Adopt a Shelter Pet

In honor of Adopt a Shelter Pet Day (annually on April 30th), this blog is for anyone who has been thinking of introducing a new family member to their pack. Many people dream of meeting a dog or cat, falling in love instantly, and riding off into the sunset together. It can feel frustrating, disappointing, or disheartening when they encounter challenges with their new shelter pet. Luckily, your veterinary staff is here to help and guide you through this process, and resources are available to assist you with your new family member.

---

Shelter Life Can Be Ruff

When adopting a pet from a shelter, there can be many unknowns. While some pets that have been surrendered might have some backstory, there are many strays whose past will always be a mystery. Like us, pets have unique personalities and can be shaped by their experiences (both good and bad) which can have lasting impressions. Whether a pet ends up in the shelter after living in a home, or they were brought in after living on the streets, a shelter environment can be extremely stressful for any animal. There are a lot of loud sounds, unfamiliar smells, and strangers coming and going, and it may take a new pet some time to adjust to being in a new home.

The 3-3-3 Rule

As a general guideline, we can look to the 3-3-3 rule for managing our expectations when bringing a new pet home. The three 3's are as follows:

3 Days - It often takes a new pet about 3 days to decompress from being in the loud and chaotic shelter environment, to now being in your home. During this time, your new pet will benefit most from having a calm, quite place that they can feel safe in. For now, hold off on introducing your dog to your friends and family, taking them to dog parks, restaurants, or shopping, and limit any new sights, smells, or experiences - that will come later! Start crate training right away using lots of positive reinforcement so that your pet has somewhere comfortable and safe to stay when you can't watch them. Be warned - the first few nights may be a little difficult, especially if a pet isn't used to being crated. They may whine, bark, or cry in their crate and wake you up throughout the night, but don't feel discouraged! It can be scary to be in a new place.

3 Weeks - Once your new pet is feeling settled, you can start to introduce them to other pets in the home, your friends and family, and slowly start introducing them to more of your world. This is when you should start establishing a routine with your new pet, working on house training, crate training, and start working on basic obedience. As your pet starts feeling more comfortable in your home, they may start testing boundaries and behavioral issues might emerge. These behavioral issues (such as chewing furniture, accidents in the house, counter-surfing, etc.) can put strain on you and your pet's relationship and start making them feel like a chore. Many owners will experience feelings of regret, disappointment, sadness, or anger, but it is important to remember that these growing pains will not last forever, and with time and dedication, your pet will fit into you and your family's lifestyle. To combat these negative feelings, try to focus on finding way to bond with your dog, such as training commands, playing with a special toy, or going for walks.

While this testing of boundaries is normal, it is extremely important that these behaviors are checked and corrected to ensure that your home remains harmonious. Please speak to your veterinarian or consult a trainer if your new pet's behavioral issues feel beyond your experience and comfort level.

3 Months - By now, most pets feel comfortable in their new home and understand their routine. You can continue to gradually increase their exposure to new experiences, such as going to restaurants or stores with you, traveling with you, or playing with other dogs at the park. At this stage, owners should continue to work on building their relationship with their new pet by spending time each day playing together, being active together, or working on training. Any persisting behavioral issues or difficulties with things like house training, crate training, etc. should be discussed with your veterinarian or trainer.

Don't Baby Your New Pet!

This is one of the hardest and most surprising aspects of bringing home a new pet: don't over-do it with love and affection right out of the gate. As humans, we tend to place our emotions onto pets and many of us consider our pets "fur babies" or "fur children." When we rescue a pet from a shelter, we often want to shower them with love , affection, toys, and teats and show them what a good life is like. While well-intentioned, this can create a lot of behavioral issues and should be avoided in the early stages of bringing your pet home.

Let us explain: Imagine you grew up on the streets, food was hard to come by, you had nowhere dry to sleep when it rained. Suddenly, you are brought into a warm home where food is always available, you have toys to play with, and a dry, cozy bed to sleep in - and the best part is, you have a family to dote on you, talk sweet to you, and shower you with love and affection! Once a pet experiences this, they do not want it to be taken away, and this can lead to separation anxiety when they are not with you, guarding their food, toys, or bed, or even becoming territorial of you or your house. In some cases, these behaviors can cause pets to react aggressively. So how do you combat this?

During the first few weeks, your priority should be establishing a routine. Your new pet should be adjusting to your schedule and lifestyle, not the other way around. If in the first few weeks you are giving all of your time and attention to keeping your new pet entertained, they may come to expect this, which can create confusion for them when you need to take care of business. Be sure to spend time each day exercising and playing with your pet, giving them some pets and cuddles here and there to start building a bond, but don't go overboard. Encourage your pet to spend time alone in the crate while you are home by giving them a frozen Kong, praise and reward them when they are laying down or playing quietly while the family watches TV, and avoid letting your pets on the furniture or sleeping in the bed with you for now. Over time, as your pet learns their place within your "pack" and sees you as a leader, you can start to incorporate more affection and special couch or bed privileges.

Be Mindful of Special Cases

While the 3-3-3 Rule is a great general rule of thumb, it is not a one-size-fits-all, and there may be circumstances that delay a pet's acclimation to their new home. For example, pets with a history of abuse, neglect, or severe lack of socialization (such as growing up as a stray on the streets) may require more time to adjust and may have more hurdles to overcome as you go through life together. While it might feel challenging at times because we expect unconditional love from our pets, it's important to understand that such a bond comes with time, trust, and consistency.

Be Cautious(ly Optimistic)

As you and your new pet get to know each other, regardless of their age or background, it is important that you take things slow and spend a lot of time observing them and identifying any quirks or triggers in order to keep you and your family safe. There may have been times in your new pet's life where food was scarce, they didn't have somewhere soft and warm to sleep, or someone might have even been physical with them that can lead to issues with resource guarding, food aggression, or reacting negatively to being touched, hearing loud noises, etc. Always supervise children when interacting with animals and make sure the whole family is aware of your new pet's boundaries.

If you are having issues or concerns while acclimating a new pet to your household, reach out to your veterinary staff or a professional pet trainer or behaviorist for guidance. While it can feel stressful and overwhelming, know that there are resources available to ensure that your and your pet succeed!

Click here to schedule an appointment. https://connect.allydvm.com/practice/prosper_trail/appointment_request