Adopted dogs come from all sorts of backgrounds, so you should be prepared to deal with their trauma. They could have been in overcrowded conditions, on the streets, beaten or abused and even at the brink of death. The resulting level of trauma can range from minor to severe, and you don’t need to always have answers or reasons for everything. Allow the dog to have plenty of time when it comes to warming up to you and don’t give up on making their life a happy one.
For example, perhaps the dog has an unknown background and displays signs of abuse. Maybe the dog is also very shy and so, it seems they have had limited contact with humans. What could have happened? Was the dog abandoned and lost? Did the dog engage in fighting? You really never know unless the pet was or is a puppy born at an adoption center, and yet still there are unresolved issues with the mother. Even when buying a dog from a reputable breeder, there could be unknown problems.
You may think the dog was abused, but it’s better to focus on the resulting issues instead of making assumptions about the past. It matters, but in reality it doesn’t change how they feel and behave by your knowledge, so the dog will need your continued reassurance and extra time and attention to recover. Correct things like avoidant behavior, destructive habits and nervous or aggressive temperament with love. You care about your dog and must show this in a consistent manner. The dog needs to have reassurance that their life with you is not the same as it was before. Give treats and even added training measures to keep them thinking about reaction, reward and engagement.
Dogs have emotional needs just as humans do, so exercise patience and of course, never show any signs of your own anxiety as hard as it may be sometimes. The dog may provide a great deal of comfort, but overstressed situations are bad for both you and the dog. Find ways to deal with your own stress and never take things out on the dog or always expect them to care.
Overcoming trauma may take days, weeks, months or even years. There’s no easy way to deal with it no matter how long it takes, but be patient and remember that it may never be completely ‘normal.’ That’s okay. It’s just as fulfilling to have an imperfect relationship based on love as it is to have a perfect relationship on love when it comes to dogs. Dogs don’t ask for the situation they’re given, so we cannot always expect them to conform or forgive change and the past.
This in itself will become part of their charming personality. Tough love is okay sometimes for you, but dogs may be emotionally scarred from it. Take any seeming lack of the dog’s care for you in stride and enjoy just being present with your dog. That is true companionship.