dimanche 16 mars 2014

Caring For & Training A Rescue Dog

By Garrett McMahan


There are millions of animals in shelters across the United States, and rescuing one of these wonderful creatures is an excellent option if you are looking to add a furry friend to your family. However, sometimes it can be difficult for these dogs to adjust to their new homes, and here are a few ways to help make the transition easier.

While your rescue dog might be a perfectly happy, healthy animal that has been well cared for by a foster parent or a quality shelter, often these dogs need a bit of help right from the start. A gentle grooming, a good teeth cleaning and a visit to your veterinarian can be good first steps to assess any problems. Remember that rescue dogs often are very shy or even scared, so being patient is important. While some rescue dogs are housebroken, others are not, so you might have to spend a few weeks or more helping them with the housebreaking process. Fortunately, it is generally easier to housebreak these older dogs than a puppy.

While adding a dog to the household certainly brings about some big changes for your family, this is also a huge change for your new pet. Obviously, when a dog finally is matched with its forever home, this is wonderful, but dogs can be stressed out by change and it might take them a few days or a week or two to truly warm up to the family members. Often, these rescued animals were mistreated by their former families, so they are hesitant to trust humans at first.

While you might think of obedience training as too scary for a new rescue dog, this is actually a fantastic way to bond with your new pet. After all, your dog is a bit unsure about what you expect from them as far as behavior is concerned. What better way to show them than through patient, consistent obedience training? In addition to basic skills, this training can eliminate nuisance behavior such as jumping up on guests, barking inappropriately and chewing on your belongings. Well-trained dogs are happier than untrained dogs because their owners are happy with them, and for a dog, nothing makes them happier than being praised and loved.

In addition, the bond between the two of you will grow because you will be spending extra time together, learning the obedience skills. You will gain a better, deeper understanding of your new friend's temperament and needs. In turn, you will soon have a dog that can be taken just about anywhere safely. This is a process that can take several weeks to accomplish, so be wary of any dog training system that promises overnight success or claims that with one simple command your dog instantly will obey.

Consider opting for a trusted program such as The Dog's Way, which is a DVD dog training program that teaches many basic skills including walking on a loose leash, sitting, staying, coming when called, staying quiet and understanding boundaries. In addition, these dog training videos with help you learn how to train a dog and keep them from barking at inappropriate times, chewing up your personal items and furnishings and jumping up on your guests, as well as a few other nuisance behaviors. In addition, with dog training DVDS, you have all the convenience of dog home training, which means you truly can fit training into your schedule.




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