How To Train A New Rescue Dog
A Step-by-Step Guide for the First 100 Days
Learn How To Train, Socialize & Raise a Confident Dog - From Day One
By Sunny, Reactive Dog & Off-Leash Training Specialist and Founder of Peace Pups Dog Training
What You'll Need
This list ensures that you have all the necessary items to take care of your new dog, ensuring their comfort, safety, and well-being.
Basic Supplies:
Flat Collar
Harness or Martingale Collar
4 foot Leash (Take any 6 foot leash and tie a knot!)
Stainless Steel Food & Water Bowls
Plastic Kennel with Divider
Dog Bed
Toothbrush & Toothpaste
Fur Brush
Baby Gates (to restrict access to certain areas or a puppy playpen)
Toys:
Kong chew toys (great for anxiety relief)
Elk or deer antlers for adult dogs
Thin, long tug ropes and chuck-it balls
Snuffle mat and lick mats for enrichment
Identification:
ID Tag with your contact information
Microchip
Medical:
Vaccinations as recommended by your veterinarian
Flea and tick prevention
“Sanjana’s Dream Dog Course gave me and my pup all the foundational knowledge and skills we needed to succeed! I’m so happy we can enjoy walks again.”
- Pat and Olive
What to Expect With Your New Rescue Dog
What to Expect After 3 Days:
Decompression Period: Your rescue dog may feel overwhelmed and anxious by their new environment. Focus on simply playing and be patient with them.
Cautious Exploration: They will slowly start to explore their new surroundings, but may be hesitant or fearful. It’s normal and will improve with time.
Trust Building Begins: They are starting to understand that you provide their basic needs - food, water, and safety.
What to Do:
Create a safe space: Set up a quiet area with their crate or bed where they can retreat when feeling overwhelmed. The best place for their crate is in your bedroom. Encourage your new dog to sleep in their bed at night.
Go slow with introductions: Let them adjust to your household without forcing interactions. It's normal to want your new rescue to meet your friends and family, but your priority is to first make them feel safe and secure. So go slow 🧡
Establish boundaries and structure in the home and on walks: Boundaries will help your new dog feel safe and understand their role in the home. It's best to keep them in a supervised area rather than giving them full access to the house to prevent unwanted behavior.
What to Expect After 3 Weeks:
Personality Emerges: Your dog will start showing their true personality as they feel safer. You may see both wonderful traits and some challenging behaviors that need addressing.
Routine Recognition: They're beginning to understand your routine, which helps build their confidence.
Testing Boundaries: As they gain confidence, your rescue may start testing rules and boundaries - this is normal and shows they're feeling more secure. Stand firm in your boundaries and house rules.
What to Do:
Play with them! Play is the way, as we say 😁 A few times a day, play tug, fetch, or other games with them. Play is the best tool to build up your dog’s confidence and strengthen their nervous system.
Let them explore their environments: Take them to new places that are not overwhelming, like open parks and calm neighborhoods. Let them sniff and explore. Reward with food as you go.
Build a communication system: Teach your dog both a yes and a no, this is crucial for boundary training. Clear communication helps our dogs understand us, and learning about their body language helps us understand them.
Practice leaving the home for 30 minutes to an hour every day: It's easy to overprotect your new rescue dog, but it's important for them to learn that you'll always come back, and this is only achieved through practice 🧡
What to Expect After 3 Months:
Bonding: A deep trust and bond will have developed. Your dog now sees you as their safe person and leader.
Increased Confidence: Many rescue dogs show remarkable transformation by this point - becoming more confident, playful, and trusting.
Behavioral Clarity: Your dog may have quirks and that’s okay! You’ll be able to predict your dog’s behavior and you'll have a clearer picture of any ongoing challenges that need professional support.
What to Do:
If behavioral challenges persist despite your consistent efforts, reach out to a dog trainer experienced with rescue dogs. Issues like separation anxiety, reactivity, or fearfulness are best addressed promptly with professional guidance.
Set up safe play dates with a calm dog for socialization. This is for dogs who are not heavily reactive. Dog parks can often be overwhelming for rescues, so supervised play dates are the safest way to socialize your dog the first few months.
Continue to play and train around higher level distractions. Take them to Home Depot, Lowe's, public parks, and coffee shops to practice leash walking and calmness. Move at the pace that is best for your dog.
Maintain boundaries with your rescue dog for at least 6 months. Oftentimes owners want to loosen boundaries once the dog is settling in. However, rescue dogs need time to fully decompress, and consistent boundaries help them succeed in their new home!
“"We had an awesome experience with Sunny! The training was incredibly effective, and we noticed a significant improvement in our puppy’s behavior within the first lesson!”
- Teja and Rhodes
🌟 Welcome to the incredible journey of dog parenthood — you've got this!
Enjoy your new rescue dog! This is a wonderful, magical time in both your lives. Remember that rescue dogs often come with a past, but with play, patience, and love they can become calm, confident companions. Just a few weeks of focused training with your rescue dog will set you both up for a lifetime of peace, freedom, and adventures together.
Interested in training with us? We offer a free 30-minute in-person consultation in North Park. You’ll learn more about our 5 Week Dream Dog Program that is perfect for all rescue dogs. All of our lessons are 1:1 private lessons done at our location or in your home. Together we’ll eliminate leash pulling and reactivity, excessive barking, and train a confident and calm dog that can listen in any environment!