When you bring a new furry family member home, it can take time for them to adjust to their new environment. Many animal welfare organizations have started promoting the 3-3-3 Rule to easily explain how you can expect your rescue to behave over the first three days, three weeks and three months of their living in your home.

For the first three days, you can expect your new pet to be restless but curious. Especially if your new pet has been in the shelter environment for more than a couple of days, it will take some time for them to decompress and fully relax in their new environment. Making sure they have a safe space to come back to (a crate, bed or other form of hidey hole) is really important during this time to ensure that they don’t get overwhelmed.

For the following three weeks, your new pet will be trying to figure out how they fit into your home. This is the time where you can really start to build a relationship with your new pet and also the best time to get them started on basic training. Encouraging good behavior and discouraging bad behavior through positive reinforcement will help ensure good behavior in your pet for their entire lifetime.

For the remainder of their first three months with you, your goal with your new pet should consist of exposing them to new experiences and continuing socialization. Whether it’s taking your dog on car rides, giving your cat lots of different toys, or having company over regularly to keep them meeting new people, these experiences will build your pet’s confidence and encourage the growth of a healthy bond between you and them.

Pet tip of the week: Dogs love peanut butter, but be careful which you buy! Some brands contain Xylitol, a sugar substitute that is perfectly fine for humans to eat but poisonous to dogs.

Founded in 1885, Humane Society, Tennessee Valley is the longest standing animal shelter in the State of Tennessee. A stand-alone 501c(3) limited admissions animal shelter, Humane Society, Tennessee Valley receives no funding from national humane entities or government agencies; relying solely on private donations and grant funding. 

Contact: email or (865) 573-9675. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 11 a.m.- 6 p.m. Closed Sunday-Monday.