Rescue Dog Training
Photo courtesy of Greenville Humane Society.
Rescue dog training is a good test of your dog skills and perceptions, and a great reward too. You've rescued man's best friend and you're giving him or her a life as a normal dog. Once again, good going..!
If at all possible..
GEEK your rescue dog's history!
Depending on how the dog came your way, knowing something about its history might be possible, but it's not a strict requirement by any means. Yes, it is helpful but you can learn a lot by observing the new family member as you start getting it used to the surroundings and new people. "Come on in and meet the family. We're going to give you a place in our pack"
Rescue dogs might have an issue of some kind, or they might not. Either way some research into the personality traits of the dog's breed will be helpful in rescue dog training, and it might help avoid a nip or two in your direction. The first concern is to make sure the dog knows people are friendly. If it seems shy, have family and friends crouch and extend a hand with a treat. If the dog is still reluctant just give it some time and space.
A true story submitted by Bill from S. California.. Thank you Bill :)
Pearl was an abandoned Golden Retriever that happened to choose my friend's yard to camp out. For two weeks she wouldn't let anyone come near her, but he kept feeding her and let her be, especially after she nipped at his hand. Then one day he discovered Pearl was attentive to a ball, so he played throw and retrieve with her and an hour later she followed him inside for the first time. In this instance, food, water and a place to bed down were all good, but playing made the difference.
As we can read by Bill's submission, patience is a big part of rescue dog training, as you can imagine. We never know exactly what a dog has been through but over time they can learn to trust people. If your rescue dog has an issue or a quirk, let your perceptions do some talking. I'm sure you'll figure out what to do and if you get stuck, I'll have some links here soon that will show you how to handle different types of behavior issues.
A dog needs to know its place in the pack hierarchy to be happy. Rescue dog training will help you accomplish this. One technique is to make the dog wait while you eat, then feed it in its own area. This clearly shows the dog it's not the pack leader. Making the dog sit before you feed or let it outside, or extending your hand in a "stop" gesture, then rewarding with a treat are typical of the techniques that begin to communicate your position and establish trust.
Most of this is pretty easy to figure out once you understand what makes a dog tick. That's why I'm always including some insight into the dog's nature in these articles. Of course every dog is different and you have to experiment a bit until you find which things work. Once you get to this point, it's time for the basics using command, reward and praise. Give clear, one word voice commands that get the animal's attention and you'll be building its vocabulary.
Believe me, through consistency like we always talk about, things will start to come together in a short time. Work with the dog twice a day and keep the rescue dog training interesting. Our reward for training is a well behaved animal, so be consistent and the dog will come around, sometimes surprisingly fast.
The main thing with a rescue dog is to give it space at first and be firm but flexible when it's called for. Make sure there's a bed, food and assign the dog a place of its own that's not your furniture or bed. If your rescue dog happens to like the throw rug at the foot of your bed and seems calm when there, I'd say that might be a good thing.
By all means, encourage the dog to play as a member of your pack. In a short time you just might feel the dog say, "Ah, I think I'm home at last."
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