How Traumatic is it for a Dog to change Owners: 5 things you Must know.

Having a dog at home is a journey in itself. There is so much to learn from your furry friends that you’d be surprised. They have unconditional love to offer and all we can do is be a good family to them. In some cases it has been seen that people adopt or buy dogs and often, due to reasons of their own, end up giving them away. Just like for a human child it is difficult to adjust to a new family, similarly for dogs, it is equally difficult and unbearable sometimes. Dogs get attached to their caregivers very quickly and it is only sad for them if that loves goes unreciprocated. They’re beautiful animals who deserve all the love in the world and since they cannot express verbally, their gestures speak volumes.

How to Tell if your Dog is Depressed due to Separation?

One should never adopt dogs if they’re unable to take care of them, or uncertain about how to keep them. It might be just another pet to some people, but for dogs, their world revolves around their family. If they’re given up, it affects them deeply. In most cases dogs get severely depressed. Their depression is similar to that of ours. They may either stop eating, or eat more to dull the pain. Dogs sleep a lot, but it typically happens more when they are depressed.

If they’re left alone at home for too long, or given away to a different family at an old age, it is more likely for them to get depressed, which results in them sleeping more than usual. Too much of sleep may also be due to physical ailments, so that is the first thing that one should check. Dogs may also suddenly get sleepless and restless. That may also be a result of depression.

They lose interest in playing catch or other games that they used to like, and they would also not want to go for walks anymore. All of these point towards depression, and it is especially important for a dog’s family to look out for these signs because they cannot verbally express these to us. Dogs who seem to slow down and become less active may be suffering from depression. Depressed dogs often chew or lick their paws too often and that may be a sign of ingrained psychological issues. If a dog who was once friendly suddenly becomes detached, and avoids human contact and wants to left alone, then they’re suffering from physical problems, or, depression.

how to tell if your dog is depressed due to separation anxiety

Why and why not be in Contact with your Dog’s Previous Owner?

Initially when the dog has been adopted from one family to another it is very important to keep in touch with the previous owners in order to comfort the dog and not make him feel like he has been abandoned. In some cases, prevues owners give up their dogs and are not bothered by their absence or existence as a whole, thus in such cases it is definitely better to not keep in touch with them, and focus entirely on comforting and caring for the dog. For most of the people, they just want to get rid of their ‘annoying’ dogs and give them up.

In such cases it is obviously a better idea to not keep in touch with them and to focus on curing or healing the dog. Keeping in touch with the dog’s previous owner is a matter of choice, but in most cases the previous owners are the ones who do not want to keep tabs. Some dogs owners from whom you might have adopted, may want to stay overly involved in their dog’s lives even after giving them up due to presumably uncontrollable circumstances. In such cases it is better to not keep in touch because you may want to raise your dog in your own way, and not have his previous owners intrude.

How to Help a Dog adjust in their New Homes?

How to help a dog adjust in their new homes

The best way to make your dogs adjust in their new homes is to initially stick to their old routines before trying to get them adjusted to something new. If they’re used to going out for walks at a certain time, take them. It is very important to keep the old routine at least for a few days. It is very natural to want to buy new stuffs for your dog when you bring them in, but it is suggestible not to buy new gears for your dog’s sake. They should be allowed to take their time and adjust to the new place.

Only after they’ve adapted, should you eventually change their belongings. Provide them with a lot of love, care, support and attention after bringing them in from a different family. You never know what they might have gone through. It is very important to spend quality time with one’s dog, especially when they have been adopted. They usually get overwhelmed by the idea of shifting into a new place and being a part of a new family. Provide your dog with loads of treats and things that have been familiar to him, before departing. It is very important to especially look after new dogs who have come from different families and are not used to being left alone. They will have trouble in staying alone at their new homes.

Even the ones who are used to having stayed alone, require a lot of attention, for they might not be able to adjust in their new homes, all by themselves, either. The best thing to be done in this case is to take turns and stay at home with either one of the family members looking after the dog all the time. But, if there is nobody else to stay, then it is better to treat the dog with their favourite treats, stuffed toys, etc., right before leaving. It is also suggestible to not leave them alone for too long. It might aggravate their sense of abandonment. When at hoe, one can try spending a lot of time with their dogs, on the floor or out in the garden.

One must not crowd their new dog with too many outsiders at once, because that might scare them as they’re already having to deal with adjusting to a new environment. The most important key to helping your dog adjust to a new home, is to be patient with them. They may show behavioural problems at first, but it is very important to be kind and patient with these dogs for you never know what they might be going through! Love them, shower them with occasional pats, kisses, and loads of attention.

How long Does it Take for a Dog to get Used to a New Owner?

It might take weeks, or months for the dog to adjust to a new environment, and to a new owner. It is particularly easier for dogs to quickly adjust in most cases, if there’s a whole family of dog lovers, and often, if there’s another friendly dog-companion at home. But there are also cases where dogs who have come from disturbed families, dislike other dogs or are ferocious towards them. So it all differs from dog to dog, and depends primarily and entirely on their previous experiences. It might take 6 or 8 weeks, and it might even take 6 months, but it is very important for a dog owner to be patient and kind to their furry friends. The owner must put in a lot of effort to warm up to their dogs, so that they can quickly begin to adjust to their new surroundings.

There might be a lot of sadness and confusion in the dog, and as an owner one must try to understand what they’re going through. The dog might have been beaten up, or she/he might have been living off the streets. Each dog takes different amounts of time to recover, perhaps overcome, and move on from their past experiences, especially if they have been thoroughly traumatising. So, as a dog owner it is very important for a person to spend a lot of time with their dogs, play fetch, take them out for walks, give them treats, pamper them, and also train them a little. Dogs are beautiful creatures and they deserve all the love and care in the world.

Thus, if they’ve come from a disturbed family or irrespective of that, adjusting to a new home is a big deal for them. If the dogs are young, it is usually a quicker process and they can move on quickly. But the process of adjustment gets difficult once the dogs get older. It requires more effort on the part of the owner, to get old dogs adjusted to a new home. They will need more attention than puppers. As an owner one must make sure that the dog has cozy spots in their homes to lie down in. They should be provided with a safe space the they can retreat to. It is also very important to stock up a lot of yummy treats for them, for training and rewards. Also one must get a collar with a microchip attached to it for the safety of the dog, and if in case the dog decides to run back to its old family. If the dog has been adopted from a shelter, get them a crate.

Soon after that, bring them a cozy and comforting bed that they can relax in. Or one can also let their dog sleep on their own bed. In my case, my dog prefers to sleep right in-between my parents on their bed, and its actually pretty cute! Sleeping with their owner gives them a sense of belonging and enables them to move on from past experiences swiftly. Buy them the proper kind of food and definitely get your dog checked by a good vet before anything else. The dog must be comfortable around the vet.If you need your dog to understand your environment quicker, then get them a good trainer, who can teach all the important things, for you never know if they’ve had prior training or not. Most dogs love toys, so get them as many toys as you can, to play with. Walk-train-cuddle should be a routine and a motto for every dog owner.

The first month after a dog has been adopted and brought into a new home, is crucial and every dog must be given some time to adjust. They may not want to comply at first due to deeply embedded insecurities but they definitely deserve some time to recuperate. Set rules for your dogs that determine both space and freedom, but is nothing too harsh. Whatever you decide for your new furry friend, always remember to be kind and gentle to them.

Source: 

https://naturalpetorganics.com/how-to-ease-your-dogs-anxiety-when-moving-to-a-new-home/