You can almost feel the despair in this dog's eyes.
It can be a great source of joy to rescue a neglected dog. The dog often seems very grateful and the feeling for the person is just as deep. But there are sometimes hidden challenges, health problems and other hurdles to jump. Neglect, whether by heartless people or just being lost and alone on the streets, wreaks havoc on the dog's mental and physical health. How well the dog can overcome these problems will depend on how well you can support it, as well as on how the dog's early life was, from birth to 12 weeks. A dog that had a very good start in life but then got lost will have an easier time reclaiming its life than one that had it bad from birth. Still, even a dog with everything stacked against it from birth can make a new start with your help and patience.
Instructions
1. Keep the dog separate from children and other pets until the veterinarian has cleared it.
Take the dog to the veterinarian as soon as possible, preferably before taking the dog to your home. If you can't take the dog before taking it to your home, keep it away from any other pets you have and limit the places in your home and yard the dog can visit until the veterinarian has checked it out. The dog may have any number of parasites or diseases, and you don't want to contaminate your home, yard, children or pets. But don't be afraid to rescue the dog because of this. Just confine the dog until you can get it to the veterinarian. Even if you adopted a neglected dog from a shelter or rescue, it is important to take the dog to the veterinarian right away, as it may have been exposed to disease or parasites at the shelter.
2. Too much food at once can cause illness in a dog that has been scavenging meals.
Offer the dog fresh water and food, but don't be concerned if it is afraid to eat or drink in front of you at first. Some dogs won't have a problem and others will. Just give the dog space and don't push. Don't overfeed, especially if the dog was on the street and hasn't had regular meals; smaller, more frequent meals are better. If the dog was in the shelter, try to feed the same food the shelter fed it, and gradually change it to a very high-quality dry dog food.
3. Give the dog time to learn to trust you.
Be careful handling the dog until you are certain of its temperament. You don't know what has happened to the dog or what kind of handling it's ever had, so don't make sudden movements or pick the dog up abruptly. Take the time to earn its trust. Even if the dog seems very friendly or sedate at first, sometimes after it gains strength it may be more aggressive. It's not helpful to be frightened of the dog, but use caution in handling it.
4. The dog can't tell you about its pain, but it will work through it, given enough time and love.
Be patient and hopeful. The dog cannot forget all it has been through in just a few weeks. Don't take it personally or give up if it seems distant or indifferent; remember that it has been through a lot of pain and may have never had a kind look until you came along. It may never be a joyful, playful or silly dog, but it will appreciate your kindness and remain loyally by your side if you let it.
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