So did your rescue change beyond all recognition once they realised they were home?

[hiredandsqueak]

Completely unnecessary photo of Eric and Bella added because I like it
Bella was ten on Wednesday, of course she got a warm chicken leg, presents and I made a cake and we sang to her. Eric joined in obviously but it made me realise how much she has changed and not all of it is for the better
The positives are that she likes a lot of dogs now where she didn't tolerate any (still a few she doesn't like but more inclined to ignore them than snarl anyway so I'd say that is as good as it gets)
She is great off the lead and her recall is good probably because she doesn't like to be too far from my side and she is the sweetest gentle dog with the dc.
The negatives are that despite coming here being fed Bakers complete and eating it without fuss every day she can try it on and be fussy now I feed her better quality food.
She never made a sound for weeks and now she patrols the house like a demon and barks at anyone who dares to walk past.
She wasn't walked and so used the garden to toilet at her last home, now she has discovered the joy of two walks every day she won't toilet in the garden so whatever the weather I'm mindful that she needs to go out and toilet.
Some things don't change she hates dustbin men, postmen and delivery drivers and recognises our Hermes van and driver even away from home and barks and growls at him anyway.

My own rescue has certainly changed - mostly for the better, sometimes for the worse!

He also came eating very low quality food, and was a little underweight as he didn't like eating it. Now he knows what the good stuff tastes like, he expects luxury as standard, and has been known to turn his nose up at other people's dog treats in the park.

He's learned that he can walk away from a snappy dog, and doesn't have to turn it into a scrap. He has always hated one breed, and added another to his list of breeds he hates for no apparent reason (we just avoid them). He also developed a hatred of motorbikes (now much improved, but probably as good as it will get), discovered the joy of rolling in corpses (today it was a frog) and has chased every squirrel in the locality.

He stopped raiding the kitchen bin multiple times a week, has learned all the usual commands, has decent recall, rarely pulls on the lead, his housetraining has remained solid, and he's perfect 99% of the time (and utterly horrid the other 1% - there's no inbetween).

He's become more territorial, and can get a bit shouty on certain occasions, but he's been taught that visitors = a game of fetch, so he's quite happy with them now.

One of the more subtle, but perhaps nicest differences, is that he now wags his tail a lot more. I used to think he just wasn't an especially waggy dog, but I think he's just a lot happier now. He also seeks affection from his nearest and dearest (he used to just accept it in small doses), occasionally asks to be picked up (wouldn't let you at all before), and will even occasionally accept affection from strangers when off lead (he's always just ignored / avoided their attention).

The current state of play is that he's much happier, I can live with the 'rough edges' he has, and we understand each other. He'll never be "perfect", but he's the dog that taught me the serenity prayer - in this household, it goes
Dog, grant me the serenity to accept the behaviours I cannot change,
Courage to change the behaviours I can,
And wisdom to know the difference

I've only had mine about 3 weeks but I hope she stays just as she is now! Eats dry food, house trained, friendly to people and most dogs, good for dog walker, loves cuddles. I wouldn't mind if she was a tiny bit less attached to me - it's quite comical when I leave the house when there isn't anyone to hang on to her. Oh and maybe if she would sleep in her bed instead of the comfy chair we have in the kitchen sometimes. I just feel so lucky to have managed to get such a lovely rescue dog