When you take your dog home, you will be given a contact number for the charity. We encourage you to get in touch if you have any questions or concerns, whether it is the first night or the 100th night. We do not do post-adoption visits, but we rely on you to check in with us, and we are always available by phone.

We expect to be the first call if something goes wrong. Every dog we rehome has a place back with us if they ever need it. Please do not rehome a dog yourself or surrender it to a pound without contacting us first.

When your dog is signed over to you, you will sign an adoption contract. This confirms that you will contact us in the first instance if you have any issues with the dog or need to rehome them. For puppies, there is an additional legally binding clause requiring neutering at six months without exception.

Every dog that leaves us has been fully vet-checked, vaccinated, and treated as outlined in our adoption fee section. Beyond that, ongoing veterinary care is the responsibility of the adopter. We strongly encourage you to take out pet insurance as soon as your dog comes home.

If you adopted your dog through us, we will always take them back. Please contact us directly in the first instance rather than surrendering to a pound or rehoming privately.

If you adopted from a different charity and find yourself in the difficult position of needing to surrender, please contact the charity you originally adopted from. We are not in a position to take in dogs rehomed through other organisations.

Remember that your new dog has never lived with strangers before. Even if they came from a loving home, your home is strange to them. The first night can be a challenge, and that is completely normal. Over time, your dog will decompress and settle in, but patience in those early days makes all the difference.

A helpful framework for the settling-in period is the 3-3-3 rule.

First 3 days: Your dog may feel overwhelmed or scared, be reluctant to eat or drink, sleep a lot, retreat to a safe space, or test boundaries. Keep things calm and quiet and give them time.

After 3 weeks: Your dog will start to learn the routine, decompress, and show more of their personality. This is also when behavioural issues may begin to present themselves. Do not be discouraged.

After 3 months: Your dog will be comfortable, settled, and bonded with your family. This is your dog.

Many owners are lulled into a false sense of security in the early weeks, believing they have adopted the perfect, easy dog.

Once a dog truly decompresses and feels safe, they begin to show their real personality, and that is when unwanted behaviours are most likely to appear. This is not a bad thing. It means your dog trusts you.

Common behaviours at this stage include lack of basic obedience, toileting indoors, resource guarding, reactivity, and destructive behaviour. There are no bad dogs, just dogs that need guidance, and we are here to support you through it. (Our rescue's true personality appeared after about seven months. He decided that a treat must be produced each morning before he would leave his bed.)

• Try not to leave your new dog home alone for the first 48 hours.

• Set up a safe space with a covered crate and comfortable bedding in a quiet, low-traffic area such as a bedroom or corner of the living room.

• Offer frequent opportunities to toilet outside and reward with a treat when they get it right.

• Use baby gates to limit access to parts of the home, or to give your dog space if they feel overwhelmed.

• Pick up rugs or anything you would not want chewed or soiled.

• Have healthy chews and puzzle toys ready. Prepare some in advance and put them in the freezer.

• Place small jars of treats around the home so you can reward good behaviour whenever you see it.

• Minimise access to whatever is causing stress.

• Play calming music, turn on the TV, or use a white noise app to help with noise sensitivity.

• If your dog is barking at windows, temporarily block their view or limit access to that room.

• Take a breath and give it time. Most of these behaviours ease significantly after a few days of routine.

• Being in a car

• The sights, sounds, and smells of your home and neighbourhood

• Unfamiliar people wanting to say hello

• Not knowing where they are supposed to go to the toilet

• Toileting accidents indoors

• Pacing, panting, or whining

• Drinking a lot of water

• Eating very little or nothing at all

• Barking at noises or movement outside

• Little interest in people, other animals, or toys

• Jumping on furniture or countertops

• Following you from room to room

All of these are normal responses to a big change. With consistency, patience, and time, you will look back and be amazed at your dog's transformation.