40 Soul-Healing Rescue Pet Pics To Make You Smile (March Edition)

When you rescue an animal, they need to adjust to their new surroundings just as much as you need to adapt to them. So if you just welcomed a dog or cat into your home, you’re in luck! The experts at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) gave CNN News a few valuable tips that can help tremendously during this transitionary period. Let’s begin with dogs.

“Owners should think about what their neighborhood and household are like … and find ways to get their pup familiar with that type of life, getting creative with socializing them to the world in and outside the home,” the ASPCA team explained.

When socializing your puppy, you should always:

• Introduce your pup to new experiences, objects, places, and people in a fun, positive way that allows your pup to feel safe. This is the best combination for building confidence;
• Use treats and toys that your pup finds rewarding to help create positive associations;
• Let your puppy decide when they want to engage and disengage. Never force them to investigate something that they’re uncertain about;
• Be watchful of your puppy’s body language to ensure they are enjoying themselves and recognize when they are not.

Some ideas for socializing your puppy include:

• Lots of walks! Take your puppy for walks while maintaining a safe social distance. Mix up your routes, go out in all types of weather, and walk on different surfaces so your puppy continually experiences new things. At least six feet away, walk past other people and dogs, construction sites, trains, buses, cars, bikes, scooters, and strollers. Offer treats and playtime as you encounter new things and friends so your puppy learns to enjoy all of them;
• Puppy Soundtracks: In the home, help your pup hear all the noises of a normal world like traffic, crowds, and other animals by playing free soundbites online. Turn them on right before your puppy enjoys mealtime, treats, or a fun play session. Start with the volume at a low level, increasing it just a little every day. You can also dance, sing, cheer and clap in your home so they get used to these experiences too. And, make sure to also get your pup used to the sounds of electrical appliances, washers, vacuum cleaners, and hair dryers typically used in your home.

• Stair and Elevator Training: Teach your puppy about climbing and descending stairs. If one is accessible to you, take your pup in the elevator and play a game of tug as you ride up and down.
• Obstacle Courses: Create a fun obstacle course at home that gets your pup to walk on different surfaces, including uneven ground. Try to create surfaces of different temperatures and textures by using household materials such as aluminum foil, cardboard, paper/plastic bags, and more.

Staying active is key as boredom and excess energy are two common reasons for undesirable behavior in pets, the experts at ASPCA explained.

While many families are still busy working and learning from home, it’s important for dogs and cats to do the same!

In addition to physical exercise, there are many fun and free ways to give your new pet a mental workout from the comfort of your house. 

For dogs:

• Use a snuffle mat for offering treats/dry food or stuff a puzzle toy with yummy goodies like plain yogurt, peanut butter, or their meal for a fun, and delicious challenge that will keep your dog busy and mentally stimulated. Once your dog becomes a pro at using a puzzle toy, you can even try freezing the stuffed toy in advance so getting all the food out takes even more of your dog’s time. If you don’t have a puzzle toy, use cardboard boxes (of all sizes), paper towel rolls, PVC pipes with holes drilled into the sides, or just plain old plastic jugs.

• Set up a scavenger hunt so your pup can put their powerful nose to work. Hide treats around a room in partial view, or even in cardboard boxes, empty paper towel or toilet paper rolls, cereal boxes, or egg cartons, to be discovered. If you have a yard, simply toss your dog’s kibble in the grass for him to search for his meal.
• Engage your dog in short, empowering, training exercises such as targeting your hand or a particular object or learning “sit”, “down” and “come. If your pup already knows the basics, look for trick training books or videos to learn more advanced skills like “spin” or “roll over.” If you want help with training, many professional dog trainers are offering virtual coaching.

For cats:

• Offer their meals or treats out of food puzzle toys.
• Provide objects for them to explore, such as cardboard boxes, paper shopping bags (with the handles cut off), bottle caps, packing paper, and toys that encourage them to investigate various openings with their paws. 

• Train your cat to learn useful behaviors and fun tricks, like “sit”, “come”, hand target, “shake” and fetch.
• Position bird and squirrel feeders outside windows where your cat can observe animals coming and going during the day or even try playing videos of birds and squirrels on your tv, computer, or phone!

It’s important to consider what your pet can do while they’re spending time alone. As regular work and school routines are returning, your pet may be left confused (and lonely!) once everyone is rushing out the door instead of spending time inside.

Even while you and your family are home, prepare your pet by allowing them to spend comfortable time alone throughout the day. 

Create a cozy, inviting place for your dog or cat to nap away from all the activity. You can also put on some soothing music or radio.

You can also offer your dog tasty chews to keep them busy—you can purchase all sorts of interesting and easily digestible chews online, such as bully sticks, tendons, tracheas, scapulas, and cheek rolls.

There are many free game apps for cats to play with on their own but you can also find plenty of battery-operated toys to keep them busy.

Again, remember that both dogs and cats will be entertained for some time with an interactive food-puzzle toy!

For more how-tos, guidelines, case studies, and other information, visit the ASPCA resource library.