Most rescue dogs take around 3 days to decompress, 3 weeks to learn your routine and 3 months to feel truly at home. That's the 3-3-3 rule, and it's exactly how it went with Pablo.
Meet Pablo
Pablo is a Griffon Bleu de Gascogne and I rescued him in May last year from a griffon rescue I found on Facebook. He'd been abandoned on the streets of Spain. He was used for hunting wild boar, but he was rubbish at it, and if you met him you would understand why. He is the most gentle boy.
He joined Albert the cockapoo and Stanley the poodle, and he's learnt a lot from those two.
The first 3 days
Pablo was very quiet at first. He was scared of the TV and the washing machine, he struggled with the stairs, and some men with bald heads terrified him. Everything was new and he didn't know who to trust yet. We gave him lots of space and quiet time to decompress.
The first 3 weeks
It took him a while to settle and he would pace a lot. We set him up at night in a crate in our bedroom so he was close to us. I'm very routine led with my dogs and walk them at similar times of the day, whatever the weather. This helped him settle in and find a routine that made him feel safe and secure. Very early on we also learnt he was a couch potato. He loves to be snuggled in next to us on the sofa.
The first 3 months and beyond
Day by day he started to relax more. We got on with everyday life and stopped counting how many days we'd had him. He just slotted into our lives. Yes, he did make life harder. Three dogs is more difficult in terms of costs, time and walking, but would I change it or do I regret it? Definitely not.
He started to copy the other two. Albert and Stan give cuddles in the morning, and now Pablo does that too. That was the moment I knew he felt at home. He's still very scared of fireworks, and that's okay. Settling in doesn't mean every fear disappears, it just means they know they're safe with you.
Pablo now
He's very funny. He thinks he's invisible when he squeezes in on the sofa, but he takes up all the room. He loves to stretch his legs and run, and he often bays at the other two on the field. We now take him camping, hiking Wainwrights in the Lake District and to pubs to people watch, and he takes it all in his stride. He loves his food too, so I can't leave Albert and Stan's bowls down anymore or he'll hoover it all up.
Everybody comments on his deep, soulful stare. He looks right into your soul. He gets a lot of attention, especially from the ladies, and some have even named him George Clooney. It's been lovely watching him transform, and so rewarding. His friends on the park have noticed it too.
If you've just brought your rescue home
Be patient with them and with yourself. Give them a quiet space, keep things simple and let them come to you. The pacing, the nerves and the funny little habits are all part of it. If you're worried about anything, your rescue centre is always the best place to ask.
Drawing your rescue dog
Lots of rescue dogs are a lovely mix and nobody's quite sure what breed they are, so they might not be on my drawing sheets. Sometimes you might be lucky and find a close match to tweak. If not, that's where a bespoke drawing comes in. I draw your dog from scratch from your photo, every scruffy eyebrow and odd ear, and you see a preview before anything is printed. If you only have a few photos from their early days, send the clearest one and tell me about them in your order notes. Here's how to choose the right photo.
Celebrate their gotcha day
The day your rescue came home is worth celebrating. A Syd with their portrait on makes a lovely gotcha day gift, or a present for a friend who has just adopted. Our Life is Better with your dog hoody is the one I'd pick, or spoil them with a treat tin or a Life is Better print for the wall. If they aren't on my sheets, a bespoke drawing and A4 print is perfect.
And if you're thinking about adopting, Pablo and I would both say go for it.