by Maggie Larkin

Created on: November 09, 2008   Last Updated: December 08, 2008

Imagine entering a very large building that is completely new to you. You are being passed from lap to lap while people hold you up to their large and funny-looking faces and squeal and babble in a language that you cannot understand. Who are these humans and why did they take me away from the people who feed me?

If we could look in to the thoughts of a rescue dog, this would likely be the key concerns. Rescue dogs are usually very timid for the first few days of their new life with you, but with some proper techniques you can give your new addition a new life, and you will see the gratitude on his face every day.

Before you bring home your new rescue dog, make sure the house is dog-proofed. Put away all soft-textured items like clothing, shoes, children's toys etc. Yelling at your dog in his first couple of days at your house is not a good start, so eliminate as many of the things that would get him in trouble as possible. Many dogs are not house-trained when they come from a shelter, so find out before you bring the dog home, and be prepared with pee pads and training spray (both available at pet stores).

Now that the house is dog-proofed, set up a private space for your new addition. If the dog seems very timid at first, prepare for him a place to hide. For a small dog, I recommend placing a bed or cushion beneath a dining room chair and covering the chair with a towel for privacy. Any covered alcove-like space will do. Add a few chew toys for comfort. In the next few days the dog will likely retreat to this hiding place when he feels nervous, overwhelmed, or just plain scared. It is important that you leave him there; do not try to pull him out of his place, or he could become territorial and bite you.

If you have children, set some ground rules before the dog comes home. These rules should include not intruding upon the dog's hiding place, as well as standards of gentleness, and a set amount of time that the children can play with the dog. Limiting this time in the first few days will keep the dog from becoming overwhelmed.

When the dog comes home, do not have many people over. Let him roam about the house to get the layout. Do not follow him intensely, but do keep an eye on him. Let him outside to "discover" the back yard as well, using treats and calm reinforcement if he does go potty outside. Once he has seemed to settle in the house, leave him alone to come to you when he is ready. This could take anywhere from an hour to a couple of days. When the dog is ready, be there with open arms.

Many dogs never come completely out of their shell. Be prepared for this, and also aware that this does not mean that they will be bad pets. Timid rescue dogs are not solely a result of abusive homes. Many times these dogs are rescued from puppy mills, where they grew up in a small dirty cage, giving birth to puppies. Many of them had never felt the touch of a human before their rescue. That was the story of my Pomeranian, Sadie. She never cared for kissing or cuddling, but she was a great dog and her gratitude to us was visible in her eyes.

Helping a timid dog to become acclimated to a new home can be a slow and difficult process, until you see a gleam in your new dog's eye that screams "Thank you so much for giving me the life a dog deserves to have." Seeing that look makes all of the struggles worth it.

Learn more about this author, Maggie Larkin.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.