Rescue advice

Very helpful trainings for any dog:

For training on puppy/dog biting click here

For training on early socialization click here

For training on becoming a good leader click here

For all newly adopted dogs, check out the 3-3-3 rule.

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My girl is almost two and I adopted her at 7 months old. I FEEL THIS, SO MUCH. I’ll tell you the best piece of advice I found was to stop trying to wear her out to get her to calm down. You can end up overstimulating them and winding them right back up. I focus on wearing out her brain first and foremost. When I first got her we did a lot of training after dinner and that really helped her to be calm in the evening. When we take walks we focus on going slow and sniffing everything. We do not go to the dog park, way too exciting for her; instead we do play dates. If you can find someone that has a young dog that’s super laid back, I find that’s the best pairing. If you get into training, try and teach her “place”. It can help when you need them to calm down and take a breather. Basically you’re helping her to relax. Also, if you rescued her it’s possible she could be a bit younger than they estimated, sometimes they guess wrong.

Give it time and focus on mental stimulation and avoid things that get her wired up. It gets better I promise ❤️

3 is peak energy age (was for my lil guy and he’s almost 13 now) so if you can get through this, you’ll be just fine. I like to play these 12-hour videos without ads that play doggy relaxation music, or ones that show dog walks with nature sounds. It’s not a physical thing but it’s lots of stimulating stuff on screen that lulls my dog into a nap.

But maybe longer lasting treats for heavy chewers, like water buffalo horns or that Himalayan yak cheese. At least as a distraction for when you’re in the bathroom lol

It gets easier! 💙

Is it possible she's really anxious? It kind of sounds like it. Anti-anxiety meds can be amazing, especially if your dog feels terrified at things like being alone. I know some people think it zombies them, but it really doesn't. We've seen both our adult rescue dogs become so much happier with anti-anxiety meds. They don't deserve to feel afraid and nervous all the time. I have anxiety too, and medication for it. It doesn't make any of us zombies, it helps us not feel afraid.

The way you talk about your dog shredding things when you go potty, that sounds like anxiety. I recommend consulting with your vet or a trainer to see if anxiety medications, like an SSRI, would be helpful. We had to try a couple meds with my boy, but the second one worked so well, so even if the first doesn't work, don't despair.