Understanding Your Rescue Dogs Behavior

Has your rescue dogs behavior changed since he’s settled into his forever home? It’s not uncommon for rescue animals to behave differently at home than they appeared in the shelter. Perhaps he’s become worryingly aggressive or displays a penchant for isolating?

These types of behaviors can be concerning, but there are reasons why rescue animals misbehave. Have you considered what his prior home environment was like? If your new four-legged friend came from a home that was chaotic and punitive, he has developed defense mechanisms to protect himself. These coping skills may have helped him survive in an unhealthy environment, but now he needs to replace them with appropriate behaviors. This is where your loving patience and redirection come in!

Is your new BFF overly territorial when it comes to food? If he was underfed or had to compete with other animals for food he learned to protect whatever he was given. This could result in him defending his dish if you or another animal gets near it. How do you counteract this learned behavior? Make sure he doesn’t go hungry, and never crowd him when he’s eating.

Does your new fur baby try to bite when you approach him, try to snuggle, or just enter his “space?” Sadly, many abused rescue dogs simply come to expect this type of treatment from all humans. When he sees your hand coming toward him he doesn’t anticipate a loving pet, he expects to be hit instead. Tons of patience and understanding will go a long way toward helping your canine friend to overcome his fear of people. When new people come over introduce them gradually, and ask them not to reach for or grab him. It can be agonizing waiting for your new bestie to come to you of his own accord, but the trust between you two can’t be built overnight.

Relieving themselves inappropriately is common among rescue animals whose neglectful owners didn’t let them out in time. There’s no way around it: you’ll need to invest the time and attention required to re-train your pet. A doggie door works wonders, also!

Related: Why Does My Dog Pant A Lot?

Coming home to house that looks like a hurricane hit it is not the sole province of rescue parents! Any bored animal can “entertain” itself by destroying your belongings. To avoid shredded shoes and chewed up sofas, provide enough stimulation for your pet while you’re away. First, make sure he has lots of stimulating toys to play with (food balls or puzzles are excellent choices, too). You can also leave a radio or tv on so that the house doesn’t seem completely empty. If your bestie can handle it, consider confining him to a room that he can’t destroy, i.e., the bathroom.

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Now that you better understand why your rescue dog is behaving as he is, you can help him relearn, and become the awesome dog he was meant to be!

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