Great reminder. I foster dogs and I have a 1.5 yr lab at the moment that was a stray, then to the pound and then me. We are making headway bit by bit. What great timing to see your video today.
I rescued a one-year-old Lab/Terrier on July 1, 2021 who came from a humane society shelter where she lived in a crate, in a cage in a warehouse with 200+ other dogs. I have many Labs before but never a rescue dog. I had a LOT to learn. I learned that Ginger does best in a quiet home where she can get a lot of rest. She is definitely highly excited and over aroused girl. She wanted me with her at all times, even at her nap time. It has taken her 6 months to have the confidence and trust to go to my bed, alone and take a nap without me. A huge milestone for us all!
Thank you for this video. I guess I was rushing it a bit. 10 days after we had to put down our soul dog, we rescued a 4 month old Chocolate Lab mix. She's tightly bonded with my husband, but not so much with me. Maybe she senses my grief, I'm just not sure. ❤
Shellie, there is no doubt about it that dogs sense our emotions. They are acutely sensitive to the energy we have. That will without a doubt dictate how they gravitate towards us or don’t. Remember it is a totally new experience for your new dog. At 4 months old she will be looking for security and strong leadership with her new family. See it as a new experience and focus on bonding confidently through play and positive emotions and she’ll come around.
Thank you very much, this really helps. I got an 8 year old rescue who has been only ever in a shelter and he is not yet fully trusting me after 10 days so I was worried
Great points here. I’m looking to get a rescue dog and this is something I’ve considered as well; that it is a big change for the animal to adjust to. My question is how do you know when the dog is ready and adapted to see more people or socialize?
It takes time as each dog is very different. The main focus to begin with is establishing your relationship and the trust that comes with that. The key is to take your time. Early walks and outings give you an opportunity to assess the dog and see where it’s preferences and concerns lie. After a few weeks you’ll get a good idea and see the dog’s character traits start to emerge as you build your bond. Take the time to find out about your dog firsts with soft exposures to the world, learn to communicate and work together. Then integrate and build little by little a step at a time. Don’t rush the process. It’s time we’ll spent.
Persian Chris, how would you show a slow introduction to the world in a video? Tired stock photos of scared animals? This contains experienced and sensible advice.
