Not every Dutch Shepherd stays in its first home. In an AKC Rescue Network survey, rescue volunteers said the top three reasons owners give for surrendering a dog are "change of lifestyle, not the right breed for them, and lack of time to spend with the dog." Any of those can happen to a working breed that the AKC says "does not want to be a pet left at home." If you're taking in a grown Dutch Shepherd from a rescue or from a family that can't keep it, the work starts before you say yes: ask the hard questions, plan day one, give the dog three days, three weeks and three months, and never punish a growl.

Dabo, Alpha Kennels' working-line Dutch Shepherd, lying relaxed on a rug at home with an orange ball between his front legs, ears up
Dabo, relaxed at home with his ball.

Ask before you say yes

The AKC's guide to rescuing a dog starts with the backstory: "Ask how long the dog has been in the shelter or rescue, whether they were surrendered by a previous owner, or whether they were found as a stray." For a grown Dutch Shepherd, these are the questions we'd put next:

A Dutch Shepherd's history matters more than most. The AKC's breed page lists what this breed is used for: "obedience, dog sports, herding, tracking, search and rescue, and as a police dog." An adult might come from a sport or working home, or from a home that never gave it a job. Ask which, and what it was taught. Then be honest about your own life. The AKC's verdict on the breed: "Provided with proper mental and physical exercise, this dog makes a great pet for an active family familiar with dogs."

Looking for a purebred Dutch through rescue? The AKC says "most AKC parent clubs coordinate breed-specific rescue," and the Dutch Shepherd's AKC parent club is the American Dutch Shepherd Association, so the club is a sensible place to ask.

If an owner is rehoming the dog

Not every adult comes through a rescue. When a family rehomes a dog directly, the AKC's guide to ethical rehoming asks the owner to be fully transparent about the dog's "needs, health, and behavioral history," including any bite history. Ask for exactly that. If the dog came from a breeder, ask whether the breeder knows. The AKC notes that buyers from a reputable breeder likely signed "a contract that requires you to contact them before rehoming your dog," and says "the first step should be to contact your dog's breeder or the rescue group where you got them."

Day one

The AKC's plan for the first day with an adult dog:

Three days, three weeks, three months

The AKC calls it the "3-3-3" framework: "first three days for initial decompression, first three weeks for learning routines and understanding they are safe, and first three months to bond with you and fully settle." Animal behaviorist Patricia McConnell, quoted by the AKC, describes the start: "For the first three days, dogs are often in a bit of shock, and don't show you too much about who they are until they've been there a few days." The dog you meet on day one is often not yet showing you who it is.

Dog trainer and behavior consultant Mary Angilly, who works with high-risk rescued dogs, says in the AKC's decompression article that "A routine and quiet atmosphere are essential when first taking a dog home, generally for at least a few weeks." Set times for meals, potty breaks, naps, training and play. A steady schedule can help prevent trigger stacking, "a harmful accumulation of stress from multiple stimuli that can result in difficulty coping and exaggerated stress responses."

Give the dog a retreat. Angilly calls it a "Zen Zone," and it differs by dog: "Some dogs like enclosed spaces and crates, while others might prefer a spot under a table, or in a bedroom." Once you find it, "Their safe space should be honored as a place they can always retreat to when they want to get away from family activity and not be bothered, and this includes petting." And keep the world small. The AKC says "Don't take your dog many other places until he's had a chance to adjust to the new surroundings," so the dog park and the crowded festival can wait.

House training starts over

"Just because he was housetrained somewhere else doesn't mean he understands how that works at your house," the AKC says. Until you know where the dog stands, the AKC's advice is to work with an adult the way you would a puppy learning potty training for the first time. Our house training and crate training guides work for grown dogs too.

Read stress, and never punish a growl

The AKC lists common signs of stress: "excessive panting, pacing, tucking the ears or tail, licking the lips, yawning, freezing, or crouching." A growl is often a dog's warning that it's uncomfortable or feels threatened. Angilly cautions that punishing it may create a dog "that doesn't give any warnings prior to biting." Give the dog space, work out what caused the growl, and if a behavior worries you, the AKC's advice is to "check with an animal behaviorist."

Watch the door, too. The AKC warns: "Beware of the escapists who rush the door whenever someone enters." Keep a new dog leashed to you, confined or supervised, and register your contact information with the dog's microchip.

The frustration stage is normal

Humane World for Animals compares bringing home a new pet to culture shock, with four stages: honeymoon, frustration, adjustment and acceptance. It reports that Human Animal Support Services found 66% of "nuisance" returns happen in the first 30 days. Lindsay Hamrick of Humane World reminds adopters that "animals are individuals": "Whether they look like an animal you used to have, an animal you saw on TV, or one you've had your hopes and dreams on, don't assume their personality or needs will be what you think." For the adjustment stage that follows, the article passes on her tip to keep the world small, since "too much at once can overwhelm."

Adult or puppy?

Both can be right. With an adult, you see the grown dog in front of you, though its past may be partly unknown. A puppy from a planned litter comes with known parents, and the adjustment can be short: the AKC's decompression article says "some puppies who are appropriately socialized with a reputable breeder might only take a few days," while fearful or anxious dogs can take "a few weeks or months." A puppy still makes a big move: "Even well-bred puppies will have gone through a major transition, leaving everything and everyone they've ever known."

Either way, the AKC's test applies: be "realistic about your experience level and ability to manage those challenges before bringing any dog home, whether rescued or from a breeder."

The short version: before you take in an adult Dutch Shepherd, ask where it came from, how many homes it has had, its health records, how it does with kids and other animals, what it was trained to do, any bite history, and the return policy. If an owner is rehoming it, ask for full honesty and whether the breeder knows. Plan day one: crate or harness for the ride, same food, leashed potty trips, one room, family one at a time, other pets apart. Then give it three days, three weeks and three months, with a steady routine, a safe spot, a small world, and no punishment for growling.

New to the breed? Start with our ten honest questions.

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