What is the 3 rule on dog food
The 3-3-3 Rule and bringing home a rescue dog
You rescued a dog, are you wondering how long does it will take your rescue dog to adjust? What are the phases of a rescue dog? What can you do to help them through the transition of coming home with you?
Adopting a rescue dog brings excitement, stress, and worry all at the same time.
The list of questions can go on forever. Lucky for you, you are in the right place. Rescue Dogs 101 has everything you need in your journey of adopting and raising a rescue dog.
The 3-3-3 Rule 3 Days, 3 Weeks, 3 Months
What is the 3-3-3 rule when adopting a dog?
The 3-3-3 rule is a general guideline that represents the phases of a rescue dog or common milestones your new dog or puppy will go through it is the first 3 days, 3 weeks, and 3 months after bringing your dog home from the shelter.
The 3-3-3 rule is also known as the rescue dog honeymoon period.
If youve ever started a new job or moved to a new school, you know this feeling. The feeling of being in an unfamiliar place, new surroundings, new people, new rules.
How long will it take my rescue dog to adjust?
The honest answer is, it depends. Some dogs will follow the 3-3-3 rule to a tee, others will take 6 months or a full year to feel completely comfortable.
Keep in mind that the 3-3-3 dog rule is a general guideline. It will depend on the situation the dog was surrendered, the dogs personality and background.
Give your dog space and allow him to go at his own pace during this honeymoon period. You will look back someday and be amazed at the transformation.
Lets look at the what you should expect:
In the first 3 days,
your new dog will be overwhelmed with his new surroundings. They will not be comfortable enough to be themselves. Dont be alarmed if they doesnt want to eat for the first couple of days, many dogs dont eat when they are stressed.
They may shut down and want to curl up in his crate or under the table. They may be scared and unsure of what is going on.
Or they may be the opposite and test you to see what he can get away with, kind of like a teenager.
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Maybe scared and unsure of what is going on
- Not comfortable enough to be himself
- May not want to eat or drink
- Shut down and want to curl up in his crate or hide under a table
- Testing the boundaries
After 3 weeks,
hes starting to settle in, feeling more comfortable, and realizing this may be his forever home. He has figured out his environment and getting into the routine that you have set.
He lets his guard down and may start showing his real personality. Behavior issues may start showing, this is your time to be a strong pack leader and show him what is right and wrong.
- Starting to settle in
- Feeling more comfortable
- Realizing this could possibly be his forever home
- Figured out his environment
- Getting into a routine
- Lets his guard down and may start showing his true personality
- Behavior issues may start showing up
After 3 months,
your dog is now completely comfortable in his home. You have built trust and a true bond with your dog, which gives him a complete sense of security with you. He is set in his routine and will come to expect his dinner at his usual time.
- Finally completely comfortable in his home.
- Building trust and a true bond
- Gained a complete sense of security with his new family
- Set in a routine
BEFORE You Bring Home Your Rescue Dog
If you havent brought your new rescue dog home yet, here are 4 things you should do before bringing any new dog home:
- Dog/puppy proof your house and make sure no electrical wires are hanging on the floor, pick up small items a dog may find enticing to chew, gate off areas of the home you dont want the puppy to have access to.
- Walkthrough your yard and make sure the fence is in good shape with no areas the dog may squeeze or dig under the fence. Check the gates to make sure they are closed and latched.
- Purchase a crate and set it up in a quiet place, such as your bedroom. A crate will give your dog a safe place to decompress.
- Purchase necessities such as food, food/water bowls, collar, leash, and ID tag. Of course, a few toys and a bone would be nice too.
Check out my Amazon shopping list for my recommended dog products.
Bringing Home a Rescue Dog Advice
We have adopted eight dogs and fostered many more over the years, so to say Ive gone through this phase many times is an understatement.
These steps work and will make your life easier and your dogs transition into your home much smoother.
1. Outside before inside
When you first get home, introduce your new dog to the outside of your house before bringing him inside. Let him take in all the new smells. Show him where he will go potty and make sure to read our post on how to potty train your puppy fast. Then take him for a walk to burn off any extra energy.
2. Bringing a new dog home to another dog
If you have another dog at home, introduce them outside before bringing him inside. Even if theyve already met at the shelter or foster home.
Take them for a walk together or put the resident dog in the backyard, bring the new dog to the outside of the fence to let them smell each other.
It is important not to let the new dog invade your resident dogs territory. Take this step very slowly.
As hard as it may feel, you should wait 24-48 hours before fully introducing the new dog into your pack. Keep them in separate areas of the house for the first day to let everyone decompress.
IMPORTANT: Please read The Best Way to Introduce a Second Dog Into Your Pack. Take the time to read this because it is so important to do introductions the right way.
3. Introducing your new dog to the inside of your home
Enter and introduce your dog to your house slowly. Restrict his access to one area of the home. He is going to be stressed for the first few days (read the 3-3-3 rule of dogs above), so the smaller the new area is, the more comfortable he will be.
Keep him on a leash for at least the first day, preferably the first 3 days. You dont always have to hold on to the leash, he can drag the leash around with him, but this gives you quick access to him if needed.
I do this with each of our foster dogs. It helps the dog not get overwhelmed and helps me limit potty accidents.
4. Keep the first few days quiet and low-key
Dont overwhelm him with visitors coming to see how cute he is. Dont take him to the dog park. Avoid overwhelming situations altogether.
Wait until he has a chance to get to know you and his new home first. Give him plenty of quiet time to settle in.
Give your new rescue dog a safe area to decompress, this will help him feel more comfortable. An open crate is a great tool to create a comforting den-like area.
5. Create a routine starting day one
Creating a routine will also help your dog feel more comfortable. Schedule his feeding, walks, sleep and playtime.
The sooner you establish a routine, the better you both will feel. A feeding schedule will help with potty training.
6. Training
Research dog training classes. Training is just as much for you the owner, as it is for the dog. Training your dog is so important, please dont skip this part of being a responsible dog owner.
We have a lot of training resources on our website, take advantage of them. Be proactive, dont wait until you see the bad behavior.
7. Kids and Dogs
Dont leave kids alone with your new dog. For the first few weeks, your dog is going to be stressed from moving to a new home he is not familiar with add a child that just wants to hug and kiss the dog, and its a recipe for disaster (i.e. dog bite). Even the nicest dog can bite out of fear and protection.
Recommended reading:
In conclusion
Congratulations on rescuing a puppy. Enjoy your new rescue dog, give them the time and space and they will soon become your best friend!
The first thing most people want to do is show off their new rescue puppy. Just take it slow, I know you are excited but keep in mind how your dog is feeling. They have been through a lot, he may have lost his family, abandoned in a shelter its all very stressful. He needs time, so give it to him.
Remember the 3-3-3 dog rule is a general guideline. Your dog will go at his/her own pace during the honeymoon period, it could take 4, 5 or maybe even 6 months. Each dog is unique. Just be there for them, comfort them when they need it and create a positive safe environment and you will be on your way of creating your perfect dog.
Up next:
Four Naming Rules That Can Help Reveal a Dog Foods True Meat Content
Without rules any product with just a tiny amount of beef in it could be unfairly called Beef Dog Food.
So, the Food and Drug Administration has established four basic rules to standardize the process of naming a dog food. You can use them to help reveal a products true meat content. They are
- The 95% Rule
- The 25% Dinner Rule
- The 3% With Rule
- The Flavor Rule
The 95% Rule
The first rule requires that at least 95% of a products pre-cooking weight must come from the named animal source.
For example, in order for any product to be called Chicken for Dogs at least 95% of its ingredients must come from chicken.
And thats before its cooked not counting any added water.
OK, so how does the 95% Rule deal with a product made with two meat ingredients say beef and liver?
Well, to answer that question, you must first understand how the agency looks at lists. The FDA always requires that whenever a product lists its ingredients all must be listed in order of their pre-cooking weight.
And that same rule also applies to a products name.
So, when the name of a dog food includes two (or more) animal ingredients, the predominant one must be named first. And together they must make-up at least 95% of the product.
For example, when you see the name Beef and Liver Dog Food you know the two named meats (beef and liver) total at least 95% of the product and you know beef is the predominant ingredient not liver.
Now, one more thing When one of the two components happens to be a non-animal ingredient (like a grain or a vegetable) it cannot be used to meet the 95% requirement.
In other words, Lamb and Rice Dog Food must contain at least 95% lamb.
By the way, nearly all 95% Rule dog foods are canned products.
The 25% Dinner Rule
Now, if the named ingredients make up at least 25% of the product (not counting added water) but less than 95% the 25% Dinner Rule applies.
To qualify for the 25% Rule a descriptive term must be included in the name. These so-called descriptors consist of words like
- Dinner
- Nuggets
- Formula
For example, if you see a name like Salmon Formula for Dogs you know that at least one fourth of the product comes from salmon.
But watch out Since a name like Beef Dinner for Dogs only requires that a fourth of the product be beef, the meat component may actually occupy the third or fourth position on the ingredients list.
And that means the first ingredient (the main one) can sometimes be one you dont really want.
Lets say corn happens to be the first ingredient on the list. And what if your dog was allergic to corn?
Well, the name Beef Dinner for Dogs makes no mention of the actual majority component in this case, corn.
So, your dog might be in serious trouble.
See what I mean?
Remember always check the ingredients list to get a clearer picture of what youre buying.
Now, heres another issue
If two ingredients are included in the name they must together total 25% so long as neither accounts for less than 3%.
Now, unlike with the 95% Rule, this regulation allows the manufacturer to include both the animal and non-animal ingredients together in the 25% total.
The 3% With Rule
That brings us to the third naming rule the 3% Rule or With Rule as it is more commonly known.
Whenever you see the word with mentioned in a dog foods name, youre dealing with an ingredient totaling not less than 3%.
Heres the point
Take a look at these two names: Tuna Dog Food and Dog Food with Tuna.
To the unsuspecting shopper, these two dog foods look pretty much the same. Dont they?
But Tuna Dog Food contains at least 95% tuna whereas Dog Food with Tuna has only 3%. One product contains over 30 times as much tuna as the other.
Big difference wouldnt you say?
The Flavor Rule
Finally, the Flavor Rule permits a dog food name to include any specific meat fish, lamb, chicken, and so on even if there isnt a speck of that meat in the product as long as the word flavor is used with it.
For example, a dog food can be legally named Beef Flavor Dog Food even if the product contains no measurable amount of beef. The only requirement is that a barely perceptible flavor must be detectable by a specially-trained testing animal.
Wow! You know how sometimes you read something and you just cant believe that what youve just read?
Bottom Line An Easy Way to Avoid Low-Meat Content Dog Foods
Well, I think its fair to say that any product named using one of these last two FDA regulations the 3% Rule and the Flavor Rule would probably never qualify as a high meat protein dog food.
What do you think?
