Just a Little Patience…
by John Flores
So you finally decided to save a life and adopt a dog. You’ve bought everything you need; you’ve read up on their breed(s) and spent enough time with this animal at the rescue to create enough of a bond to bring your new furry friend home. Congratulations!
Then reality hits and you get hit with, “The dog won’t eat.” “I think the dog is depressed.” “The dog doesn’t listen to me.” “The dog doesn’t love me.” “The dog doesn’t seem excited to see me.” All these “issues” usually result in the doing being returned….usually less than a week later.
I’m gonna fill you in on a little secret that may come as a surprise to most of you…..Your dog isn’t human! I know crazy, right? While I’m sure the dog is grateful for not having to be in a shelter anymore, your dog is still in a new environment which can be stressful for any dog no matter how nice or accommodating you think you may be. I feel like most people think their new addition should be the perfect dog. After all, YOU rescued them right? They should be appreciative of the fact that you chose them out of all the homeless dogs out there and they should act accordingly. Well, that’s what HUMANS do. Dogs don’t rationalize things and say to themselves, “I better eat this food because I don’t want to get brought back.” Or, “I should be in perfect dog mode because my owner saved my life.” Dogs 
aren’t like humans. They don’t “pretend” or fake their emotions to please you. Don’t get me wrong. Some dogs are happy go lucky and are always excited to see you and scarf down their food but most dogs need time to adjust. My advice? Have patience!
Elvis didn’t eat for the first THREE days he was with me. He would sniff his food and walk away. Could you imagine if I would have brought him back for being “depressed”? Wally didn’t eat for almost a week and now I have to hide my trash can because that’s all he wants to do now! Most dogs need time to adjust. A dog isn’t going to starve themselves. Remember that. Give the dog some time. What’s the rush anyway? You’ve made a LIFETIME commitment to this dog so don’t make a decision based on what you’ve seen the first couple days.
I once had a couple return a dog less than 24 hours after adopting her saying they thought there was something wrong with her because all she did was lay on the couch. I will still never understand that one but my point is this, invest some time into your dog. Don’t automatically assume because you rescued this dog that they’re gonna just automatically listen to you and know exactly how to make you happy. It’s a new relationship and you both are figuring out how to communicate with each other.
If you feel lost, ask for help! Ask friends, family, or even call the rescue you adopted from. Help is out there, you just gotta find it. Remember, your new family member has probably bounced around from place to place so they’re gonna need some time to adjust. We’ve all been there. Most of us aren’t ourselves when we’re in a new surrounding so be understanding to your new family member. Have patience and give your dog time. And in the meantime, learn to communicate with your dog. Communication fixes just about every problem in life.
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Yep- takes time. Be patient and understanding. They have been through a lot. It took about 1 year for my rescue to completely be herself. Every month after I got her I’d see something new in her personality and realized she was little by little adjusting and feeling safe so she could be herself.
That’s awesome, Penny. Patience is always key!
John, hopefully people will grasp this information. It’s a message needed for ALL new pet owners. Is this issue something that Priceless Pets stresses during the adoption process? With that said. . . . . .it’s sad that these “humans” have to be “told”. Pet’s should be given just as much a chance to adapt as a newborn baby!
I agree! If we all just keep educating I know we can change some minds!