Bringing Home Your Shy or Fearful Foster Dog - flash class

[Music] hello welcome to bringing home your Shire or fearful Foster dog a collaboration between madd's fund and dogs out loud we are so excited to bring you this video because we know that sometimes the idea of bringing home a shy dog can be intimidating and may be a barrier to that dog going into a much needed foster home this video is a condensed tutorial designed to assist shelters rescues and volunteers with the basics of fostering a shy dog in order to set the dog and the Foster up for Success we understand that all dogs are individuals and it's possible one or more of the ideas discussed in this video may not apply to a particular dog but these tips will be helpful for the majority of dogs as they transition from the shelter into a foster [Music] home the first step we recommend is going down to the shelter to meet your Foster dog before you bring him home this step is optional so please don't change your mind about fostering if you can't do this by establishing yourself as the common denominator between the two environments you can help alleviate some of the natural stress that comes with transition here are some tips to introduce yourself in a positive manner the first step is to approach your Foster dogs kennel using non-threatening body language if the dog responds favorably to a soft greeting continue speaking to him and allow him to sniff you through the gate if he approaches if verbal greetings appear to make the dog uncomfortable it's okay to sit near the gate and be quiet Crouch down or sit outside the kennel with your body and face turned to the side and avoid staring at him to see if this allows him to feel comfortable enough to approach use this opportunity to find out if the dog responds positively to Common motivators try offering treats like hot dogs or cheese or see if he finds a soft toy or a bully stick appealing understand that stress can override a dog's desire to accept these items so while it's not a Surefire test of what he'll like away from the shelter it might give you ideas on goodies you can use to help encourage interactions in the future finally if you won't be taking the dog with you right away leave something of yours like an unwashed shirt towel or blanket in his kenel when you go because this item has your scent on it it will help the dog remember you next time and help to create an association with your home when he moves there remember try not to get discouraged if the dog doesn't warm up to you right away this exercise is about gathering information introducing yourself to the dog and letting the dog get familiar with your scent before you bring him home the first thing you'll want to do is secure your yard or outdoor space it is not uncommon for a shy dog to feel disoriented and anxious upon moving so make sure you inspect your fence fix any gaps or loose boards and secure gates to prevent your new Foster from escaping your yard inside you'll want to choose a spot in a low traffic area to create a special place for your Foster dog set up a crate with a sheet or blanket draped over it and make a soft pallet inside using a dog bed blanket or several towels put bowls of food and water nearby and set out some toys where you set up this space will depend on your Foster dog if he's very fearful set up this space in a spare room so he doesn't feel as if he needs to interact with people right away if your Foster is shy but not necessarily fearful this space might be better set up in a corner of your living room where he can see you from a comfortable distance you might also want to set out a white noise machine or a radio that is tuned into to classical music consider adding a plug-in pheromone diffuser near the crate or misting a very diluted mixture of essential lavender oil and water around the crate as these can sometimes have calming effects on dogs finally close doors to extra rooms and use baby gates to limit access to other levels of the home like like a second floor or basement and exterior doors this can help keep the dog from becoming overwhelmed by too much unfamiliar space and save you from trying to locate a hiding dog or track down one that has boled out the front door remember the goal here is to create a calm environment for your Foster dog to d-stress from the shelter while he acclimates to your [Music] home in addition to preparing your home make sure that you prepare other members of your household for the arrival of your Foster dog one of the most important things you can do is learn the basics of K9 body language we highly recommend looking up Lily Chin's doggy language drawing on the internet to use as an illustrative guide for children as well as a go-to sheet for adults when deciphering your Foster dogs body language we suggest reading the short but very useful book on talking term terms with dogs calming signals by tured rugas once you know what things like K9 fear stress excitement happiness and other emotions look like you can use that feedback to guide your interactions with your Foster dog next you'll want to discuss the importance of giving your Foster dog space while this generally means allowing the dog the choice of whether or not to interact with those in the home especially within the first few days there are some good rules to keep in mind first don't hover or crowd the dog make sure he has room to move away if he needs to Second avoid forced interactions and respect the dog's communication running away cowering freezing and growling or whining are all ways a dog can let you know he is uncomfortable and needs to be left alone it is really important to let the dog approach you for interactions when he is ready to establish trust lastly be proactive by giving the dog food puzzles chewables and toys to prevent destructive behaviors and make sure you're offering potty breaks often enough if you see undesirable behaviors either ignore them like barking or redirect the dog to a behavior you want like going outside to potty behaviors which aren't reinforced tend to go away it's better to look for desired behaviors and reinforce those for example if your Foster dog makes steps to interact with you or your family gently encourage those behaviors this can be as simple as smile SM in and saying good dog or tossing a treat when he moves forward in his crate to watch what's going on or comes up and solicits attention remember that a little education and preparation goes a long way if you understand how to read a dog's body language and are prepared to react to it appropriately then you are in a position to influence that dog's behavior for the [Music] better so now it's time to pick your dog up from the shelter minimize the number of people in your vehicle ideally you may want to go alone or have just one adult with you also set up a crate and or soft blankets ahead of time in the space where you want the dog to ride make sure you have a no slip Coller or harness on the dog before transporting if you don't own this equipment ask the shelter staff if they can loan it to you to ensure the dog cannot get away if spooked also if the dog isn't yet comfortable with you ask a staff member to help dress the dog and or load him into your car for you once in the car either play some soft classical music or just ride with no radio on at all if the dog acts like he wants to sniff out the window make sure you only roll the window down far enough for him to get his head out you don't want him jumping out while you're transporting him home remember that this is not the time for you to go running errands you want to make sure that you go directly home keep the ride there lowkey and use the proper equip equipment once you arrive home with your Foster you're going to need to show him all the important things that he'll need to know about your home make sure you have the dog's leash before you open the door in case he gets scared and tries to bolt once outside the car allow the dog to sniff around and go potty once inside your home leave the leash on your Foster dog and use it to gently guide him around to accessible spaces lead your Foster dog to his space his food and water and any other rooms like the kitchen and living space and allow him to investigate lead your Foster dog outside to the potty area even if the space is fenced keep hold of the leash and go with him to investigate upon going back inside leave the leash on the dog but let it drag this way you can unobtrusively interrupt and unwanted behavior for example checking out the trash can or starting to eliminate indoors by gently picking up the leash and redirecting the dog to an appropriate behavior like getting food or a chew toy or taking him outside to go [Music] potty over the years we've seen a few different scenarios that have Arisen with some of our shy dogs and Foster homes here are a few additional tips that we think may help even if your Foster dog gets comfortable inside your home pretty quickly continue to use the harness and Leash every time you go outside even in the backyard for just the first couple of weeks shy and fearful dogs are often Flight Risk by nature and you never know when something might startle them trust us it's much easier to exercise caution and prevent a lost dog than it is to track one down give your Foster dog time to acclimate to you in your home don't worry about outings away from your home until your dog begins to trust you spending time in the yard or interacting indoors if the dog is ready of course is still beneficial additionally try not to have any visitors for a while so that your Foster dog can d-stress and settle in if you must have someone over separate your Foster dog in his own space away from strangers to avoid the stress of unfamiliar company don't panic if your Foster dog doesn't eat for a day or two remember stress can override other behaviors and decrease appetite try adding a little boiled chicken or hamburger in with their food and eventually they will resume eating remember rugged's book on calming signals people can give calming signals too and dogs understand them if you notice your Foster dog is feeling stressed try yawning blinking your eyes shaking off or licking your lips you can use these signals to let your dog know all is well and he can relax you may even see him sending some back to you staying tuned in to your Foster dog lending a emotional support as needed and allowing him to go at his own pace will go a long way towards helping your shy dog Blossom thank you so much for watching we hope that you found this video to be helpful and that you will move forward with fostering a shy or fearful dog it may not always be easy but it is always rewarding thank you for opening your heart and your [Music] home

Channel: Maddie's Fund Education

Views: 31,990

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Id: 1-KK3YytsNE

Length: 11min 30sec (690 seconds)

Published: Mon Jul 16 2018