RESCUING A PUPPY

PATRICIA MCGRADY IS THE OWNER AND FOUNDER OF BE MORE DOG ESSEX. SHE IS CERTIFIED WITH THE CIDBT, A KIDS AROUND DOGS PROFESSIONAL, AND MEMBER OF THE CFBA. PATRICIA IS ALSO VANITY FUR MAGAZINE’S DOG BEHAVIOURALIST.

If you are thinking of getting a puppy, then rescuing is a wonderful thing to do. Our rescue centres are overwhelmed at the moment. I believe this is partly due to the lockdown and those who have returned to work and can no longer look after their dogs. Taking in a rescue is a great way of helping these centres and giving a puppy a chance of the wonderful life they deserve.

Whether you are taking in a young pup at 8 weeks or an older dog of 6 months, here are some tips to help get you off to a great start with your new addition to the family.

The first few days for any dog being rehomed can be scary and overwhelming. Focusing on bonding and showing the puppy that it is safe is the most important thing you can do at this stage. Feeling secure and their welfare overrides everything when it comes to dogs. This is especially true for young pups.

There is no need to rush ahead with socialising. Obviously, if they are very young and undergoing vaccinations, they will not be able to venture outside until they have immunity. If your puppy is older and has had its vaccinations, it is still worth spending some quiet time to create a loving bond, helping the puppy feel safe and getting to know one another before venturing out into the big wide world.

When a puppy is born, the mother will provide warmth, company, food, nurturing, cleaning, grooming and tending to the youngster. She will be with them constantly; she will rarely leave them. We can think about emulating this behaviour, and it is especially important for puppies that have been through the rescue process because they may have had instability in their lives, so providing this foundation is really crucial.

Stay at home with your dog for the first few days to keep them feeling secure. This may mean taking some time off work, but who wouldn’t want to be at home with the puppy instead of at work!? Hand feeding is a lovely way to bond. By letting the puppy lick the food from your hand, it will be smelling your skin and seeing you as their source of food. Ditch the bowl for the first few days.

Think about keeping the space the puppy has access to relatively small to begin with, then gradually start opening up areas of the house. This is to mimic the behaviour of the den area where the pups will naturally spend all their time before gradually exploring the environment. For young puppies, sleeping in the same space with them will help them transition away from the security of the rest of the litter.

It is traumatic for puppies to be taken away from their mother. In the wild they would be together for many months, so helping them feel safe and providing that company in those initial days is essential to keep their stress levels as low as possible. Sleeping next to your pup on the sofa or having their bed next to yours will really help them in those first few days or weeks. Your breathing, the energy from your heart, and the presence of you being there will provide so much comfort and really help them become accustomed to their new surroundings. You can think about transitioning sleeping areas later when they are sleeping throughout the night.

At this early stage, it is possible to get an idea of the character of your puppy by observing and looking for its responses to situations. How curious is the puppy? How wary or suspicious is the puppy? How does it react to the objects in your home, such as the hoover and the stairs, or the noises outside? How timid or confident is the puppy? These observations will really help you understand at what pace you should be exposing them to different things as they grow older.

There is no ‘one rule fits all’. Some dogs cope fantastically well in new surroundings and seem to take to new experiences really well, with plenty of confidence and curiosity. Others are naturally more cautious and should not be rushed into things. We must always go at the dog’s pace and not ours. It really pays to honour the dog’s character to avoid unnecessary stress. Observing body language and looking for the movement and direction of the puppy are key here. Does it run and hide, pull back, have its weight on its back legs, seek comfort from you, or does it orientate forwards straight away, without hesitation?

These subtle signs really give an insight into how a puppy feels. If you don’t feel confident in reading their body language, seek the advice of an experienced professional to help you understand how your dog is feeling. Your dog will develop a steady, healthy outlook if its individual needs are met during this critical learning period. ‘Quality over quantity’ is a mantra I often use when working with clients and their dogs. It is much better to do things safely and gradually than rush ahead and have a potentially major setback on your journey together.

Further reading.

The recently published book ‘How to Raise a Puppy’ by Turid Rugass is an excellent source of information on this subject. I highly recommend it to anyone thinking of getting a new puppy.

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