The Things We Weren't Prepared For When We Adopted a Rescue Dog

It has been over two months since we brought our rescue dog Barry home. And while I knew that it would take him a while to adjust to his new life in our home, I simply wasn't prepared for just how long and hard that journey would be.

To be fair, the rescue organization we worked with told us that it would take Barry a long time to warm up to us. And while I did hear what they were saying, I was convinced that if I loved him enough, he would become my best friend in a matter of days. Unfortunately, that isn't how it works with some dogs. We simply have no idea the amount of trauma and stress they had in their previous life.

Ryan Brainard

Barry was frightened of everything at first. Loud noises, strange objects, and yes, afraid of the people who were trying to tell him that they loved him. Progress was slow, but eventually, Barry began to show signs of being comfortable. He started playing with his toys. He started sniffing and showing interest in our other dog Rigby.

But there were also setbacks. Barry didn't like going on walks. He started having accidents in the house and refused to go out the back door to the backyard. We were at a breaking point. So we reached out for help. A local dog trainer met with us and her insight proved to be invaluable. She taught us how to approach Barry so we didn't seem so threatening. We learned to give out treats for any behavior that was positive. And we got him to stop having accidents in the house.

Carly Brainard

Barry has finally started to realize that we love him. He wags his tail for Carly and Chase, and just yesterday, I got my first tail wag too! I imagine Barry's personality is frozen in ice, and each day it thaws a bit more, revealing more of his true self to us.

It breaks my heart to think about what dogs like Barry have gone through. Imagine not knowing how to react to love and affection. We're not there yet, but we see progress. We are continuing to work with a trainer to unlock more of the real Barry.

The rescue organization told us that rescuing a dog like Barry would be hard, but that the eventual rewards would be unlike any love we'd known. We're one day closer.