Contributed by Victoria Stees, Owner, Revolution K9
Picture this: You’ve brought this adorable, endearing, albeit uncertain, dog home for the first time. Maybe your family has recently adopted, or perhaps you’re fostering - providing a safe place for them to land until they find their forever home. Their past has likely been a little bumpy and you’re eager to show them how much better it can be.
The leash is taut in your hand while you unlock the door - they’re sniffing the air all around for clues about this unfamiliar environment. Coaxing the dog gently (or perhaps even hanging on for dear life as they drag you along), you both enter to sounds of excited barking and warbling from the other room. “They will be so happy to have friends and go everywhere we take them!”- you think to yourself. You even contemplate when you can introduce them all to play; to show them just how good the dog life here can be!
Not so fast.
This moment, right here, can set the tone for the success of this entire relationship. And unfortunately a well-meaning but misguided understanding of stress can set the stage for early failure.
Stress is a misunderstood mental and physical state in dogs
Nearly 100% of the time, thrusting a dog right into the entirety of their new world sets them up for more stress at best, and trauma at worst. As a dog trainer who integrates student dogs into a pack of nine, I’ve observed it doesn't matter how seemingly outgoing or confident that new student is: there is always a decompression process. Decompression is the word we use to describe the mental and emotional processes of acclimating to new environments, people, and animals while also waiting for the body's natural stress defense systems to relax.
Stress in dogs can be revealed in a variety of ways including decreased appetite, reduced social skills and tolerance for other animals, and muted personality.
So how do we bring out the best in our dogs and relax the stress? And how long can we expect to hope for all those good times ahead?
Phase 1: Safety & Stabilization
Understand that dogs need time to arrive at their own understanding of their new situation. They need this time before they are able to emotionally regulate or feel safe in new relationships with people and animals. The simplest way to accomplish this is by kennel time in a secure space, predictable routines like times of one-on-one walking, potty breaks, and feeding, and limiting their interactions to a few close humans.
Creating safe space allows the dog to process where and who they now are, rather than reacting in a fight, flight or freeze response to unknown and new stressors. Flooding the dog with too many new people, places, and dogs is deeply counter-productive to the safety that has been established. A dog who feels unsure of what is going on will react in fight, flight or freeze. Space beyond the crate can be added incrementally over time.
Phase 2: Processing
Here, you can start (very minimally) teaching or rewarding good choices and behaviors with positive reinforcement. Giving their brain the safety and controlled space to take stock of their new life is still as crucial as in the first stage, so be sure to protect that safe space as you move into this phase.
If you don’t want a dog fight, or to see the worst of this new dog’s insecurities, do not rush through this phase. Generally this phase begins after the first 7-10 days of one-on-one walks, potty breaks, feeding times, and space-sharing. Dogs are each individuals, so this time can really be quite flexible, but a week is a good rule-of-thumb. Watch your dog for cues that he or she is more ready to explore outside the safe space. If you aren’t sure, ask for help from a trusted source!
Phase 3: Integration
Now’s the time to ease into it! New stimuli such as your mom’s house, your other pets, and field trips should be introduced one at a time, briefly. Keep each interaction short, positive, and neutral. Practice reinforcing calming behaviors such as laying down, sitting, looking at you, and relaxed breathing using high value treats. When we set dogs up to make good choices, they become more confident, which results in good things both socially and environmentally. Control of their space allows for both good choices and security needed to thrive. Predictability reinforces the healthier state of mind you are cultivating, instead of panicked uncertainty and confusion which can lead to regression to a stressed state.
“Three weeks and three months” are the golden rules of behavior I advise when it comes to making or breaking new or old habits. It physiologically takes at least three whole weeks for stress hormones to clear the body- so remember, do not rush your dog through adjustment. If you follow the spirit of the decompression process by simply providing safety and time to process, you will unearth a brilliant individual looking to be part of your world. All it takes is understanding that meeting the dog where they are, rather than where you are excited for them to be, is the key to unlocking the true dog within.
**It is very common for both foster and adoptive placements to fail within the first three weeks. Often, we attribute this to over-eagerness on the part of families to introduce dogs to the wholeness of their new lives. Please be patient, and be sure to reach out to your rescue group, shelter, breeder, or a reputable trainer for assistance. We would all much rather help early-on before things are out of hand, or you’re ready to give up!**
