Why?
Because there is no blank slate.

A rescued dog doesn’t arrive empty or neutral. They arrive already carrying history and recently they’ve had a lot of “new”. New for many rescued dogs is a lot to process and when every single sense they have is full trying to take in everything around them, feeling safe is very difficult to find.

New environment, new smells, new rules, new rhythms, new people. Even kindness can be totally unfamiliar to them and unfamiliar can be like a big ole hole in the “safety” bucket. We can fill it all we want with what we have read “helps”.
That security and safety is still leaking out, it doesn’t have time to sit and settle and yep, I suppose there is a safety sediment.

When we ask a dog to cope before they’ve even had a chance to settle, all they are doing is coping.
There is no settling.
Safety is what allows everything else to come later.

Safety looks like routines that don’t change, space that isn’t invaded and time where nothing is required of them.
Nothing at all.
It looks like letting a dog observe without participating and just "be" without performing.

And yes, it can feel slow. Unproductive.

It can also feel awkward.

I read a thread on a post in a rescue group and people that suggested keeping them quiet for a few days were often shut down.
“Do people do this? Why, that’s so boring for them”.
That’s the point, boring is safe and allows for stress levels to drop instead of being “topped” up.

“No way could I do that, she’s had months of living in that shelter”
That’s exactly why.
You want a dog to become part of your family, you’ve opened your heart and your home and now more hurdles are all around her. Climbing them can take a big toll.

Every single one of those people commenting had previous posts about the real difficulties they are facing and have been facing for a while.
All of those new experiences in the first few days can delay feeling safe.

You can’t rush settling.
But you can interrupt it.
Over and over again.

🐾 Dog owners – a quick local reminder 🐾

Planned PAPP baiting will be occurring in parts of our area over the coming months as part of routine wildlife management programs. While this is council-approved and carefully managed, it’s a good time to take a few extra precautions when out and about with your dogs.

Especially during this time, please:
• Keep dogs on lead, particularly in designated baiting areas
• Avoid letting dogs sniff, scavenge, or eat anything while walking
• Take extra care in the following locations:
• Bittern Coastal Wetland (Warringine Park Bushland Reserve), Bittern–Hastings
• Yaringa Foreshore Reserve North, Somerville
• Yaringa Foreshore Reserve South & Gordon Rolfe Reserve, Somerville
• Woods Bushland Reserve, Tuerong
• Rye Landfill & Resource Recovery Centre, Rye

Possible signs of PAPP ingestion can include:
• Lethargy or weakness
• Fast or laboured breathing
• Vomiting
• Pale or blue-tinged gums

If you think your dog may have ingested bait, please head to your closest veterinary clinic immediately — early treatment is critical.

If you have any questions or would like advice on keeping your pets safe during this period, feel free to contact us. 💙🐶

#WesternportVetClinic #DogSafety #PAPPAwareness #MorningtonPeninsulaDogs #ResponsibleDogOwnership #LocalVet #PetSafety #DogOwners #OnLead