Advice For Adopters/Fosterers




HOW TO HELP YOUR NEW RESCUE DOG ADJUST TO THEIR NEW LIVES AND MAKE THE ADOPTION/FOSTER A SUCCESS

This advice sheet is intended as a guide to assist adopters/fosterers prior to adoption and during the first few days and weeks after their new dog(s) arrive in their new homes. It suggests things that may be done to hopefully prevent or minimise any issues that could arise.

It cannot profess to cover all situations and is not intended as a comprehensive guide to the behaviour of rescued dogs. It is based on the personal experiences of people who have adopted dogs from overseas.

Please read it carefully and to the end. We make no apologies for it being a bit long because we believe that it is necessary for the welfare of the dogs

Compassion for Greek Paws (C4GP) cannot accept liability for advice given in good faith, every dog and situation is unique.

The advice given is based on the experiences of people who have adopted dogs from overseas, not only from Greece but also Spain, Italy and Balkan countries.

Whilst many have experienced some initial problems, they now have dogs that are or are developing into loving, happy and well adjusted family pets that they would not be without.

Given their chance rescue dogs can become the most loving, loyal and trustworthy animals there are. So please do not be pessimistic when reading the advice below. You may experience some or none of the potential problems. Some dogs settle immediately but some do have difficulties adjusting to their new lives. Forewarned really is forearmed and many potential problems can be prevented or alleviated by simple preparation and precautions.

Much that is suggested you would need to consider if you were adopting a new puppy or a rescue dog from a UK rescue centre.

Look on Facebook to see all the heart warming stories of dogs that have been brought to the UK from overseas.

Whether you are adopting or fostering you must be prepared to be patient and understanding. This will not only help your dog to settle in to your home and family but will lay the foundation of a lifelong loving and rewarding relationship.

It is important to remember that in Greece many people have a very different view of dogs to most people in the U.K. Dog are often looked upon as working tools or vermin. Dogs that have spent any of their lives on the streets may have been persecuted by local people.

The dogs from Compassion For Greek Paws (C4GP) have all lived in or around the shelter for most or all of their lives. They are used to interacting with a limited number of other dogs and even fewer humans. Amanda does her utmost to socialise the dogs but conditions in Greece mean that this is limited. There are friends and visitors from the UK who do visit and help with the dogs and play with them but for most of the year they only see a very few people. While the shelter is a safe environment it is not ideal, there are occasional fights and some dogs do not cope well with shelter life.
Most have little or no experience of living in a home environment and therefore cannot be considered “house trained”. It is all a totally new world and can be very frightening, making them feel lost and trapped.

They also have to endure a long journey, 3 to 4 days (depending on conditions), to actually arrive in the UK. This can be a stressful and even traumatic experience for them.

Each dog will react differently to the journey and entering its’ new home.

By preparing your family and home well before the dog’s arrival you will be giving yourself and the dog the best chance of a smooth and successful settling in period and minimising any potential problems.

It is important to try to view things from the dog’s perspective in everything you do!


THINGS YOU MUST CONSIDER BEFORE PROCEEDING TO ADOPT/FOSTER A RESCUE DOG
  • This will be a large commitment by your family, emotionally, financially and socially!
  • You must have the time to commit to the dog – companionship, exercise and training.
  • There are financial implications – food, vets bills and transport.
  • You need the space and facilities for the dog – are there safe places within a reasonable distance to walk and exercise the dog.
  • If you have other pets you need to consider how they can be introduced and how they may interact.
  • Are all your family (and people who visit regularly) in support of you adopting this dog?
  • You must also think about the potential impact on your home and garden!

THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE YOUR NEW FAMILY MEMBER ARRIVES IN YOUR HOME
  • Register with a vet – let them know you are adopting from overseas.
  • Sleeping arrangements: where will they sleep and what sort of bed/basket are you going to provide. If you do decide that you want them to sleep in a crate until they are adapted to family life then get one with adequate room for them to stand erect and turn round freely. Find somewhere where they can have a quiet zone to retreat to if they feel overawed or insecure. This will help minimise any stress they feel.
  • Feeding arrangements: a quiet area away from the normal noise and activity of the house is normally best. You also need to decide what you want to feed them and convert them slowly onto this from what they have previously been fed.
  • Dogs love to explore their surrounding and may mouth or chew unfamiliar objects such as ornaments and electric cables. Look at how you can minimise the risk to the dog and your belongings.
  • You should also obtain a range of toys to entertain and stimulate them. This will also reduce the tendency for them to chew things they shouldn’t.
  • You should also consider how you will fetch them home when collection from the transporting company. You must be able to transport the dog safely in the car so you will need a travel crate or travel harness to do this. A harness has the advantage that you can hold and reassure them on that part of their journey and can be used when walking the dog later. Do not allow the dog to be loose in the car!
  • You will also need a good quality collar and lead. A harness may make it easier to control larger dogs
  • Purchase a pack of puppy training pads! These will protect your floors from the inevitable accidents and help you house train any age of dog. Dogs are naturally clean animals and soon learn to be clean in the home.

COLLECTING FROM THE TRANSPORT
  • It is advisable to take someone with you to who can hold the lead (or the dog) throughout any journey home. This will ensure the dog cannot escape from your car when the doors are opened.
  • Remember your new addition has just travelled for 3-4 days and thousands of kilometres, in a cage, in what it perceives as a noisy smelly van! It will have been surrounded by unfamiliar dogs in a fairly cramped space. Whether it seems to be or not, it will be suffering some degree of stress and may be quite fearful of its surroundings.
  • Dogs are usually handed over at pre-arranged points, usually a car park or service area, to the adopter/fosterer. There is the chance that the dog could escape at this point because they are afraid, desperate and in shock. They have no idea that you have the best of intentions so may bolt if given the opportunity. Take care that they are secure and under control at all times during the transfer. It may be best to fit a harness before it leaves the transport vehicle.
  • Allow it some time to move around and relax before you set off on the journey home, and if that is any distance have a few stops on the way. They may also need to relieve themselves.
  • Talk to the dog in a quiet, calm and happy voice and avoid any sudden movements or noise.
  • Decide where you want them to travel, either in the tailgate or on the back seat. Many dogs want the human contact they can have by lying on the back seat cuddling up and being stroked. This can be very reassuring for them.
  • A well fitting harness attached to the seat belt will ensure your dog is safe within the vehicle.

ON ARRIVAL HOME
  • Try to ensure that everyone in the household reacts in a calm quiet but cheerful manner. Only have immediate family members, who will be constant in their lives, present. Try to stop young children being overexcited.
  • You should also be extremely cautious at all times when he/she is socialising with children. Do not discourage this interaction but supervise it very carefully. Don’t allow the dog to get over-excited. Even a small dog can easily accidentally hurt a child and may panic if the child screams.
  • Most of the dogs have little or no experience of children so they will not be used to them and as a result their reaction may be unpredictable.
  • Remember your new dog is entering a totally unknown environment full of new sights, sounds and smells. They may suffer sensory overload and will all react in different ways.
  • They have no experience of televisions, washing machines, vacuum cleaners or any of the myriad of appliances found in modern homes. This busy hectic world can seem very threatening to them. It is best to not expose them to these for the first few hours.
  • Allow your dog outside on a lead fairly soon after arriving home. They may need to relieve themselves but they also might want to mark this new “territory”. It’s far better to get them to do outside than risk it happening inside and gets house training of to a good start. No matter how secure you feel your garden is do not allow them off the lead, it is amazing how high a dog can jump or climb if it feels the need to escape.
  • Some will be desperate to explore this exciting new world, both inside the home and out in the garden and you should allow this but under careful supervision.
  • Others will just want to hide away from it all. Show them the prepared quiet spot and let them stay there whilst they relax. Reassure them and allow them to come out when they are ready.
  • A very few may show “fear aggression”. This is not normally directed at anyone in particular and should subside if you do not react and allow them some ‘space’ for a bit of time.
  • Try to carry on with your normal routine as much as possible. Do not give him or her constant attention or fuss over them unless it is obvious they want your attention. Let them come to you in their own good time.

INTRODUCTION TO ANY RESIDENT DOGS OR OTHER PETS.
  • Most of the dogs from the shelter are used to the company of other dogs and an existing family dog that is calm and confident can be of great help in assisting a new dog settle in.
  • Occasionally the new dog may show fear aggression due to stress. In this case separate the dogs until the new arrival has had time to de-stress.
  • If you have any worries that your existing dog may be territorial it would be best to introduce them on “neutral territory” outside to minimise any chance of this causing problems and additional stress.
  • If your new adoptee is coping with being on a lead take them for a short walk together, one person holding each dog allowing each dog to lead so the other can catch his scent. Observe the dog’s body language closely. If there is no sign of stress ( low or tucked under tail, laid back ears, raised hackles, lunging, avoidance behaviour, barking or growling etc) allow the dogs to move closer and see if they are relaxed with each other. Do not force them to interact. Some dogs will want to greet each other immediately but at the start restrict this to short periods and then gently part repeating this as often as you feel necessary.
  • Do not force your new dog to go for a walk if they are not comfortable on the lead or show any signs of resistance.
  • At home you could initially keep the dogs in separate rooms with a safety gate between them to help them get used to each others’ presence without feeling threatened. It allows them to smell, see and hear each other while reducing stress.
  • You know your existing dog best so use your judgement and follow his body language!
  • Introducing your to new dog to any resident cats will depend a lot on how “dog friendly/savvy” the cats are but keep the dog on a lead and ensure that the cat has an escape route if it gets stressed or feels afraid. Here again using a safety gate to give the cat a safe area can be useful.
  • Extreme care must be taken when introducing them to other pets e.g. rabbits, rodents etc.

THE FIRST FEW DAYS.
  • Try to avoid over stimulation. Taking in all the new smells, sights and sounds will be enough for them to cope with.
  • Keep activities quiet and simple as far as possible. If the dog shows signs of stress reassure them and allow them to retreat to their quiet area.
  • Let them settle and gain confidence at their own pace. Use positive reinforcement, encouragement and reward. This has been shown to be the most effective form of training.
  • Try to discourage family, friends and neighbours visiting en mass. Ask them to give you a few days to get to know the dog yourself! They will all be keen to meet your new addition but explain to them gently that the dog needs time to settle and relax before he/she will be ready to meet new people.

THE FOLLOWING WEEKS & MONTHS.
  • Take this slowly. Don’t force the pace, allow the dog to become confident with existing situations before introducing them to new ones.
  • It is worth considering a long training lead so the dog has some freedom to move farther away from you but is still under your control.
  • For larger dogs a pony lunge lead is ideal, these come in varying lengths of up to 60feet (18m) and are cheaper than extendable leads.
  • Extendable leads are considered abhorrent by many professional trainers as used carelessly can result in serious and sometimes fatal injuries to the dog.
  • Take training slowly in short sessions and make them as fun as possible.
  • Other than in secure areas do not let him/her off the lead until you are completely sure of their recall and never in areas where they have easy access to roads or where sudden noises may panic them (e.g. near railway lines).
  • Be careful socialising them with other dogs that you have no knowledge of. Don’t be nervous because he/she will pick up on that, but approach them quietly and carefully. Be open with the other owner that you have a rescue dog and are not certain of your own dogs’ reaction.
  • You should remain cautious at all times when he/she meets children not in your family group. Do not discourage this interaction but supervise it very carefully, informing their parents that he/she is a rescue dog.
In Summary:
Taking on any rescue animal requires total commitment and patience. Some may have no problems at all others will have some all their lives.

There will be days of joy and others of tears and despair.

BUT the satisfaction of overcoming all the setbacks and knowing that you have given a dog a life he/she might never have had the chance to experience is amazing.

Nearly all rescue dogs becoming loving, happy and devoted additions to their families.

The most important requirement is patience, understanding and commonsense on the adopters part.
There is no rush to achieve success, hopefully your dog will be with you for a long time. Taking things too quickly will only create stress for you and your dog(s).

Thank you for considering adopting a shelter dog.

ADOPTING ONE DOG WON’T CHANGE THE WORLD BUT IT WILL CHANGE THE WORLD FOR THAT ONE DOG.

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