Settling In: Helping Your New Rescue Dog Adjust

Written By Melissa "MJ" Viera

By Melissa Viera

Originally published on November 5, 2025, on WBSM 1420

Adopting a dog can be rewarding for families, but helping a new dog adjust isn’t always easy. While many people anticipate an adjustment period, if the phase lasts longer than expected, dog owners are left wondering what they can do differently. Whether you’re planning to adopt and have concerns about what you’ll do with a shoe-chewing, dinner-stealing dog, or you already brought your new dog home and are asking yourself, “Will he ever calm down?”, there are things you can do to help your dog be a really good dog.

It takes more than treat puzzles and enrichment toys to tire out a dog, and preventing behavioral problems isn’t just about giving your dog more to do and hoping for the best.



Read More: New Dog Adjustment Tips Every Family Should Know | https://wbsm.com/dog-adoption-training-tips/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral

Melissa "MJ" Viera

In 2013 I opened MJ’s Pet Training Academy with the vision of creating a new kind of dog training center. Along with teaching pet owners and professionals, I enjoy writing about dogs. I’m a member of Dog Writers Association of America, and the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, as well as a CPDT-KA. I hope you enjoy reading my thoughts on training and more.

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