I Have an Anxious Rescue Dog – What Can I Do to Help Them Feel Safe?
- Perfectly Canine
- Aug 20
- 6 min read
If you’ve recently adopted a rescue dog and they’re struggling with fear or anxiety, you’re not alone. It’s incredibly common – especially in the early days – as your new dog adjusts to unfamiliar sights, smells, people, pets, and routines. Some dogs settle quickly, while others need more time and support to feel truly safe in their new home.
This post focuses on rescue dogs because many have experienced uncertainty or trauma in the past. But whether your dog is adopted or not, the tips and ideas here can help any dog who finds change or everyday life a little overwhelming.
Why Routine Matters for Rescue Dogs
One of the simplest ways you can support an anxious rescue dog in those early days after adoption is by setting a consistent routine. For many rescue dogs, life before adoption may have felt unpredictable – or even traumatic – so having a reliable structure helps them begin to make sense of their new world.
That might look like:
Regular, predictable mealtimes and toilet breaks (which can also support toilet training)
Low-pressure walks, training or other enrichment at similar times each day
A consistent evening routine to help them wind down for bedtime, along with regular opportunities for rest during the day
Worried that sounds a bit dull? It’s completely understandable to want to introduce your new dog to lots of exciting, positive experiences – especially if you’ve just brought them home from a rescue centre. But in the early settling-in period, what they need most is a chance to decompress and acclimatise.
Having a predictable daily routine builds confidence. It teaches your dog that the same positive events happen at the same times each day – and that nothing scary follows. Over time, this steady rhythm helps reduce anxiety and lays the groundwork for trust and safety.
Predictability in Human Behaviour: Becoming a Safe Person
It’s not just what happens to your dog that matters – how we behave as caregivers plays a huge role in shaping their sense of safety. Dogs constantly observe the humans around them for cues about their environment, including tone of voice, body language, and how we respond to them.
We can help anxious dogs feel more secure simply by being calm and consistent in our reactions. They need us to be a secure attachment figure – not only providers of essentials like food and shelter, but also an emotional anchor. This applies to how we respond both to things happening around us (like a sudden noise) and to our dog’s behaviour.
Dogs constantly observe the humans around them for cues about their environment
For example, if someone shouts at their dog for toileting indoors but then, half an hour later, gives them affection, the dog will see that person as unpredictable – and less safe. The dog doesn’t understand that toileting inside is ‘bad’ – they only know how you respond to it. Next time, they might hide behind the sofa to go instead, which isn’t what we want.
This doesn’t mean we have to accept indoor toileting. Instead, we can calmly say ‘never mind’, take the dog outside, and clean the spot with an enzymatic cleaner to prevent repeats. Then, we can track when accidents happen (after meals, play, or at specific times) and adjust the routine to offer more opportunities to go outside – praising the dog when they do.
Being predictable doesn’t mean being perfect – it means responding in ways your dog can trust and make sense of. When you consistently meet their needs with calm, consistent support, you become their safe haven.
Let’s look at how this played out for one of my recent clients: Jojo, a rescue dog who found everyday events at home overwhelming until we helped her build trust and safety through routine and predictability.
Case Study: Jojo’s Story
This is Jojo – a German Shepherd from Pawprints Dog Rescue who is currently in foster care. Her fosterers knew she tended to be anxious, but this soon developed into a more concerning behaviour.
From day one, Jojo showed intense fear toward the stairs. She avoided going up them at all costs and acted ‘sheepish’ whenever her fosterers came down into the living room from upstairs. Then one day, she started growling in a threatening way at the male fosterer whenever he came down the stairs – which meant it was time for me to step in.
We don’t know what happened in Jojo’s past to make her so fearful of people coming down the stairs – interestingly, she didn’t show this behaviour when people entered the room or house by any of the doors. What we did know was that we could make this event more predictable and positive for her.
Her fosterers introduced a new cue to signal when someone was coming down the stairs: the word ‘biscuit!’. They paired this cue with delivering a biscuit reward to her in the same spot – her bed.
Over time, Jojo’s response changed. She began greeting the male fosterer with a wagging tail and soft body language when he came downstairs. Even better, she started going up the stairs herself – something that had once been a source of great fear.
By introducing a clear, predictable routine – where ‘biscuit’ meant someone was coming downstairs and a reward would follow in the same place – Jojo learned that she was safe.
If you’re in Leamington Spa or Warwickshire and have a rescue dog struggling with anxiety, know that small, consistent changes like these can make a big difference. If you’d like personalised support to help your dog feel safe and confident, take a look at my 1:1 behaviour support services to find out how I can help.
Helping Your Dog Feel Safe
If you want to help your anxious dog feel safer and more confident, start by identifying the situations that worry them. Once you know what these are, think about how you can make those moments more predictable.
Here are some examples:
If your dog is startled by loud noises – for example, from vacuum cleaners or blenders – introduce a word or short phrase you say each time before switching it on. This helps them learn what’s about to happen.
If they’re uneasy about unusual objects on walks (such as flapping bin bags, garden ornaments, or statues), calmly say ‘it’s just a [object]’ and then reward them when they turn away. Over time, the phrase ‘it’s just a…’ will signal that there’s nothing to fear.
If walks themselves are worrying, stick to a short, predictable route at first, gradually building up to longer walks and different locations as their confidence grows. Choose routes where they’re unlikely to encounter anything overwhelming, so they associate walks with predictable, positive experiences.
If your dog does something unwanted, like jumping up, try not to shout or say ‘no’. This can be confusing – especially if they don’t understand why the behaviour is wrong. Instead, remain calm and ask for an alternative, more appropriate behaviour, giving them clear and consistent guidance rather than just telling them what not to do.
These are small changes – but they build big trust. It may not happen overnight, but with time your dog will grow in confidence as they learn the world around them, and the people in it, are safe.
Closing Thoughts: Safety First
Living with an anxious dog can be tough – you wish you could simply tell them there’s nothing to fear. You may not be able to explain that in words, but you can show them through your actions. It’s okay if it’s not perfect every time (we all get frustrated now and then) – what matters most is consistency over time.
Whether you’re supporting a rescue dog with an unknown past or a sensitive dog who struggles with confidence, healing comes through safety and steady routines. Aim to be your dog’s anchor in an unpredictable world – the one thing they can depend on, even in choppy waters. Over time, they’ll start to look to you for reassurance rather than feeling they have to face challenges alone.
Need support helping your anxious rescue dog feel safe?
If you’re based in Leamington Spa or the surrounding Warwickshire area, I offer 1:1 behaviour support tailored to your individual dog – with compassion and not picture-perfect expectations. Together, we can create a plan that helps them feel secure and confident in their new home.
