Amazing Transformation of Neglected Foster Puppy Proves 3-Week Rule of Pet Rescue Is Legit

Sometimes I look at the pictures provided by the rescue of my foster and rescued animals, and marvel at how different they look and behave now. Too often, animals in a rescue or a shelter have come from terrible situations where they were neglected, abused, or even left for dead. This adorable Pit Bull puppy was obviously starving before she came to live with the rescue family. But in just a few short weeks, she’s blossomed so much she’s hardly recognizable.

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Meet Roo, a foster puppy who was little more than a pile of skin and bones when she came to live with the family in this video. She slept curled up in a tight little ball, not only terrified of her surroundings but also probably freezing due to her extreme skinniness and lack of nourishment. Now, with a belly full and a sense of peace, she sleeps splayed out, or cuddled up next to the other animals in the home.

Related: Starving Dog Dumped in Street Has Best Transformation After Being Rescued in Chicago

A Dog Left to Die

When she first arrived, she was too weak to even leap over a small step in the house, and she certainly couldn’t navigate the stairs, Now, she bounds around the house ready to play, and takes the steep staircases like a champ.

Roo was discovered left to die in a crate in North Carolina. She was severely emaciated, like a little puppy skeleton, and was practically too weak to even walk. All she wanted to do was curl up in a ball and it took days and days of tender loving care, both on the part of her new caretakers and the resident dogs in the house (especially Golden Retriever Darwin) before she realized that she was in a safe space.

Timeline of a New Rescue Dog

For foster or rescue dogs, there is an adjustment period when coming out of the system and settling into a new home. You have to give them time to feel safe and secure in their new digs before you know exactly what kind of personality you are dealing with. Many rescues teach the “3-3-3” rule, saying that it takes three days for a foster dog to even relax in their new home. For the first three (or sometimes more) days, the dog may be overwhelmed or shut down. They may not sleep or eat, or just want to hide in a ball or even in their crate. It’s best to limit their exposure to other animals and too much excitement during this period, which should be devoted to showing them that everything is okay in their new environment. If they haven’t started eating after three days, seek medical attention.

After three weeks, their real personality will be shining through as they become more accustomed to their home. This, unfortunately, is also the period of time in which they may begin to test boundaries. This is when you may see behavioral problems like chewing or scent marking. It’s also the time to socialize them and make sure that they are getting along with the other animals in the house.

After three months, most dogs are finally feeling secure in their new home, and bonding with the family. At the three month mark, you finally can see the real dog underneath whatever trauma they may have previously suffered.

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