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When you first bring a new foster or rescue dog into your home, regardless of what the rescue or shelter tells you about the dog, they are still an unknown entity. Dogs behave differently in the shelter and you won’t start to see the dog’s true personality until after the dog has gone through a de-sensitization period. The length of this period depends on the dog but by the end of two to three weeks, you should start to see a different dog. It doesn’t matter what breed the dog is or how big or small, they are all dogs and this article refers to all canines.
Although we tend to treat dogs like furry humans, they are not. They are very intelligent canines with a certain set of behaviors and responses to stimuli. That’s not to say they are without feelings of unconditional love etc. just that their reactions to things are from a canine point of view, not a human one.
Here are some definite no-nos to do with or around your new rescue/foster dog.
Do not stare into the dog’s eyes – This is a direct challenge in the dog world. It is a very dominant thing to do with a dog you don’t know and who doesn’t know you. Staring into a dog’s eyes like this may result in a nasty bite to the face. A lot of children get bitten in the face for doing this so make sure you tell them not to do this before the dog arrives! NEVER leave a young child unsupervised with any dog! Once the dog has de-stressed and settled in there are exercises you can do to teach the dog to accept a stare from a human as a good thing. Ask your local dog trainer for help with this and other training exercises.
Do not disturb the new dog while he or she is sleeping – Do not stand over, lean over, bend over or lie next to, speak suddenly, put your arm over or touch a sleeping dog. This could also earn you a few stitches in the face. If you need to get the dog’s attention, call the dog’s name softly from a safe distance and once the dog us fully awake and recognizes you, call them to you. Treat a sleeping dog like you would a sleeping grizzly bear and don’t poke it. Remember the old saying “Let sleeping dogs lie?”
Do not pester the dog to kiss you – leave it up to the dog if he or she wants to show affection. If you push it they can hardly tell you “no” and if you ignore the warnings (growling, lip-curling, and stiffening of the body to name a few), teeth may follow and there goes your face again!
Do not try to take something from the dog that he or she shouldn’t have – use distraction or when possible ignore the behavior. For example, if the dog steals your dish towel and runs off with it, don’t play that game. Ignore it and get the dish towel back later once the dog has lost interest in it. If you do give chase and the dog has gone underneath a table, for instance, he may have learned in the past to use aggression to keep people from taking things from him or her. Those teeth could easily come out again. You can easily replace an object but you cannot replace your face, hands, legs or anything else in the line of fire. Also by giving chase, the dog learns how to get your attention and get you to play “chase me” whenever he or she wants.
Do not interfere with the dog while he is eating – Let the dog eat in peace and enjoy their food. If you have children, keep them away. It goes without saying that children should never be allowed to do any of the aforementioned actions around a new dog. Everyone needs to learn boundaries. Some dogs don’t give a hoot if a party is going on while they are eating but others do and it isn’t worth the risk. Later on, with the help of a local trainer (ask your vet for a trainer they recommend) or the dog’s backing rescue if you are fostering, you can teach your dog it’s great to have people around your food bowl.
Do not hug your new dog – Hugging is not natural to a dog and can make them feel trapped and vulnerable resulting in a human/canine misunderstanding if the dog is not used to it. Wait until you know the dog better and if they warn you, back off! Children especially love to hug dogs, please please, please, teach your children never to hug a strange dog and to always ask the owner if they can stroke the dog. Too many children get bitten for doing this.
Other danger areas – There are many other danger areas that could result in a negative reaction from a new dog. Here are a few.
A person suddenly sneezing.
A loud or sudden noise – laughter, shouting, etc.
Someone standing up quickly, going from small to big and threatening.
*Other family dogs playing.
*Children running, rough and tumbling, screaming.
*If any of these activities are to take place, put the new dog in his crate, quiet or a safe place. Once the dog has settled in, put them in a place where they can watch the action and be desensitized to it without harm to human or canine.
This doesn’t mean you can never do any of the things with your dog that is mentioned in this article, it just means be careful, understand how dogs may react, and take baby steps until such times as everyone is settled. Remember, a dog coming out of the shelter needs lots of rest and quiet to recuperate. They have been through quite an ordeal.
Last word – When people get bitten for “no reason” it is usually due to human error and we need to accept it was our fault! Dogs are not people. They don’t react like people, we shouldn’t expect them to react like people, and we certainly should not blame them when they react and act like a dog. They are great companions, they do love unconditionally, and with care, love, and some forethought from a dog’s point of view, everyone can get along.
https://positively.com/dog-behavior/basic-cues/watch-me/
Next time – Things To Do With Your Rescue/Foster Dog
© Rhiannon West
3/3/2018
