Tom Candy from Simplifying Shelter Behaviour on why rescue dogs struggle after adoption and how you can help them

About this episode

Tom Candy discusses the challenges rescue dogs face after adoption and offers practical advice for new adopters.

Have you recently adopted a rescue dog and found the first few weeks harder than you expected? Or are you thinking about adoption and want to know what you're really signing up for? This episode is for you. Nathan sits down with Tom Candy, animal behaviour specialist at Dogs Trust, to talk honestly about why rescue dogs struggle after adoption and, more importantly, exactly what you can do to help them settle in and thrive. With 15 years of rescue and shelter experience, Tom shares practical, compassionate advice that every dog adopter needs to hear before, during and after bringing a rescue dog home. In this episode you'll learn: Why rescue dogs often shut down or struggle in those first weeks at home What the decompression period is and why it matters The Rule of Three, three days, three weeks, three months explained The most common mistakes new adopters make and how to avoid them How enrichment helps fearful and anxious rescue dogs build confidence What to look for when choosing the right rescue dog for your lifestyle When and how to reach out for support if you're struggling Why you should ditch the label and stop blaming the "rescue" for behaviour challenges Key takeaways…

People in this episode

Host: Nathan

Guest: Tom Candy

Topics covered

• rescue dogs
• adoption challenges
• animal behavior
• dog training
• enrichment
• support for adopters

Keywords

• rescue dogs
• adoption
• decompression period
• Rule of Three
• dog behavior
• enrichment
• support for adopters

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Dogs Trust

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