Vivere con un cane salvato di piccola taglia: i primi 30 giorni

The first day

Plan the first day so that almost nothing happens. Drive straight home, and before you go inside, walk the dog on its leash to the spot you want it to use as a toilet. Give it time to sniff and go. Then bring it in, show it the water and its bed, and let it explore one or two rooms at its own pace.

Skip the visitors, the trip to the pet store and the long walk in the park. A small dog that has just traveled, perhaps across a border, needs to learn one place well before it learns the rest of the world. If the house is not ready yet, our guide to preparing your home for a rescue dog covers what to do first.

If the dog is nervous about hands near its neck, leave a well-fitted harness on while you are home with it, so you can clip on a leash without reaching for its collar. Take the harness off at night and whenever the dog is alone. Small dogs can slip through a door open only a few inches, so check where the dog is whenever someone goes in or out.

Days one to three: the shutdown

Many dogs seem almost perfect for the first few days. They sleep a lot, eat little and go along with whatever happens. This is usually a stress response rather than the dog's real personality, and it is easy to mistake for a dog that has already settled.

The risk is giving too much freedom too early: the run of the house, the sofa, the off-leash walk, the visit to relatives. Treat these days as a quiet period instead. Let the dog sleep, offer food at regular times without fuss, and keep the house calm.

A missed meal or soft stools are common after a move. With a small dog, though, keep a closer eye on eating than you would with a large one, because tiny dogs have less in reserve. The section on when to call a vet, at the end of this guide, lists what should not wait.

Week two: the real dog appears

Somewhere between the end of the first week and the end of the second, appetite comes back and so do the first real behaviors. The dog may guard a chew, bark at the door, climb onto furniture or discover that whining brings a human. None of this is a problem in itself, because the dog is learning how your home works.

This is the moment to be consistent. Decide the rules before the dog tests them, and make sure every person in the house responds the same way. A small dog allowed on the sofa by one person and scolded for it by another learns only that people are unpredictable.

House training usually needs attention now, even with dogs that were clean before the move. Small dogs have small bladders, and their accidents are easy to miss behind furniture. Take the dog out after it wakes up, after meals, after play and every couple of hours in between, and reward it the moment it finishes outside. Clean accidents with an enzyme cleaner, since ordinary cleaners can leave a smell that draws the dog back to the same spot.

Week three: the wobble

Around the third week, many adopters feel that things are getting worse. The dog that was so easy now barks, chews, pulls on the leash or ignores what it seemed to know. This is often the point where people start to doubt the match.

In most cases nothing has gone wrong. The dog has relaxed enough to stop holding everything in, and you are finally meeting the whole animal. Keep the routine steady, keep training sessions short, and go back a step whenever something is too hard. For simple ways to build trust, and the signs that it is growing, see our guide to bonding with a rescue animal.

If you adopted from Paw Squadron and feel stuck, send us a message and describe what is happening. Adoption day is not the end of our part, and we will help where we can.

Week four: a routine you can build on

By the end of the first month, most dogs have a recognizable routine. Sleep patterns settle, accidents become rare, and the dog starts seeking you out rather than simply putting up with you. This is a good time to start regular training, because the dog now has attention to spare.

Start with the basics: its name, sit, come, walking on a loose leash and settling on a mat. Add gentle handling practice for brushing, nail trims and a look at the teeth. Small breeds are prone to dental problems, so getting the dog used to a toothbrush early pays off for years, as our article on dental care for dogs and cats explains.

The first month is only the start. Rescuers often use the 3-3-3 rule as a rough guide: about three days before the dog stops shutting down, about three weeks before it knows your routine, and about three months before it feels at home. Every dog runs on its own clock, and some keep opening up for much longer than that.

What is different with a small dog

Small dogs go through the same stages as big ones. They also need a few precautions that owners of large dogs rarely think about.

• Ask before you lift. Teach a cue such as "up," then lift with one hand under the chest and one under the hindquarters. Dogs scooped up without warning often learn to avoid hands.
• Protect the joints and back. Jumping off sofas and beds strains small legs, and long-backed breeds such as dachshunds are prone to back problems, so use pet steps or lift the dog down.
• Walk on a harness. A collar that tightens when the dog pulls presses on the windpipe, and toy breeds are prone to windpipe problems.
• Keep them warm. Short-coated small dogs lose heat quickly and may need a coat for winter walks.
• Feed on a schedule. Very small dogs and young puppies can run low on blood sugar if they skip meals.
• Watch your feet. Small dogs get stepped on and caught in doors, so teach everyone to slow down when the dog is underfoot.

Size can also hide problems. A growling small dog is often laughed off, or picked up and carried away from whatever upset it. If you would take a behavior seriously in a large dog, take it seriously in a small one. Fear feels the same at any size, and our guide on helping a fearful dog applies just as much to a dog that fits under your arm.

When to call a vet

Book a first visit with your own vet in the first week or two, even if the dog seems perfectly healthy. Bring the pet passport and whatever health papers came with the dog, so the vet can see which vaccinations and treatments are done and when the next ones are due. While you are there, check that the microchip is registered with your details.

Every dog adopted from Paw Squadron comes with a pet passport, vaccinations and a microchip, which makes this first visit simple. Between visits, call the vet sooner if you notice any of the following, and do not wait to see whether it passes.

• No food at all for a full day, or sooner in a puppy or a very small dog
• Repeated vomiting, diarrhea beyond a day, or blood in either
• Weakness, wobbling, trembling or unusual sleepiness, especially in a very small dog
• Coughing, a honking sound when breathing, or labored breathing
• Straining to pee or poop, or not peeing at all
• Limping that does not improve within a day or two

Most of the first month is quieter than that list suggests. Keep the days predictable, let the dog set the pace, and save the big outings for the end of the month. By week four you will know your dog far better than you did on day one.