A new home. A new beginning.
You and your rescue dog, together.
Welcome Home, Rescue Dog: An interactive Guide & Keepsake Journal helps you build a trusting bond, discover what your dog needs, and bring out their best—all while writing your shared story, one page at a time.
Praised by Kirkus Reviews and IndieReader · Read the reviews
Take a look inside
Part guide. Part keepsake. All about your dog.
Short, illustrated lessons sit beside write-in prompts, so the book becomes a conversation about your dog: their first night, their favorite sniff spot, the moment they seek you out.
Share all the HEARTS.
HEARTS makes it easy to remember six caregiving practices that help your dog thrive and make life together more joyful.
Meet all six HEARTS practices
Find your daily rhythm.
Explore pages on reassuring routines, planning for success, and finding rewards that your dog prefers. There’s room to think about the daily rhythm you’ll share.
Preserve special moments.
A daily tracking page, scent activities, and five-minute lessons offer starting points for noticing what your dog enjoys and how your days unfold.
Learn each other’s language.
Explore your dog’s style and body language, then use the HEARTS prompts to reflect on their needs. The journal makes space for both understanding and remembering.
What reviewers and dog professionals are saying
“Packed with helpful tips for creating a loving human-canine dynamic…”
“These pages will hold your hand through the process, gently easing you into life with your new best friend.”
Founder of The Family Dog. Creator of the Dial Method.
“Excels as a ‘baby book’ for new rescues… a source of fond memories for years to come.”
Ready to start?
Get your copy today
Paperback · 166 pages · $24.95
How to use it
Make the book part of your everyday life.
You can use it on adoption day, during the first weeks, and as you continue getting to know each other.
On adoption day
Make room for questions.
Start with The First Days and Weeks. Note what you already know about your dog and what you’d like to ask the people who have cared for them.
As you settle in
Notice the individual.
Explore the guidance on body language, enrichment, and welfare. Use your observations to get curious about your dog’s preferences and needs.
As life unfolds
Keep what you learn.
Return to the journal to reflect, record meaningful moments, and keep questions in mind for your dog’s care team.
The HEARTS framework
Six practices. One letter at a time.
Central to the book is HEARTS, a trauma-informed framework that helps you see the world from your dog’s point of view and notice what works for your dog.
Heal the body
Wellness begins with rest, nourishment, and medical care
Enrich the brain
Chewing, exploration, and physical activity improve mental health
Align the environment
Create appropriate, supportive spaces where your dog feels safe
Relate with kindness
Build a relationship of mutual trust, security, and cooperation
Teach compassionately
Learning can be fun and easy with positive, science-led methods
Support the individual
Honor your dog’s age, history, temperament, and natural drives
Meet the author
It started with one rescue puppy and a hard first year.
When conventional dog training books failed to help with an unruly pup, Wendy Lyons Sunshine turned to The Connected Child, the bestselling adoption parenting book she co-wrote.
Its approach to caregiving and relationships inspired HEARTS, the framework at the center of Tender Paws: How Science-Based Parenting Can Transform Our Relationship with Dogs—winner of the 2025 ASJA Book Award, the 2024 DWAA Maxwell Medallion, and an endorsement from Temple Grandin, PhD.
Now, Welcome Home, Rescue Dog shares HEARTS in an illustrated, write-in format to help adopters and their dogs during that sensitive first year together.
Wendy Lyons Sunshine, MA, FDM · Psychology Today contributor · Bylines in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal · Works with dog training & behavior organizations · Board member of local humane society
Questions before you begin
Is this a training manual or a journal?
It’s an interactive guide and keepsake journal. Alongside space for your story, it covers understanding your dog, welfare, positive reinforcement, behavior challenges, and when to seek professional help.
How is the book organized?
The book’s five sections give you places to explore, reflect, and remember:
- The First Days and Weeks: Begin with the transition to life together.
- HEARTS for Well-Being: Explore six areas of support: Heal, Enrich, Align, Relate, Teach, and Support.
- Navigating Life: Turn to guidance for the everyday experience of sharing your home.
- Moments to Cherish: Keep the memories that make this your story.
- Your Care Team: Make space for the people who support you and your dog.
Can I use it if my dog is already home?
Yes. You can begin by reflecting on the life you’re sharing now. The sections on well-being, navigating life, and cherished moments give you places to continue beyond the first days.
Do I need to know my dog’s history?
You can begin with what you know and what you’re learning now. As the book puts it: “You may not know their past, but you can make their future bright.”
Can I use it alongside a trainer?
Yes. You can use your reflections as a starting point for conversations with your trainer or care team. The journal also helps you recognize when to seek professional support.
Get yours today!
Welcome Home, Rescue Dog: An Interactive Guide & Keepsake Journal
Paperback · $24.95 · 166 pages · Prima Vista Press · ISBN 979-8-234-00667-7
Ordering for a shelter, rescue, or store? Contact the publisher for bulk and wholesale options, or see resources for organizations.
For shelters, rescues & trainers
Do you help dogs find forever homes?
Find sample pages, a flyer for your team, and wholesale and bulk ordering options for your organization.