your dog around to five special events a day to “stimulate his growth.” His job, and your job, is to adjust to a normal family lifestyle, not to transform him into a canine wonder dog.

Places to Be. Things to Try.

Here is a short list of activities that many dogs find enjoyable. (Notice how simple these are:)

• Walking through the neighborhood.
• Hiking in the woods.
• Walking on the beach.
• Jogging with you.
• Playing fetch.
• Getting tickled.
• Playing hide and seek with a bone, a toy, or with you.
• Chasing rabbits or birds in an open field.
• Jumping in and out of the water at the beach.
• Swimming.

Find what works for your dog and let him dive in when he’s ready. Over time, nature will take its course. Your dog’s confidence will build and displace his worries. Weird coping behavior will diminish because it will no longer be necessary.

Take Action:

1. Start exploring simple and enjoyable activities with your dog.
2. Note what your dog enjoys and what your dog avoids. Emphasize enjoyment and forget about the rest.
3. Watch your dog blossom as he builds confidence.

Tell Us What You Think:
What kinds of activities does your dog enjoy?
Do you have a story about a rescued dog that improved as he explored and began to enjoy life?
Share your story with the rest of our community. We’d love to hear from you.

A Maltese-Poodle mix (Maltipoo). This is not the dog referenced in this article.

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We have had a rescued maltipoo for about three months. He has his emotional ups and downs – is almost always good with me.

Is jealous of my husband’s affection toward our shepard mix 10 year old dog. Started out being my husband’s dog – and then started snapping at him for no reason. Now he is “my dog” but is either hyperactive one day and then very quiet another day. He evidently was fed table scraps (vet says he’s 1-2 years old and he was not neutered when we got him – matted coat – running at night on a freeway in Phoenix) because feeding him is a problem.

What can my husband do to stop the dog from snapping at him – the dog seems to like my husband, but if dog is sleeping on bed or not facing him will whirl around, snapping, growling and getting in my husband’s face. Any help you can give will be appreciated. He has been vet checked, neutered, shots, etc and was found to be in good health.

My Response

Dear Dee:

First of all. Thank you so much for posting your comment to my website. Here are my thoughts:

Here is one thing we can immediately deduce, your dog does not like to be surprised. This is not unusual for a rescued dog, especially one that has spent time on the street. While on the street, a dog learns to be defensive as a means of survival. When a street dog feels threatened, it has two choices: fight or flee. Usually, when the threat is detected early and still far from the dog, the dog will choose to flee. If the dog is taken by surprise and the threat is too close to run from, the dog may choose to fight. Before fighting, a dog will try to warn the intruder. This is what your dog is doing with your husband.

Taken by Surprise

You said your dog reacts with threatening behavior whenever he is awakened by your husband, or when your husband approaches him from his blind spot to the rear. Essentially, your husband is surprising your dog, which makes your street-wise maltipoo feel threatened. If your dog snaps from his bed when he’s not actually sleeping, then he is simply defending his bed–his territory–when your husband gets too close. That’s one part of the puzzle.

Why Only with the Husband?

The second part of the puzzle is why your dog only feels surprised and threatened by your husband. Your husband’s relationship with your 10-year old shepard mix may be part of the reason. I feel there must be some connection to how your husband behaves around your maltipoo that makes some difference too. I cannot venture a opinion without seeing the interaction between your dog and your husband. However, there are some first steps your husband can take that may help.

1. Be aware of your rescued dog’s street-wise habits and obviously, don’t intentionally do anything to shock or surprise him.
2. When the dog threatens your husband, he should not react at all, (as long as the dog goes no further than the warning behavior you described.) By not reacting, I mean he should not look at the dog, touch the dog, or even speak to the dog. Realize yelling or even talking to a dog on emotional fire only pours fuel on the flame. Completely ignore the bad reaction and the dog as though he is not there.
3. When the dog is calm, I’d recommend that your husband take him for a walk, and do this as often as possible. One 30-45 minute walk per day is good. Two 30-minute or more walks is better. Here’s the key. When your husband walks your dog, he should be alone with the dog. Don’t bring the shepard mix. You can join your husband, but I’d recommend walking on the side of your husband, opposite the dog so you are not part of the interaction between husband and dog. When your husband walks your dog, he should insist that the dog walks alongside or slightly behind, never out in front. The idea is, your husband leads the dog, not the other way around. The strategy is two-fold. First, long walks together will help build a bond of trust between them. Second, when your husband leads your dog on a walk, the dog will learn to accept your husband as a leader. Dogs are wired to not threaten or challenge a confident and able leader.

More on Walking Your Dog

There’s a right way and wrong way to lead a dog on a walk. It should always be done calmly and with confidence. I’m not a big fan of using a choke collar to get a dog to heel. A choke collar, despite what others might say, inflicts a moment of discomfort on the dog when the leash is yanked. The last thing your husband needs right now is to strengthen the link between himself and the dog’s feelings of discomfort. If your maltipoo does not already know how to heel, I strongly recommend using a Haltie harness for training, which is available at most pet stores. The Haltie harness prevents your dog from pulling on a leash by re-directing his head position, just as a halter steers a horse. There are also a lot of good books on the shelf about how to teach your dog to heel. I especially like Let the Dog Decide: The Revolutionary 15-Minute-a-Day Program to Train Your Dog – Gently and Reliably“ by Dale Stavroff. It’s available and inexpensive at Amazon.com.

Conclusion

If your dog resorts to biting, or if you feel what I’ve recommended is beyond your capability, then I’d suggest getting a local dog trainer/behaviorist involved. With the right strategy, and with time and patience, your rescued dog will settle in.

Have Any Additional Thoughts?

Please add them to the comments section below.

Hiding under the bed

(photo courtesy of lucianvenutian@flickr.com*)

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Here is a very important concept to hang onto:

Dogs want to be shown the way.

Let me say that again:

Dogs want to be shown the way.

I don’t care how stubborn your dog seems to be, he wants to know what’s expected of him. If your dog was able to understand and appreciate going to the movies, mystery movies would not be at the top of his list. Dogs want, and need to know, what is going to happen next.

Why is this Important?

Rescued dogs, (before they are rescued,) usually live unpredictable, and therefore miserable dog lives. Here are some of the circumstances that make their lives miserable:

• Abandonment leaves them fending for themselves in an unpredictable world.
• Isolation leaves them wondering when and where the next interaction with people or other animals might happen.
• Physical abuse is random pain and chaos that makes absolutely no sense to a dog.

It’s no wonder your rescued dog exhibits weird behaviors. He’s doing everything he can to cope with the uncertainty in his life. You may say yes, but he’s with me now. He’s okay. Nothing can harm him.

He doesn’t know that. All he has known up until this point is that life has sucked. His transfer to your home is just another step in a series of unpredictable occurrences. If you really want him to understand his life has changed for the better, your job is to give him something positive and predictable to do.

What to Dog Right Now

Here’s how to do it. First, as I said in part 2 of this series, ignore the weird behavior your dog puts out, as long as the behavior is not harmful. Weird behavior may not make sense to you, but it does help your dog cope with stress. Second, give your dog positive and rewarding tasks that pull him away from his weird behavior. Third, do those positive things the same way every day.

Here are some examples of positive tasks:

• Taking a walk with you.
• Learning obedience behavior.
• Playing fetch either as play or as a household service, e.g. fetch your shoes, etc.
• Joining you outside to get the mail or the newspaper.
• Playing tug-o-war with you.

Notice all of the examples involve movement, with no idle time. Your dog will most likely engage in his coping behaviors when he has nothing else to do. Some activities, while pleasant, don’t really give your dog anything to do. For example, while riding with you in the car around town may seem like a pleasant task, your dog will likely spend most of the time laying down or staring out of the window. It doesn’t demand much from your dog.

Don’t Run Yourself Ragged

I’m not saying you have to run yourself ragged all day just to keep your dog actively engaged. What I am saying is, when you notice your dog lapsing into coping behavior, give him something else to do that you both enjoy.

Be Consistent

When you do give your dog a task, try to do it the same way everyday. Set up patterns and rituals for your dog that he was so sorely missing in his previous life. If you stay consistent and positive in your approach to giving your dog tasks, you will notice, over time, your dog spends less and less energy on weird behavior, and more time relaxing during his idle time. Why? Because you have shown him the way: a time, place, and method for doing tasks that he can count on. Mystery solved!

Take Action:

1. Come up with a list of 8-10 positive activities for your dog and write them down in your journal.
2. If an activity requires training, read up on how to train your dog to do that activity. You will find some resources right here at www.asmalldog.com. I also recommend reading and following Let the Dog Decide, a great training book for shy dogs, by Dale Stavroff.
3. When you notice your dog beginning a (weird) coping behavior, engage him in one of the activities you had written in your journal.

Let Us Know What You Think:

Tell our community of small dog lovers some of the activities you like to do with your small dog. If nothing else, write something, anything, in the comment section below just to let me know you are alive and thinking about what you’ve just read.

*The opinions expressed in this article are my own and not necessarily those of the provider of the attached photo. I make no claim that the dog in the attached photo is a rescued dog, nor that it has any behavior problems.

Strange days.

(photo provided courtesy of thegordons@flickr.com*)

The Moral of the Story is . . .

You can teach morality to a dog, or more correctly, you can teach your version of morality. You do this by rewarding certain behaviors, and ignoring or punishing other behaviors. Even after training, your dog will not have a moral code, per se. He will learn to behave in ways that you believe are right, and avoid behaviors you believe are wrong.

I bring this up because some of us believe our dogs are “bad.” We believe they intentionally do things to violate our trust, try our patience, and challenge our authority. When a dog violates our trust or tries our patience, he is not carrying on an internal conversation with himself to the tune of “Let’s drive the human crazy!” A violation of trust or test of our patience is our own human interpretation of what the dog is doing. The dog is just doing what comes naturally to a dog.

It Makes No Sense, Even for A Dog

Let’s talk about dog behavior that simply makes no sense to us. Rescued dogs often enter our lives with a broad repertoire of what we might call “weird behavior.” Examples:

• Hiding under the bed for no apparent reason.
• Barking incessantly.
• Chasing own tail.
• Pacing.
• Whining.
• Chewing or digging holes.

The list goes on.

It Does Make Sense—To the Dog

How are any of these weird behaviors helping the dog? Answer: they all help the dog cope with stress. For example, when a dog hides under the bed, he is placing a barrier between himself and whatever he feels is threatening. A dog that barks incessantly can either be:

• Trying to hold a threat off by counter-threatening with a bark.
• Self-stimulating to drown out stress.
• Blowing off pent up worry.
• Calling for help.

Each example of weird behavior is not weird for the dog when the behavior is placed in context. It’s not hard to guess a rescued dog’s context. It’s past life was unstable, to say the least. When it first arrives in your home, it has no idea what to expect. Combine past troubles with the uncertainty of here and now, and you get a nervous dog. Further, and this is even more likely, many of the weird behaviors you see in your rescued dog were probably established well before he arrived in your home.

What We Do

The two common human responses to weird dog behavior are:

• Worry; and,
• Frustration

If you worry and fret over your dog’s weird behavior, the natural human response is to try and comfort the dog. When you hug and pet a dog that is acting strangely, your response rewards and reinforces the dog’s weird behavior. Remember, dogs only do what works for them. If whining and pacing invites comforting strokes from a human, then pacing and whining works for the dog. It’s going to continue.

If your response to incessant barking is a frustrated outburst of anger, you’ve just poured gasoline on your dog’s fire. The dog’s stress will magnify. The barking will no doubt stop for a moment because your outburst startled the dog. Once the initial shock is over, your dog is likely to resume barking, probably at a higher pitch.

The Answer, in Two-Part Harmony

What’s the answer? It’s twofold. First, as long as your dog’s weird behavior is not causing any damage to the dog, yourself, your family, your neighbors, or your house, ignore the bad behavior. Your goal is to not give your dog any more reason to continue or magnify the behavior. Second, you must give the dog something better to do—a substitute behavior.

I’ll get into how to substitute another behavior in my next article. For now, these are the take-aways:

When your rescued dog acts strangely, realize:

He’s not plotting to drive you insane, he’s just being a dog;
It’s a product of his past, plus his uncertainty about the present;
Your worried or angry response will only make his behavior worse.

Take Action:

1. Come up with a personal game plan with the steps you are going to take to keep yourself calm and unworried when your dog acts strangely. Write the game plan into your journal.
2. Discuss what’s going on with your family, friends, and anyone else who has frequent contact with your dog. Be sure to explain your game plan and get everyone on board. Your effective plan can be wiped out by one uncooperative relative or friend.
3. Watch for my next article that discusses how to re-direct your dog towards behavior you can live with.

Tell Us What You Think:

The rest of your small dog community would like to know how your dog behaves strangely and why you think he’s doing this. Let us know by writing a quick blurb in the comments section below this article. At the very least, write something–anything–to let me know you are alive and thinking about this article.

*The opinions expressed in this article are my own and not necessarily those of the provider of the attached photograph. I make no claim that the dog pictured is a rescue animal, nor that it has any problems whatsoever.

Something's Not Right

(photo courtesy of randy@flickr.com*)

Weird Behavior

First off, here’s what I mean by weird behavior. I am talking about anything your dog does that seems unusual or inappropriate for the circumstances. Here are some examples:

• Hiding under furniture, even though there are no apparent threats to your dog in your home.
• Chronic self-stimulation, such as continuous or nearly continuous paw licking.
• A fear display in response to a harmless noise, such as your refrigerator’s cooling motor starting up, or a dry leaf crunching under foot as the two of you walk outside.
• A fear display in response to a benign movement made by you or someone in your family, such as raising your foot off the ground to scratch an itch on your leg.
• Your dog clings to you as if leaving your side will result in certain death.

It Doesn’t Always Apply

Before I go further, know that some rescued dogs arrive in their new homes ready to take on the world. They adapt quickly to their new environment and never show any signs of trouble. I don’t want you to bring your new dog home expecting the worst, because your concerns may actually cause your dog to fulfill your expectations. This article addresses a worst case scenario that may never happen.

Why is this Happening?

There are three reasons why your new small dog may display behaviors associated with fear or anxiety in the most harmless situations:

• Your dog may have come from a situation in which he or she was abused, neglected, or threatened on a regular basis.
• He or she may have inherited a genetic pre-disposition to be fearful.
• You may inadvertently be encouraging your dog to act worried or fearful.

There is nothing you can do about your dog’s past. Nothing. You cannot go back and undo the trauma your dog may have faced at the hands of its previous owner. Even if you could somehow exact revenge against a previous owner who was abusive, your action would do nothing to improve your dog’s current situation. It’s a dead end and a drain on your emotions. Here is the real take-away: Being angry about your dog’s past can actually make your dog feel worse, even if your anger has nothing to do with your dog. Let it go and move forward, for your dog’s sake.

Many, many rescued dogs do not come from abusive situations. Though we might imagine ourselves heroes who save our dogs from the terrible abyss, the truth is, most dogs who behave fearfully were programmed that way from birth. Bad behavior is the number one reason dogs end up at the pound. Your rescued dog’s weird behavior may be the very reason he or she became a dog that was rescued. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on your view, we cannot go in and reprogram our dog’s genetics. All we can address is the behavior that results from genetics.

What Can You Do?

That leaves us with what to do, right now, that can make a difference in your rescued dog’s life. Here are the fundamentals:

1. Send worry and empathy packing.
2. Ignore weird behavior, as long as it does not cause your dog physical harm.
3. Encourage good behavior.
4. Build your dog’s confidence.

The Hardest Part

Of all these fundamentals, which do you think is the hardest to tackle? The first fundamental is the hardest because we humans are programmed to empathize with pain and suffering. Our dog moans and we respond automatically.

Here is a scenario for you. Imagine you are a firefighter, answering the alarm on a blazing building. The chief of your station tells you there is a person trapped inside the building, and he needs you on the search and rescue mission. There you are, inside the smoke-filled building. The infernal is rapidly consuming the walls. It’s hotter than hell. The only things keeping you moving are your portable air tank and mask, your fire-resistant clothing, and your resolve to save the trapped victim. After some methodical searching, you find the victim, a young girl trapped under a collapsed wall. She’s alive, but moaning and coughing. You look around. The flames are tearing up the remaining walls and flashing over the ceiling, which looks like it might collapse at any moment. Here’s your response:

“Oh, you poor, poor girl! You must be in a lot of pain. I feel so bad, so bad for you. Here, let me sit by you for a few minutes and comfort you. Oh man, that’s a really bad cough. You poor girl, you must be miserable. I’m not sure you are going to make it. This fire is terrible. We may both die right here, but that ‘s okay. I’ll be by your side, poor girl.”

Is this the right response? You know, it’s so ludicrous, it’s absolutely laughable. What firefighter in his or her right mind would sit there and do this? If this was your response to this situation, not only would you be wasting time and further endangering your victim, your response would destroy any hope your victim had of surviving.

The firefighting situation I just described is an absolute parallel to a dog owner who worries and frets about his rescued dog’s weird behavior. Not only will worrying about your dog’s behavior not help your dog, your worry will actually make the situation worse.

Dogs, if nothing else, are barometers for human behavior. When you worry and fret, they worry and fret. If your dog is already battling inner demons, adding your worry to the mix is like pouring gasoline on their fire.

Worry also handicaps our own behavior by pulling us off the task of helping. Just as a firefighter cannot waste time and energy worrying about his victim, you cannot afford to waste time and energy worrying about your dog’s behavior.

Take Action: How to Show Worry the Door

1. Begin by defining how you want your dog to be six months from now. (We will set a tighter timeline in the third part of this series.) Write it down. Hopefully, you are choosing phrases such as “More confident,” and “Energetic,” and “Relaxed.” You may also include goals such as “No longer licks her paws,” or, “Does not retreat under the bed.”
2. Become objective and less emotional by journaling your dog’s progress. Start a notebook right now and write down, as specifically as you can, what your dog does that seems out of place. Keep your descriptions clear and unemotional. For the sake of your dog, do not journal your feelings about his behavior. This is supposed to be an objective chronicle. We need to put your worry-filled emotions on an upper shelf, out of reach.
3. Commit yourself to a years-long project. Change will not happen overnight or even in weeks, so don’t fall apart if your dog does not improve instantly. You will see incremental changes over the coming weeks, but the big changes may take much longer. (Yeah, I know about that guy on TV that seems to perform miracles with dogs instantly. Those “miracles” are examples of incremental changes. We’re talking about changing a rescued dog’s overall demeanor, which takes more than a 5-minute span between commercial breaks.)
4. When positive change happens, write it down and celebrate! When positive change does not happen as soon as you expected, or if your dog seems to be heading in the wrong direction, write it down and analyze the situation. Look for a different path to take, or decide whether the path is right but just needs more time to work. Time is on your side.

Remember, the timeline you set up in your journal is based on your previous experiences and expectations. Your dog has his own timeline. That’s okay, because know this:

Dogs are survivalists. They cope by adapting. If you set up your dog’s environment so it is to your dog’s advantage to improve, your dog will improve. He or she won’t be able to resist. It will happen.

Up next: Ignoring weird behavior. It can be a huge challenge, but it is possible. I’ll tell you how to do it in my next article.

*The opinions expressed in this article are my own and not necessarily those of the provider of the attached photo. I make no claim the dog in the attached photo is a rescued dog, nor that it has any behavior problems whatsoever.

Strange days ahead.

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1. Your rescue dog requires a break-in period that may last anywhere from a few weeks to a few years.

2. During this break-in period it would not be unusual for your rescue dog to exhibit one or more of the following behaviors:

1. Fearful posturing or cowering
2. Hiding
3. Barking at unfamiliar noises
4. Ignoring you
5. Clinging to you, also know as “shadowing”
6. General unresponsiveness, also known as “shutting down”
7. Food avoidance
8. Food gorging
9. Self-stimulation, including licking, tail-chasing, spinning, scratching, and teething
10. Marking territory with urine, feces, saliva, or nail scratches.
11. Pacing, particularly at night
12. Hoarding toys or household items

3. During this break-in period, your dog may manifest physical symptoms associated with nervousness including, but not limited to episodes of:

1. Diarrhea
2. Vomiting
3. Rapid and extensive hair shedding, also known as “blowing the coat”

Note: Physical symptoms may not necessarily be caused by nervousness. If you suspect your dog may be ill, consult your veterinarian.

4. Or, your dog may not display any weird behavior at all during the break-in period. However, do not expect your dog’s true and normal range of behavior to fully manifest in the first weeks and months after arriving in your home. Dogs can and will mask or suppress certain behaviors as they size up their new owners and determine what is and is not acceptable. In some cases, it may take years before a rescue dog reveals its full range of behavior.

Do not be scared, proud owner of a newly rescued dog. Dogs are one of the most adaptable creatures on earth. Even if your rescue dog seems to act strangely, or a little “off” when he or she first enters your home, in time your dog will adapt. See: New Hope for Rescued Small Dogs for an example of how a rescued dog can thrive in a good home.

The amount of time it takes for your new dog to adapt depends on three key factors:

1. The experiences/trauma your dog went through prior to reaching your home;
2. Genetics; and,
3. How you respond to your dog during his/her break-in period.

You cannot do anything about what happened to your dog before it reached your home. You cannot alter your dog’s genetics. You are, however, in complete control of what happens after your dog arrives in your home. That is the subject of my next article.

Take Action:

1. If you have taken in a rescue dog, start a journal about his or her behavior. A journal will help you objectively track your dog’s mannerisms and habits. If you are diligent about tracking your dog’s behavior, you will note, over time, how well your dog is adapting to his/her environment. Journaling positive steps in your dog’s progress is good for your spirit, and that good energy will transfer to your dog.

2. Watch this website for my next article on how to cope with weird dog behavior. It will help you and your rescued dog adapt.

Tell Us What You Think

We owners of rescued dogs need support. Tell us how your rescued dog improved over time by adding to the comments section below. We’d love to hear your story.

Oh boy. People love to tell you they own a rescue dog.

“This is my dog. She’s a rescue.”

“We adopted our rescue dog last week.”

Sometimes I get the feeling these statements really mean: Look at me. I’ve done something noble. I’ve personally rescued a poor creature from neglect or certain death.

Don’t get me wrong. Taking in a rescued dog is a wonderful act of kindness and charity. You’ve given a permanent home to a dog that really needs one. You’ve also reduced the burden of a rescue group that is likely running on a very tight budget and operating with limited space. But make no mistake, when you adopt a dog that has been rescued from an animal shelter, you are not rescuing that dog. That dog’s safety was already assured by the fine people at a rescue group. Once rescued by an organization, a dog will spend its days very well cared for in either a kennel, or with a foster family while it awaits adoption. The safety of that dog is guaranteed for the rest of its life, even if it is never adopted.

What it Means to Rescue a Dog

What exactly do rescue groups rescue a dog from? Euthanasia, abuse, or neglect. Rescue groups tend to recover dogs from animal shelters with a high kill ratio. They also rescue dogs from situations in which dog owners are not providing proper care. Rescue groups also take in dogs that have supposedly outlived their usefulness in one capacity and are slated either for death or abandonment. For example, Greyhound rescue groups recover dogs that can no longer race, and are deemed useless to their owners.

Can You Actually Rescue a Dog?

If you want to actually rescue a dog, there is a way. Go to your local animal shelter and tell a volunteer working there that you wish to adopt a dog that is scheduled to be euthanized in the next few days. Mentally brace yourself for what you are about to see. That volunteer is not going to show you fluffy little Poodles, bright-eyed Schnauzers, or even happy, enthusiastic mutts. You are going to be taken to the pens where they keep the dogs everyone else has rejected. There you will find dogs who look bad, behave badly, or have obvious health issues. Even rescue groups have a hard time taking in dogs from this group. It’s true, rescue workers will take in a “diamond in the rough” if they feel a dog can be nursed back to health or groomed to an acceptable appearance, but they do not have the resources to save every animal. Some are left to fate. These are your candidates for rescue. Still interested?

I believe enlisting the services of a dog rescue group is the way to go if you are considering adopting a dog in need of a home. A good rescue group will have quality dogs available who would have otherwise died either at a shelter or at the hands of a neglectful owner. Adopting a dog that has been rescued is important work. It doesn’t confer upon you the status of Saint, but you are helping.

Take Action:

If you are considering adopting a dog that has already been rescued, go online and look at your choices. Many dog rescue groups have excellent directories of adoptable animals that include photos and detailed descriptions of each dog. The Atlanta Small Dog Rescue and Humane Society is one terrific example. You can find a link to their website here.

Even if you decide not to adopt a dog, or if you have already adopted, every rescue group desperately needs donation dollars and supplies to stay afloat. Please think about giving.

Let Us Know What You Think:

If you work for a dog rescue group, or you have adopted a dog from a rescue group, let the rest of our community know some of the issues you face every day. Use the comment section below to reply.

Coming right up! You’ve adopted a rescue dog. Now what? Here’s what to expect as your dog adapts to your home; and, how to cope with strange and unexpected behavior.

Kelsey, at peace.

One of our dogs, Kelsey, was facing imminent death at a local animal shelter. (Ironic that they call it a “shelter,” huh?) A few days before she was slated to be euthanized, a representative from Atlanta’s Small Dog Rescue and Humane Society plucked her from her cage and brought her home. At the time of her extraction, she was filthy, her coat was matted to the skin, and she was infected with heartworm. The good people at Small Dog Rescue cleaned her, and shaved her fur until she was nearly naked. They then began the long and difficult process of removing her heartworm infestation—a medication regimen that is so severe and toxic, the cure itself is sometimes fatal.
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That’s all we know about Kelsey’s background. No one knows what filled her days prior to her capture at the hands of animal control. We can guess. When we took over Kelsey’s care from Small Dog Rescue, she had been cured of heartworm. She was clean and freshly groomed. The surface looked great. What lay beneath was not so tranquil.

The Problem

In her early weeks and months with us, virtually everything frightened Kelsey. Sharp noises sent her running. When we approached her, she would hunker down and close her eyes, blinking them open only briefly, as though anticipating a blow to the head. So fearful was she of being kicked, that if I so much as raised my foot off the ground to scratch a mosquito bite on my calf, Kelsey would cower and moan a sickening and pitiful cry of despair. When we took walks in the fall, the innocent sound of leaves crunching under foot would cause Kelsey to pull out to the full extension of her leash in a desperate attempt to flee whatever demons she imagined were stalking her. Rare were the times Kelsey seemed to feel at peace.

Years Later

Fast forward four years. Kelsey is now a vibrant, energetic, happy, fully functioning dog. If I’m being honest, she only reached this state in the last year. There was no epiphany—no specific day and time when I could say she went from miserable and scared to happy and confident. The transformation happened slowly, very slowly, over years.

To see where Kelsey is today, take a look at the video featured on the home page of this website. There’s Kelsey, charging a flock of 40 large and very intimidating Canada Geese. Though the geese circled overhead and tried to land back in the field, Kelsey held her ground and barked until the birds retreated over the treeline and disappeared. I wish I could show you video of how Kelsey behaved just 2 years ago. If you had see her then, you would never believe that was the same dog you see in the current video.

There is Hope

I tell you this because, if you have a rescue dog that is seemingly traumatized, there is hope. It may take years to rehabilitate your frightened dog, but the day will come when you realize your dog has turned a corner. It won’t be apparent all at once, but it will happen if you remain steadfast and patient.

To those of you who are contemplating adopting a rescue dog. Know this. If the dog you adopt is the worse for wear due to the trials and tribulations of an earlier life, you will need to dig deep for patience and hope. You will likely have your resolve tested; and, trust me, your heart will ache on occasion. Having said all that, take a look again at that video of Kelsey. Better days will come.

Take Action:

If you own a rescue dog, or you have considered adopting a rescue dog, watch for my upcoming series of articles on rehabilitating a rescue dog. They will offer not only hope, but also offer positive steps you can take to help your dog find peace and happiness. You can also follow this link that describes the work of dog rescue groups.

Let Us Know:

If you are currently struggling with the behavior of a rescued dog, or if you have discovered a technique that helps your rescued dog, let the rest of our community know what is going on by replying to this article in the comment section below.