Expect Bad Days

Progress will not move in a straight line. Some days the dog leans in; the next day it flinches at the same hand it nuzzled yesterday.

Give yourself an honest clock. For a moderately shaken dog, plan on at least three months before you see meaningful trust. For a severely traumatized dog, expect six months to a year. If recovery feels slow, that is not failure on your part or the dog's. It is simply how long it takes for safe experiences to outweigh frightening ones.