The Rule Of 3!

You are probably wondering, what on earth she is talking about. What is the Rule of 3? Everyone should own 3 dogs! Now, that would be great! I personally own 2, but I used to own 3. But, no that is not what I am talking about. The Rule of 3 is a general set of guidelines for when you adopt a rescue or shelter dog. We give this flyer to all Williston Animal Group adopters and we support them on their journey with their new dog. Rescue and shelter dogs have probably spent at least a few months in a kennel, and not in a home with lots of attention. Dogs get very used to their surroundings, even if it is in a kennel, and being exposed to new surroundings can be stressful.

So, here are the Rules of 3. These are general rules because all dogs are different. Some may take less time to adjust and others could actually take longer.

3 days after being adopted:

1. Your new dog may feel very overwhelmed.
2. May be scared and unsure of what to do.
3. May not show his or her true personality, yet.
4. May not want to eat or drink. We have new intakes to our rescue that do this too.
5. They may want to hide, be left alone, or not socialize too much.
6. They may test their new boundaries. Some dogs may even run away.

3 weeks after being adopted:

1. They may be starting to settle in and feel more comfortable.
2. He or she may realize maybe this is my forever home and I can feel at home.
3. Learn the layout of their new environment.
4. Learned your routine and start to settle into it.
5. Let his or her guard down and feels comfortable enough to show their true self.
6. This is when behavior problems may show up if there are any. If this occurs please reach out to a dog trainer to see if they can help you rather than just returning the dog. At Williston Animal Group we work with you and our trainer to help your new dog adjust to your home. We want our adoptable dogs to have the best chance at success.

3 months after being adopted:

1. Now Fido should be starting to be completely comfortable in their new home.
2. Building trust and a bond.
3. He will have gained a feeling of security with his new family.
4. Set in your routine and follows the routine.

So, as you can see it may take a while for your newly adopted dog to feel safe, secure, and at home with you. I think some people get upset when the dog they adopted appears afraid of them, unsocial, or not affectionate. Give it time, and be patient. Think about if you were the dog, maybe you would be aloof at first too, wondering what will happen.

Williston Animal Group is a 501C3 dog rescue located in Williston, Florida. We are always in need of new foster parents and volunteers. The more dogs we can place in a foster homes, the more we can save from shelters. We are fully staffed by volunteers and funded by awesome donors, and community supporters.

If you would like to learn more about us, follow us on Facebook. I do regular posts with lots of information about our available dogs.

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