Adopting a rescue dog
June 2021
When we first brought Millie home, she was in system overload - shocked and disoriented by her past ordeal, she was quiet and reserved for the first 3 days and only seemed to be interested in finding a hiding place to rest and disappear. Food appeared to be the only main interest she had.
Although I had prior experience with rescue dogs (our previous fur baby, Gioia, also came from a shelter), we were overwhelmed by the poor conditions she was in. Severely malnourished, her fur was matted and soiled, and had scars and bite marks all over her body. A visit to the vet confirmed her state of neglect, although luckily, she was in overall good health.
This all changed on day 4 – with the help of neighbors and friends, we trimmed her coat short, gave her a bath and started slowly socializing her with other people and dogs. She was slowly opening up and hinted a sign of playfulness.
On day 5 she started playing with her new dog pal, Samy and we first heard her voice. Although she startled easily and barked at every minimum noise, she appeared to slowly adjust to her newfound freedom and was beginning to enjoy a playful romp with her new dog friend. She remained quite scared of every single movement and was terrified by darkness.
By day 7 she was starting to realize that this was her forever home, and felt more and more comfortable around children, people and pets.
By the end of week 2, her intelligence and personality were starting to emerge. She learned the basic commands in one day, looked forward to her daily walks and could not wait to play with Samy.
By the end of the first month she was a different dog – cuddly and playful, her fears were slowly dissipating and was beginning to fully enjoy her new life.
3 months later, and she is an entirely different dog! Sweet, fun and loving, she is now every neighborhood child’s best friend! A couch potato at home and a bundle of energy outdoor. She’s the amazing dog she was meant to be.
Do adult dogs make a lesser desirable pet? Nothing can be further from the truth! Older dogs can learn as easily as at any age, and make amazing companions. Was it hard work at first? Absolutely! But I can only say that being able to change a dog's life is the most rewarding feeling you could ever have. It requires lots of patience, compassion, love and understanding, but it is well worth it!
The 3-3-3 rule
(Adapted from the Dane County Humane Society “Rule of Three”)
If you are thinking of adopting a rescue dog, please remember that every dog is unique and will adjust differently, depending on his past experiences, traumas etc. I found the guidelines provided by the 3-3-3 rule quite helpful in providing general guidance of when a rescue dog will adjust to his new environment. You should expect that your dog will need some time to get used to the new routines and adapt to his new life. While some dogs will stick to the 3-3-3 rule to a tee, others will take longer to feel completely comfortable, but understanding how the adjustment period works will help your new companion to settle into his forever home.
You should think of these guidelines in terms of threes: three days, three weeks, and three months.
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