Selective Pressures and Developmental Environments: Why Do Certain Dogs Act That Way?

 In the beginning of domestication, dogs were bred only for working. Dog breeds always reflect the function for which the dog was originally bred.  Selective pressures were based on the work that dogs did to help humans, and we still classify dog breeds based on the work for which they were originally bred.

Original proto dogs that were recently evolved from wolves and our modern dogs share modal action patterns, or MAPs, which are a behavioral sequence that is indivisible and will run to completion once triggered. We know that behavior is subject to variation between individuals.

Dog breeds exhibit breed-typical behaviors due to selective pressures and developmental environments. Selective pressures including breeding for specific traits such as herding, hunting, guarding, or companionship, shape behavior by favoring dogs with desired characteristics.

Developmental environments including early socialization, training, and environment also play a crucial role in molding breed-typical behaviors. Herding breeds like border collies exhibit innate herding behaviors due to selective breeding while hunting breeds like Labrador retrievers display retrieving instincts honed through selective breeding and training.

Dog behaviorists must understand however that a dog’s breed is not always a good predictor of behavior. It’s more likely that while behavior traits are heritable (passed from parents to offspring), breed alone is not a good predictor of behavior. In other words, you may have a very friendly pug and also a very friendly poodle, but you may also have a border collie that howls a lot and a corgi that also howls a lot.

As an example, I have a personal “stereotype” that golden retrievers are easy to train, eager, intelligent family dogs that are reliable with children, but that probably isn’t as breed-related as it is related to the individual’s parents and their rearing/environment.

Research (Morrill et al 2022) points to the idea that the breed of a dog is more predictive of how the individual will look (color, coat, size, facial features) than how that individual will behave.

If I adopt a Boston terrier, I can be fairly sure that individual will be compact, short-nosed, smooth coated (how it looks). Will it also be easy to train, pleasant, and intelligent (characteristics often attributed to golden retrievers)? Possibly. Will the Boston terrier be very energetic and need lots of exercise (again often attributed to golden retrievers)? Also possible.

In general the breed Boston terrier is a better predictor of how the dog will look than how it will behave, and I admit I agree with the ideas from new research that challenge my own breed biases.

Breed-Typical Task Efficiency

For breed-typical task efficiency, factors such as genetics, temperament, physical attributes (size, strength, agility), and specialized training are crucial. Dogs often excel in tasks specific to their breed.

In general, dogs from the sporting group need lots of exercise, love running and swimming, and are athletic and intelligent. Sporting dogs were originally bred as tracking dogs.

Dogs from the hound group generally have excellent olfaction abilities, and good vision, and have varied activity levels depending on the individual breed.

Working dogs are large, strong, and powerful dogs that are excellent guard, police, or rescue dogs. They are labor-intensive assistants and tend to be large, powerful, and strong.

Terriers tend to be small and loving. They are often not friendly to other animals since they were bred to hunt small animals on farms. This popular group has loving personalities and puppy-like features but is often described as difficult to train.

The toy group has dogs that are smaller than other breeds but have big personalities. They fit comfortably into apartment dwellings and make excellent watchdogs. Some toy dogs like the Chihuahua, who originated from Mexico, are very small but excellent companions that while easily provoked are very loyal to their person.

The herding group is a subsection of the working group. These working dogs excel at herding, and that includes behaviors such as nipping and barking. Known to "require a certain skill set" they are nevertheless some of the most intelligent and endearing dogs-- my favorite group.

Dogs with multiple ancestors are sorted into the non-sporting group.  This group of medium to small dogs is not well defined. This group includes wonderful specimens like the poodle, bulldog, and the Boston terrier.

Precious or Predatory? What is Predatory Drift?

Predatory behavior is the observable display of predatory instinct to chase prey. Predatory behavior has largely been bred out of dogs but it is still seen, for example when a dog fetches, chases cars, sniffs while hunting, or shakes a stuffed animal. Predatory behavior in dogs refers to instinctual behaviors related to hunting, such as stalking, chasing, and capturing prey.

Predatory drift occurs when a dog crosses the line and tunes us out because their instincts take over. Predatory drift is potentially dangerous and can be triggered by pain, excitement, or the fight-or-flight response. Predatory drift occurs when a dog's predatory behavior escalates unexpectedly, leading to potential aggression toward humans or non-prey animals.

The variability of predatory behavior between different dog breeds and individuals within each breed is influenced by genetics, breed history, training, and socialization. Breeds with strong hunting instincts, such as terriers or hounds, may exhibit more pronounced predatory behavior, while breeds with lower prey drive may show less interest in hunting behaviors. Individual experiences, temperament, and environmental factors furthe

Translating Stress Vs Distress in Dogs

Context is critical for understanding stress or displacement behaviors in dogs to accurately assess their well-being and address potential issues. Recognizing stress-related behaviors in dogs is important since they indicate various stressors such as fear, anxiety, discomfort, or overstimulation.

Common mild stress-related behaviors are lip licking, scratching, yawning, sneezing, stretching, tucking their tail, shaking off, or raised hackles.

Indicators of moderate stress include avoidance, heavy panting, wrinkled brow, tongue flicks, lowered tail, whining, behaving cautiously or reluctantly while approaching, or pushing against a person to relieve stress.

Extreme stress behaviors include heavy drooling or frothing, pinched ears, hunched shoulders, lowered head, whale eye, arched back, wrinkled brow, flared whiskers and lumpy whisker bed, dilated pupils in strong light, withdrawing into themselves, belching or passing gas, shrinking away, enlarged facial blood vessels, stiff or braced legs, and trying to escape.

By understanding the context of stress or displacement behaviors, pet parents can identify triggers, reduce stressors, provide comfort and support, and create a safe and calm environment. This proactive approach improves the dog’s quality of life and strengthens the human-dog bond.

What's The Difference?

Stress focuses a dog’s energy and is used to cope with a specific situation. While stress is sometimes positive, distress is always negative. Distress leads to physical and mental issues. Severe distress leads to a decrease in physical health such that the mind and body no longer operate normally.

Stress in dogs refers to the body’s response to a challenge or threat, which can be either positive or negative (distress), leading to increased arousal and physiological changes. Distress specifically refers to negative stress that exceeds the dog’s ability to cope, resulting in emotional or physical strain, often accompanied by behaviors indicating discomfort or anxiety.

Recognizing Stress is Important

Stress and distress are significant aspects of dog behavior, and recognizing stress-related and displacement behaviors is crucial to understanding a dog’s emotional state. Stress focuses a dog’s energy and is used to cope with a specific situation. Stress is the body’s response to a challenge, which can be either positive or negative. Distress specifically refers to negative stress that exceeds the dog’s ability to cope.

Identifying stress behaviors is important because it allows guardians to intervene and alleviate the source of stress. Common stress-related behaviors are anxiety-displacement behaviors like lip/nose licking, yawning, or sneezing, shaking, whale eye, dilated pupils, increased shedding, and certain vocalizations. Panting, drooling, pacing, scratching, sniffing the ground, or sudden disinterest in activities are also examples of stress. These behaviors serve as coping mechanisms for dogs to deal with stressful situations or conflicting emotions.

Fight-or-flight response results in long-term negative consequences if the dog is in this mode often. In a fight-or-flight response, the amygdala tells the pituitary gland to release cortisone, adrenaline, and noradrenaline to assist the dog in handling threatening circumstances. It is important to understand that once in the fight-or-flight response, the dog is no longer in control of their body.

The fight-or-flight response in dogs triggers physiological changes such as increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, dilation of airways, the release of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, and redirection of blood flow to muscles for quick action. It prepares dogs to either confront a threat (fight) or flee from it (flight), aiding in survival during perceived danger.

Recognizing the early signs of the fight-or-flight response in dogs allows caregivers to intervene before the dog reaches a heightened state of stress or aggression. By identifying early indicators such as dilated pupils, tense body posture, increased alertness, panting, trembling, or heightened reactivity, we can de-escalate the situation, provide reassurance, and remove or mitigate the source of stress or threat. This reduces the risk of aggressive behavior or emotional distress and maintains a positive and safe environment for the dog and their humans.

Proactive measures can be taken when we understand stress-related and displacement behaviors to provide comfort and support and create a safe and calm environment for our dogs. This improves the dog’s quality of life and strengthens the bond between the dog and their guardian by instilling trust, security, and emotional health. 

Identifying Canine Body Language

 Dog body language related to stress and/or conflict includes yawning, lip licking, rigid body stance or "freezing," turned head, and a closed mouth. When a dog is stressed, they display behaviors such as licking their lips or nose, or yawning or sneezing to displace anxiety. They may shake as if they're wet, display whale eye if they're uncertain, have dilated pupils, or increase shedding.

Body language related to stress and/or conflict includes tense body posture with raised hackles, a furrowed brow, and a closed mouth or lip licking. Dogs may exhibit avoidance behaviors such as turning away, yawning, or attempting to hide. Signs of conflict can include a stiff body, wide eyes, and ears held back or flattened against the head, accompanied by growling or snapping when feeling threatened or uncomfortable.

It's important to know that if a dog enters the physiological process of fight-or-fight, the situation is no longer under the dog's control. Long-term negative consequences are likely if the dog is in fight-or-flight mode often, and being in fight-or-flight is exhausting physically, mentally, and emotionally to a dog.

A relaxed and neutral dog has happy, almond-shaped eyes, a slightly open relaxed mouth, and naturally relaxed ears (so understanding your dog's natural ear placement is important). A neutral dog has a happy, relaxed expression, and a slightly open mouth, may display distance-decreasing behaviors, and may have an aimlessly wagging tail that indicates happiness. In a relaxed and neutral dog, you expect to see a loose body posture, relaxed facial muscles with a neutral expression, and ears held in a natural position. The tail may be wagging gently or held in a neutral position, and the dog’s mouth may be slightly open with a relaxed jaw.

A dog displaying offensive, threatening, or aggressive behavior may stare threateningly with direct eye contact expecting you to look away, bared teeth with lips pulled upward aggressively or tense, closed mouth when not snarling or growling, or an aggressive pucker with larger lips, raised ears, leaned-forward posture indicating they my lunge or nip, and their tail may be wagging or held up stiffly to appear larger. An offensive dog may exhibit a stiff body posture, raised hackles along the back, a tense facial expression and exposed teeth, and ears pinned back or forward in an alert position. The tail may be raised high and stiff, or wagging rapidly in a stiff manner.

A dog displaying defensive, threatening, or aggressive behavior may have wide, round eyes indicating fear or distress, and flattened ears indicating fear. A defensive dog may show signs of fear or anxiety, such as cowering, tucking the tail between the legs, and avoiding direct eye contact. The body may be tense, with the head lowered and ears flattened against the head. The dog may also growl or bark defensively while trying to create distance from the perceived threat.

What Does it All Mean? Vocalizations in Dogs

 

Social, Appeasement, and Threat Vocalizations

Social vocalizations include scattered vocalizations with playful body language. Dogs often growl, whimper, or whine during play, and the Rottweiler breed is known to growl when they’re comfortable. Social vocalizations in dogs include friendly barks, whines, and playful growls, often used during interactions with familiar people or dogs to express positive emotions. If vocalizations are high-pitched, the internal state is often affiliative.

Appeasement vocalizations may include whining or whimpering when stressed or anxious, and the dog expects a positive reaction from their person. Appeasement vocalizations are softer, higher-pitched whines or whimpers signaling submissiveness and a desire to avoid conflict, commonly observed in response to perceived threats or during submissive gestures.

Threat vocalizations include alarm barking when there is a perceived threat, and biting is possible. Suspicion barking is often low and slow. Serious aggressive growling is a definite communication, and when heard the trigger for the growling should be found to prevent the next more serious behavior. Threat vocalizations are deep, low-pitched barks or growls indicating aggression or a defensive stance, used to warn potential threats. If vocalizations are low-pitched, the internal state is often aggressive.

Why Vocalizations Are Important

It is important to recognize the various canine vocalizations because it allows a stronger bond between our dogs and us and allows us to understand our dogs. Recognizing dogs’ vocalizations is important for understanding their emotional states and intentions, and enhancing communication between dogs and humans.

Different vocalizations convey distinct messages, such as social playfulness, appeasement, or threat, allowing us to respond appropriately and prevent potential conflicts or misunderstandings. Understanding vocalizations allows better training, handling, and care, promoting positive interactions and a harmonious relationship.

Context Influences Interpretation

The context of a vocalization matters, and conveys if the dog is being social or potentially dangerous. Barks occur in varied contexts and varied acoustic structures. Dogs’ vocalizations are often internally motivated due to conflicting emotions and are a by-product of domestication.

Mobbing occurs when an animal is in a den and a predator approaches, the animal goes toward and away from the predator making mobbing barks. Other animals may notice and join the mobbing of the predator. The predator loses the benefit of surprise and quiet.

Conflict can occur the other way when a dog wants to be near or approach a visitor or another animal but is constrained from doing so by a leash, fence, or door. Domestication has provided dogs a short flight distance so dogs are often conflicted in their decision to run away or stay to fight. Dogs have also learned to use barking for reward in novel situations.

Two hypotheses exist about interpreting dog vocalizations. One hypothesis suggests dog barks are context-specific and refer to something specific. This hypothesis posits that vocalization can be referential between dogs as well as between humans and dogs.

Barking is selected for communication with humans to help both survive. Morton’s motivation structural rules say that if a vocalization is low pitched, the internal state is aggressive meaning “back off,” while if high pitched there is an affiliative internal state to come closer.

Another hypothesis posits that dogs’ vocalizations are internally motivated due to conflict. This second hypothesis is likely correct, and the one to which I subscribe.

Dog vocalizations vary between contexts, are not context-specific, and are internally motivated often due to conflict.

Interspecific Vs Intraspecific Vocalization

Interspecific vocalizations are vocalizations used for communication with another species. Intraspecific vocalizations are vocalizations used for communications with the same species. A unique feature of the bark compared with other canine vocalizations is that it has both tonal and noisy components at the same time.

The tone of a dog’s voice facilitates interpretation in interspecific and intraspecific vocal communication by conveying emotional nuances and intentions. In interspecific communication with humans, variations in tone indicate emotions such as excitement, fear, or aggression, helping humans interpret the dog’s needs and respond appropriately.

In intraspecific communication among dogs, tone helps establish social hierarchies, express playfulness, convey submission, or give warning signals, facilitating social interactions and maintaining group cohesion.

Paws and People: Unraveling Dog Domestication

 Tame dogs are those who are conditioned or trained to accept human contact and handling without exhibiting fear or aggression. They are accustomed to human presence and even enjoy interacting with people. Tame dogs are friendly and used to people. Tame wolves are not domesticated.

Habituated dogs are those that are accustomed to specific stimuli or environments through repeated exposure. This includes getting used to loud noises, new objects, different types of people, or even dog whistles or punishment. Habituation is gradual exposure to a stimulus that causes less reaction to the stimulus.

Socialized dogs have been exposed to various interactions with other dogs, animals, and humans, learning appropriate behaviors and communication skills within these social and environmental contexts. Early and ongoing socialization for puppies and dogs is critical for a lifetime of appropriate and safe behavior. Socialized dogs are exposed to variety and are comfortable with change.

Domesticated dogs have undergone generations of selective breeding and genetic changes to adapt to living alongside humans. Domesticated dogs exhibit loyalty, biddability, and reduced aggression, making them well-suited for human companions. Domestication takes several generations to occur.

Feral dogs, on the other hand, are domesticated dogs that have reverted to a wild state. They may have escaped human care or been abandoned and have learned to be independent or fearful of humans. Feral dogs are domesticated dogs that have not been in contact with people for a long time and often are not tame.

Stray dogs are domesticated dogs that are currently without a permanent home or human caregiver. They may have been lost or abandoned and are often found living in urban or rural areas, scavenging for food and shelter. Stray dogs have probably been socialized at some point and may or may not interact well with humans.

While tame, habituated, and socialized describe different levels of comfort and interaction with humans and their environment, domesticated dogs have undergone intentional breeding for specific traits conducive to living with humans. Feral and stray dogs, although both domesticated, differ in their current living conditions and degree of independence from human care.

All dogs evolved from wolves. Wolves and dogs share certain similarities including they both chase prey, walk on their toes, have unretractable claws, have dew claws, both tie in reproduction, both are born helpless, blind, and dependent on neonatal and ongoing care, both have a ligament that enables them to keep their nose toward the ground while running.

However a significant difference is that dogs do not have sufficient instincts to survive on their own in the wild. Dogs have been selected for a specific set of social and cognitive abilities that allow them to communicate uniquely with humans. Dogs have jobs ranging from protection, herding, guarding, search and rescue, and police work, to therapy.

Physically, domestic dogs often exhibit reduced skull size, shorter muzzles, floppy ears, and a wider variety of coat colors and patterns compared to wolves. Behaviorally, domestic dogs display increased sociability, reduced flight distance, and increased friendliness towards humans, traits that have been selectively bred over generations.

Wolves typically have larger skulls, longer muzzles, erect ears, and a more uniform coat coloration. They maintain a stronger instinctual fear of humans and tend to be less socialized in human environments. These differences spotlight the significant impact of domestication on both the physical appearance and behavioral characteristics of dogs compared to their wild ancestors, wolves. 

Canine Evolution: Theories of Human-Dog Interaction in Domestication

There are various theories on the domestication of dogs based on scientific research. One commonly held theory, and the one to which I subscribe, is the self-domestication hypothesis which suggests that wolves with more friendly and social traits were naturally selected as they scavenged around human settlements. Over time, these wolves evolved into dogs through a process of natural selection favoring traits like friendliness and reduced flight distance toward humans.

Another theory proposes the commensal scavenger hypothesis, suggesting that wolves initially benefited from scavenging human waste and leftovers, leading to a symbiotic relationship where less fearful and more tolerant wolves were more successful in obtaining food near human settlements. This theory emphasizes the role of scavenging human domestic waste called middens in the early interactions between humans and wolves, eventually leading to domestication.

Another hypothesis posits that wolves and humans formed a mutually beneficial partnership where wolves aided humans in hunting activities. Wolves with cooperative and more friendly tendencies would have been favored and eventually domesticated as they aided in hunting, guarding, and other tasks.

Wolves that guarded human resources, such as food storage or living sites, were more likely to be accepted and eventually domesticated. This theory highlights the role of wolves in providing protection and security to early human settlements, leading to a closer relationship between humans and canines.

The dual domestication theory and the single domestication theory represent two contrasting perspectives. The single domestication theory posits that dogs were domesticated with a single geographic location and time frame. In contrast, the dual domestication theory suggests that dogs were domesticated independently in multiple regions from distinct populations of wolves.

The science is clear that the Eurasian grey wolf is our modern dogs’ common ancestor. Fossil records allow us to track domestication from the DNA of fossilized material. Dogs probably originated in Southeast Asia, 10,000 to 32,000 years ago, with domestication around the world about 15,000 years ago. According to Dr. Charles Berger’s domestication seminar from 2017, distinct dogs were living as far back as 135,000 years ago.

Dmitry Belyaev’s fox experiment which replicated the process of domestication, offers valuable insights into dog domestication. The experiment demonstrated that selecting for tameness and friendliness over several generations resulted in rapid changes not only in behavior but also in physical traits such as floppy ears and curly tails, similar to those seen in domesticated dogs. Selecting for friendliness shaped the behavior and morphology of domesticated animals, providing evidence that dogs underwent a similar process of self-domestication through natural selection for sociability and reduced aggression toward humans.

The discussion between these theories underscores the complexity of dog domestication and the ongoing efforts to unravel the precise origins and processes involved in the evolution of dogs from wolves.

Theory of Domestication

 Brian Hare, like many of us, had a childhood dog that ignited a spark of inquisitiveness into how dogs were domesticated. Dr. Hare followed the Dmitri Belyaev foxes experiment where after only 45 generations, Belyaev’s foxes were domesticated.

I subscribe to Dr. Hare’s theory that dogs have been selected for a specific set of social and cognitive abilities that allow them to communicate with humans uniquely (Hare et al 2002).

Likely, hunter-gatherers would not have the time, patience, or motivation to tame a wolf puppy. More likely, wolves scavenged the leftovers of humans around human encampments, and wolves became acclimated to humans, and thus friendlier toward humans. These tamer, more friendly, proto-dog wolves were likely selected for useful skills such as being an alarm or assisting with hunting.

In the sense that dogs promoted our survival by allowing more efficient hunting, livestock herding and guarding, and personal protection from predators, one could argue that dogs domesticated humans. Certainly we humans have become a better species because of our dogs, for reasons ranging from capitalistic prowess (better livestock, better food, better domiciles) to far-reaching displays of domestication including empathy and friendliness.

Dogs benefit from our evolved large brains, while humans benefit from dogs’ evolved brains that include loyalty, friendliness, and emotional wellness. Humans worry about acquiring and maintaining food, health, and comfortable territory, and share with our dogs to their benefit.

On the other hand, modern dogs, who mostly no longer hunt, herd, or guard, still experience pure emotions and live in the moment. Modern humans with dogs vicariously experience this pureness of emotion through our dogs, and humans benefit.

Humans have evolved brains that benefit dogs while dogs have evolved brains that benefit humans in symbiotic evolution.

I agree with Dr. Hare the most likely idea is that dogs are self-domesticated, in other words, friendly behavior works profoundly well for dogs evolutionarily speaking. Friendlier wolves-turned-proto-dogs would have been more and more friendly, giving them access to human food and other benefits. Dogs likely domesticated themselves. And along with themselves, us, for the better.

An Important Warning

 The critical importance of understanding canine vocalization was recently driven home to me with our foster dog, Pix. When Pix first entered our home as a foster, she was friendly and accepting toward all our other dogs, and toward me.

However when my husband or any other man got close to Pix, she vocalized a low, threatening growl if she was on leash or otherwise unable to run away. Off leash, Pix would not even be in the same room or outdoor space without defensively barking and cowering away from any man.

In this situation, it was critical to understand that Pix’s growling was an important warning signal. By understanding why the growl was happening, Pix was able to rightly express her feeling of fear of men without escalating to the next, potentially more dangerous, behavior.

Once we determined the stimulus that was causing Pix to growl (the presence of a man), we immediately began behavior modification training including desensitization and counterconditioning.

My spouse Chris kept enough distance between himself and Pix so that Pix remained under threshold, still showing quiet and calm behavior, while I provided tiny bits of roasted chicken, one of Pix’s favorite treats.

Pix quickly began to associate that when Chris was anywhere nearby, enjoyable and valuable things happened. Gradually we progressed to Chris walking past Pix with enough distance that Pix remained calm, while Chris gently tossed her favorite chicken treats in her direction on the floor. Over time Chris was able to toss treats gradually closer to Pix as she became more and more comfortable.

Within 23 days of operation “When I see Dad chicken rains from the sky” Pix was nudging under Chris’ hand to ask him to pet her and Chris was able to pat her all over, scratch her ears, and Pix even slept next to him in bed.

This same process worked with other strange men including our pool cleaner, our gardener, and eventually Pix’s new dad when she was adopted successfully into her forever home.

For this great outcome to have happened, it was critical that we understood Pix’s vocalization. It was important to keep both Pix and the people around her safe, and by following through with counterconditioning this situation turned into a happy beginning with Pix being adopted into her forever home.

Dog Body Language

A situation where analyzing a dog’s body language is extremely important happened just last night, as we accepted a new foster dog into our household. In introducing ourselves and our three resident dogs to our new foster, Liz, it was important to understand what her body language was saying about the likelihood of how safe each interaction would be with ourselves and each of our dogs.

We began by starting with Liz in a quiet, open, and securely fenced field where I could introduce myself and observe Liz for several minutes in a neutral setting. Her body language ranged from curious to relaxed.

Based on my initial observations, we brought in our resident female dog to greet Liz in the neutral territory, with leashes attached but dropped to avoid any possible leash frustration or reactivity. We carefully observed Liz’s body language as she greeted our resident female Jackie. Liz and Jackie sniffed each other appropriately and greeted with curved bodies head to tail.

When Liz’s body froze with her tail held high and stiff while standing over Jackie, I was able to redirect her by loose, curving movement of my own and of Jackie’s. It was important to understand that while Liz and Jackie’s bodies were loose and curved, with relaxed facial expressions and slightly open mouths, the introductions were going well and were safe to proceed.

After meeting all three of our resident dogs one at a time and then as a group in the neutral territory, we brought the new foster Liz into our backyard and repeated the process of introducing the resident dogs one at a time in the open space of our back yard. Since that went well, we brought Liz into our home that had been previously prepared by sectioning off the area we want her to spend most of her time initially, and repeated the introductions indoors.

Every step was important for us to analyze each dog’s body language so that we understood that the interactions were safe and friendly for all dogs. For an eventual good adoption outcome for our foster, as well as keeping our resident dogs safe, including our 16-year-old geriatric spaniel, it was critical that these early encounters go smoothly, which they did.

Identifying body language is extremely important in this situation and sets the scene for a good outcome.

Stress and Adoption: How to Make Your New Dog Comfortable

Spoiler alert: the answer is PATIENCE. Newly adopted dogs need at least 90 days to completely settle into their new home, and should be supported by a comfortable, quiet, environment and a predictable routine.

A dog is stressed when first adopted into their new home. Often the new human family is overjoyed and brimming with love, and rightly so. They have been contemplating and planning to acquire a new dog and are eager to welcome their new family member.

Consider the point of view of the dog when being adopted. Often they have already suffered distress from being in a noisy and frightening shelter environment, or the confusion and loss of leaving their familiar foster home. Many newly available-for-adoption dogs are still recovering from the stress of recent medical treatments such as spay/neuter surgery, dirofilarial adulticide injections, or other veterinary issues.

Understanding body language and vocalization is important. Until dogs are comfortable in their new home, watch for dogs displaying displacement behaviors such as yawning or lip licking. Along with the myriad of requirements involved in adopting a new dog, the new family must allow enough time to form a bond with their dog.

Much has been said about the three-days-three-weeks-three-months post-adoption time frames. In my experience, the new dog is only beginning to be comfortable and de-stressed in their new environment within a minimum of 90 days. Often longer in situations concerning high-octane types, dependent "velcro" personalities, or especially puppy mill and other neglect survivors.  

In the first several days of being in their new home, most dogs need more than average quantities of sleep. It’s important to provide a safe zone with a relatively quiet and comfortable resting place. Sufficient exercise, but also sufficient – and safe – sleep is essential. Spending quiet time near the dog helps them. Provide sufficient but low-stress exercise to increase the bond between the new adoptee and their human.

The stress of being a newly adopted dog has positive components as well. Navigating this important milestone in a dog’s life is gratifying with the right amount of patience, planning, and time.