What does it mean for a dog to decompress?

When a dog enters a new home, they need time to decompress. Every dog is an individual, and for fearful or anxious dogs, it could take a few weeks or months for them to start feeling comfortable in their new home. On the other hand, some puppies who are appropriately socialized with a reputable breeder might only take a few days. New dogs have no idea where they are, who they’re with, or what is happening, and it takes time to build a positive relationship. A routine and quiet atmosphere are essential when first taking a dog home, generally for at least a few weeks. This period could be even more unsettling for rescued dogs, as some have come from multiple shelters and foster homes, have had long transport rides, and have received necessary, but likely stressful, medical care and behavior evaluations. Decompression is especially important during this time, as puppies have a critical sensitive socialization period from around 3 to 14 weeks of age, and gradual introductions to new people and stimuli are still important. Once your dog is comfortable, getting out on slow, sniffy, quiet walks is also often a beneficial decompression tool. Giving dogs more choices and a sense of control in their lives is one of the most important things we can do for their well-being, especially when supporting them through the decompression period.

Bringing home a rescue dog means some decompression time, you can follow the 3-3-3 rule as a rough guide on how long this might take. This stands for 3 days, 3 weeks, 3 months, it might take 3 months (or longer) for your rescue to settle into their new environment and for you to fully understand their personality, issues and quirks. Enabling decompression will help the transition for your dog into the new environment. You need to ensure you give your rescue time to adapt to the new environment, it won’t happen overnight (except in rare circumstances). You need to give them space and freedom to move around without adding on the pressure of trying to teach them or interact with them too much. They should also have their own space with their own things; bed, water, toys etc. Make this area calm, quiet and cosy for them.