Hi Ashley - Every dog I have ever fostered has been soooo scared at intake. When I get them home, they get a flea bath whether they want it or not. I have dogs of my own and can't run the risk of beng infested with fleas. After their bath, they go in a crate in my living room to decompress. This room is blocked off from my dogs so they can rest in peace. I go in every hour, open the door to the crate, and just sit there. Sometimes I'll watch a movie and occasoionally put treats in the crate. I feed them 3 meals a day in the beginning, then reduce it to twice a day for older dogs. Most times I have to carry the pup out of the house for potty breaks, but that's okay. They learn I'm not going to hurt them real fast. Usually, the second day I start to get tail wags when I walk in the room. On day three, I see the fear start to subside and sometimes they come out of the crate to greet me while I watch TV. My movements are always slow and my voice s soft and gentle. I watch the pup for clues on when they are ready to venture to another part of the house, but they never meet my dogs one-on-one until three weeks have passed. I follow the rule of threes because it is so important for the decompression process. Slow and steady is the way to go. Rescued dogs are scared and need time to adjust to new people, places, and routines.
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Nancy Kaniewski
Volunteer Fundraising Coordinator
Just Giants Rescue, Inc.
IL
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