As a dog trainer, I am often asked how long is will take a rescue dog or a puppy to adjust to their new home and how owners can help settle their new family member in. Also known as the ‘honeymoon period’, the 3-3-3 rule is a general guideline that represents the common milestones your new dog or puppy will follow. The 3s represent the 3 days, 3 weeks and 3 months after bringing your dog home.
To help understand what your dog is going through, picture (if you can!) your first day at a new school or in a new job. Everything is unfamiliar: new people, new rules, new surroundings. It takes us a while to settle into new routines, to get to know people and to let our full personality show.
It’s important to note that the 3-3-3 rule is a general guideline and all dogs will move at their own pace, depending on their personality, background and breed. You should give your dog plenty of space and allow them to move at their own pace. With enough patience and time, you will one day look back and be amazed at your dogs transformation!
In the first 3 days…
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Maybe scared
- Not comfortable being themselves
- May not want to eat or drink
- Sleep a lot or retreat to a safe space
- Testing boundaries
After 3 weeks…
- Starting to settle & learn the routine
- Decompressing and feeling more comfortable
- Learnt the home environment
- Beginning to let guard down and show personality
- Realising this might be a forever home
- Behaviour issues may start presenting themselves
After 3 months…
- Completely comfortable in their home
- Set in the routine
- Trusts their owner and building a bond
- Formed a sense of security with new family
- This is your dog!
It is common for owners to be lulled into a false sense of security, believing they have adopted the ‘perfect dog’ during those first few weeks (although I think every dog is perfect!). Once their dog decompresses, they finally feel comfortable enough to show themselves and this when unwanted behaviours are most likely to present themselves.
Most commonly, these behaviours will include: lack of basic obedience, toileting inside, resource guarding, reactivity and destructive behaviour.
Rather than being frustrated at our dogs, it’s important for us to empathise with their situation and view the behaviour through a different lens. These ‘bad’ behaviours are our dogs showing us that they trust us and are finally feeling happy and comfortable in themselves. There are no bad behaviours, just dog behaviours, and it is up to us to show our dogs the right way to behave.
If you have brought home a rescue dog or puppy and are looking for training advice, click here to drop me a message.
