Welcoming a rescue dog home

Your 14-day decompression roadmap

Congratulations on the newest member of your crew! The next two weeks are about lowering stress, creating predictable rhythms, and observing what brings your dog comfort. The priority is safety and calm — training cues and big adventures can wait until trust builds.

Week 1: predictable, quiet, and low-pressure

Day 1–2: safe base camp

• Prepare a gated "home base" with water, bedding, and chew options.
• Keep arrivals calm. Let your dog approach first contact and retreat when they need space.
• Offer short decompression walks (10–15 minutes) on quiet streets only.

Day 3–5: observe and log

• Track appetite, sleep, and toileting in a simple diary so you can spot emerging patterns.
• Introduce one caregiver at a time. Narrate movements ("heading to the kitchen") to avoid startle moments.
• Begin a treat scatter routine in the garden or hallway after walks to lower arousal.

Day 6–7: gentle structure

• Layer in a loose schedule: wake, walk, rest, enrichment, rest.
• Swap out bedding and chews daily to keep the decompression zone novel but reliable.
• Watch for stress signals (lip licking, whale eye). If you see them, downshift to easier activities.

Week 2: confidence-building reps

Day 8–10: relationship rituals

• Add a 5-minute "consent test" brushing session so touch is always an invitation, never a demand.
• Practice name recognition with the "say name → reward" game across rooms.
• Invite a single, trusted friend to visit for 10 minutes. Keep a calm exit before energy spikes.

Day 11–14: expand the map

• Explore one new environment (woodland trail or beach promenade) for a sensory reset.
• Start "place" training with a mat and handful of kibble, keeping sessions to 3 minutes.
• Capture relaxed behaviours (settling on their own) with soft praise to reinforce downtime.

After the honeymoon period

Keep the diary going for another fortnight. If you notice heightened anxiety, loop back to the earlier steps. Consistency builds the ladder to confidence. When you're ready to go deeper, pair this plan with a certified trainer from the PetzPals directory.