Adopting a Rescue Dog: How to Help Them Adjust
When introducing a new member of the pack to your family, it is crucial to plan ahead and have the knowledge of how to navigate issues as they present themselves. A simple way to understand this process of getting your rescue dog adjusted and comfortable in its new home is called the 3-3-3 rule. This rule will help you understand the decompression process that your new furry friend will go through in the first 3 days, 3 weeks, and 3 months at a new home.
The 3-3-3 rule for adopting a new dog
The 3-3-3 Rule of Dog Rescuing is a guideline to help adopters understand the adjustment period for a newly rescued dog, breaking it into stages of 3 days, 3 weeks, and 3 months. During the first 3 days, your dog is decompressing, often feeling overwhelmed, shut down, or nervous in the new environment. They may sleep a lot, avoid eating, or have accidents as they process the change. During the next 3 weeks, your dog begins to learn your household’s routine, starting to understand when to eat, go for walks, and rest while showing more of their true personality. This is also when they may begin testing boundaries, so consistent rules, calm energy, and basic training with positive reinforcement are important. By 3 months, your dog typically feels secure, bonded to you, and understands the household rules and expectations while showing their true energy levels and behavior consistently. This is when trust is firmly established, and your dog is ready for advanced training, socialization, and more structured enrichment activities. The 3-3-3 Rule reminds adopters to remain patient, realistic, and calm, providing structure without overwhelming the dog, allowing them to settle in their own time and build a confident, trusting relationship in their new home.
Preparing Your Home for Your Newly Adopted Dog:
1.Dog-Proof Your House
Take a walk through your entire house (or apartment) to make sure there are no enticing items for your new dog to chew. This includes hanging wires, clothes, shoes, food, and other small items (If you have a child, it is the same as baby proofing!). By removing these objects, you avoid the temptation for your dog toy chew or eat something that It should not, and avoid having to correct him/her at an early stage!
2.Walk Your Property (if applicable)
Make a point to walk your property a few times before bringing your newly adopted dog home. Use this time to make sure there are no areas that your dog can escape from, including holes in or around the fence! Also, take the time to ensure there is no unwanted debris in the yard and that all gates are closed and latched properly.
3.Purchase a Crate or Designate a Quiet Space
When bringing a new dog into your home, a crate can be an excellent tool to allow your dog a quiet space to decompress. This tool can represent a safe place, and if trained correctly, can help your dog feel more comfortable in an uncertain environment. It is important to note that a crate should be used as a TOOL. This means that once the dog is comfortable, you have the option to get rid of the crate and never use it again. However, it is an extremely useful tool in the beginning that will make life easier for you and your dog.
If you are not comfortable using a crate, then designate an area or room in your house for your dog to have his/her “quiet place”. This means that when they are in this area, the idea is to keep them calm and let them have their own space. It is crucial to foster independence early on so that separation anxiety does not manifest later down the line.
4.Purchase Necessities
This is the most fun part of the process! Now it is time to pick out a collar, leash, food/water bowl, and of course…. toys!
Another important necessity is dog food! The best way to make sure you are choosing the right food is to research some of the top brands and understand their ingredient list. Dogfoodadvsior is an online database of every dog food individually rated and reviewed! Here is an awesome list to get you started.
Preparing Your Mind:
Whether you have been a previous dog owner or this is your first time, it is crucial to understand how to speak dog! That means understanding how to build a relationship and effectively communicate with your furry friend. This is going to pay huge dividends, as being able to mark, reward, reinforce, and correct your dog is crucial.
The First 3 Days:
1.Pick Up Your Dog and REMAIN CALM
It is going to be extremely tempting to want to greet your newly adopted dog with excitement and love when you pick it up and transport it home (or when it is delivered). However, now is NOT the time for that… at least not yet! Since you are about to remove the animal from a familiar place and take them somewhere new, calmness and clear direction are essential to set the tone and establish the relationship on the right foot.
It is important to note that during this process, the same calm energy you portray in the initial meeting should be continued for the next 3 months and on. This does not mean there cannot be moments of excitement or affection, but overall, that calm energy should be radiated at all other times!
2.Take a Walk
Taking your newly adopted dog for their first walk
Once you arrive home, keep your dog on the leash and take it for a long walk around the neighborhood. The purpose of this walk is to:
– Drain surplus energy and help integrate them into the house without being hyper/too energetic
– Establish the initial boundaries of the relationship, including how to walk properly and how to listen
– Acclimate and adjust your rescue dog to their new environment, including smells, sights, and sounds for different dogs and their families in the neighborhood.
If you are having any issues with leash pulling or not being able to control your new furry friend, I recommend investing in a gentle leader as a training tool. This tool can be used initially to help fix bad habits and establish good ones. In addition, once this behavior is mitigated, the gentle leader can be phased out, and they can resume walking again on a regular collar!
3.Take the Tour
Once you have concluded your walk and your dog is worn out, it is time to bring them into the house! At this time, do NOT take off the leash yet. We still want them to be following us, and we do not want to let them sniff or wander. If we give them free rein immediately, we are sending the wrong message as the leader of the pack. Use the leash to keep them close to you, and slowly bring them from room to room. Spend a few minutes in each room, and make sure YOU leave and enter first. Every new area is an opportunity to establish leadership and train them to follow your lead! Once the tour is finished in your home, feel free to repeat the same steps if you have a backyard, patio, or other outside area.
Continue the tour around your home while trying to ignore your dog. Petting, eye contact, and talking are not recommended, as your dog is already extremely overstimulated at this point. It is in a brand-new environment with brand-new people, so the less stimulation you create, the better it will be for the integration process. By remaining quiet, calm, and slowly leading them into each room, you will establish your leadership and help the dog stay focused on you.
4.Establish Boundaries
Once the tour is complete, it is now time to establish some basic boundaries for your new dog! Continue to lead them on leash to their feeding area, where you can let them have some water and a few pieces of food (or treats). This will help create the boundaries of the feeding time and establish an area that your dog is familiar with.
Once the feeding area has been introduced, take your dog to its bedroom. If it has a crate, I would begin by introducing it and letting your dog investigate. This could mean smelling, walking around, or just being curious. Feel free to open the crate and throw some treats or a bone in the back. Your new dog may just want to waltz right in after them! If they settle into the crate, feel free to remove the leash and shut the door. This will give them some time to decompress. If they seem anxious, you can always leave the door open and allow them access in and out. The best way to acclimate them to a crate if they have never seen one is to feed them in it, put something comfy in it, and load it with treats!
If you have chosen to not use a crate, now is the time to let your dog off the leash and let them investigate the area. By releasing them from the leash, you are clearly reinforcing that this area belongs to them! If they immediately lie down or ignore the family, do not worry! This means you did the process correctly, and they are already comfortable in the pack!
At this point, your dog should now be familiar with the layout of the house, as well as the boundaries. I encourage you to limit the amount of freedom you give the first few days by shutting doors and/or having some rooms off limits! In addition, continue to foster that calm environment for your dog by not overwhelming it with attention and affection. You can acknowledge them if they are craving interaction, but do not go overboard with love yet! While it may be tempting, remember that giving your dog too much affection at this time could later lead to separation anxiety when you’re gone.
In this critical time, your rescued dog is still adjusting to the home, so you must remain calm to teach them that this is YOUR territory and YOU make the rules. By using your affection as a resource to reward them when they do something good, during the first 3 days, you will send a strong message that will resonate with them in the language of dog!
Setting a Routine for Your Newly Adopted Dog
Over the first three days, your dog may not eat or drink, may act funny, and will still be getting used to the environmental change. At this time, it is crucial to establish a daily routine so your dog can understand the expectations. If you keep your routine consistent, you allow your dog to understand what is coming next in the day, and therefore reduce anxiety and stress. Here is an example of the daily routine we follow at our facility! An easy routine to follow if you are just getting started is to repeat this process three times a day:
Daily Plan for Your Newly Adopted Dog
Wake up / get ready to walk on your terms, do not let them wake you or interrupt you from doing other things
Go for a walk - 30 minutes to an hour – do not let them pull or lead the walk
Work on some basic commands- it only has to be 5 minutes! Sit, wait, down, etc.
Feed (or treat if it is the afternoon) - make them sit and wait for their food if possible
Reward after a walk, some training, and a meal, is the BEST time to shower your dog with love
Ignore when entering/leaving - if you are off to work in the AM, or coming home in the PM, make sure to ignore your dog! If you get excited and say goodbye, you will get them evicted right before you leave. This can cause separation anxiety!
Additionally, if you come home from work and they are standing at the door, jumping, and/or super excited to see you- IGNORE THEM! If you acknowledge them and give affection at this point, you are positively reinforcing all the wrong behaviors, as well as creating an opportunity for separation anxiety to manifest later down the road.
The First 3 Weeks
1.Continue Calm Energy
Your dog is still adjusting to your home, smells, sounds, and routines. Continue to remain calm when interacting, avoid overstimulating them with excessive affection, and use affection strategically as a reward for calm behavior.
2.Establish a Predictable Routine
Dogs thrive on routine, which reduces anxiety. Aim for consistent feeding times in the same location, regular walks (2–3 times daily, 20–60 minutes depending on energy level), short daily training sessions (5–10 min each) focusing on sit, stay, down, and leash manners, and rest and decompression time in their safe area or crate.
3.Continue to Limit Freedom
Your dog does not need full-house access yet. Use baby gates or closed doors to restrict access to certain areas. Supervise interactions in the home to prevent bad habits. Gradually introduce new rooms once your dog demonstrates calm behavior.
4.Socialization and Exposure
Begin gently exposing your dog to different people (one at a time, in calm environments), sounds (vacuum, cars, doorbells) at low volume, and other calm, well-mannered dogs if safe. This is the time for car rides and new adventures! Never force interactions; allow your dog to approach at their own pace.
5.Continue Leadership on Walks
Do not let your dog pull. Use tools like a gentle leader if needed. Walk with a purpose, encouraging your dog to check in with you.
6.Monitor Behavior
During this period, appetite and bathroom habits should stabilize. Fear-based or reactive behaviors may emerge as your dog decompresses. Use positive reinforcement to reward desired behaviors. Do not punish fear-based reactions; manage distance and desensitize over time. If aggression or severe fear persists, consider working with a qualified positive reinforcement-based trainer.
The First 3 Months
1.Deepen Routine and Expectations
By now, your dog should understand your household structure and basic routine. Continue to feed on a schedule and walk multiple times daily. Enforce household rules consistently (no jumping, boundaries on furniture if desired). Keep training sessions short but consistent.
2.Advance Training
If you want, you can begin working on reliable recall (come when called), “Leave it” and “drop it.” ad longer “stay” durations. This is the time to work on loose-leash walking with distractions or mat/place training for calm settling. Use treats, praise, and play as rewards to build positive associations.
3.Expand Socialization
Introduce your dog to a variety of environments (parks, pet stores, calm coffee shop patios) as well as exposure to different people, dogs, and situations in a positive, controlled manner. Continue to monitor for stress signals and retreat if needed.
4.Increase Physical and Mental Enrichment
Your dog will need more mental stimulation as comfort grows. You can use: food puzzles, snuffle mats, enrichment toys, nose work games, or scent walks where your dog is allowed to sniff freely.
5.Build Independence to Prevent Separation Anxiety
Practice leaving your dog alone for short periods. Do not make a big deal when leaving or returning home. Provide chew toys or enrichment when you leave. If your dog struggles with alone time, consider gradual desensitization.
6.Assess Progress
By 3 months: your dog should feel comfortable in your home and with your family, you should see a consistent routine forming, training should show gradual improvement and your dog’s true personality will continue to emerge.
If major behavioral issues remain, it may be time to seek professional help to address them early before they become ingrained.
By following these steps, you give your dog or puppy the greatest chance to succeed and decompress in its new environment. This process takes time, but by following this advice, you mitigate a lot of the issues that can rise when adopting a rescue dog to be your new furry friend.