Shelter Dogs - Dogs With a History

Adopting adult shelter dogs

The dog found at a dog shelter can become the best of pets. These dogs, like you and I, have a history. Their history may haunt them from time to time. He may have a problem with trust; after all he trusted another family. His previous family may have not known how to properly train him. They may have used a newspaper to discipline him as a puppy. He now has a fear of newspapers or hatred for newspapers causing him to destroy the paper whenever possible. You can never erase his past history, he will always have memories. Yet these dogs often do become the best of household family pets. Dog problems take time and consistency to correct.

Routines Create Anticipation for the Shelter Dog

You need to establish routines in the life of your dog. This is especially true when adopting a dog from dog rescue shelters.  These routines will become great anticipations of things to come, things to look forward to. Take him with you when you go get the mail and teach him how to carry it back. Start the mornings with a little game or exercise walk. When you return home from work make it a fun anticipatory experience. Talk to him and play with him a few moments. You need to become predictable.

Fulfill a Dog's Needs

Your dog needs exercise. The shelter dog needs more exercise than the dog raised as a pup.  Exercise will give him a sense of security.  He may be nervous and controlled exercise will help him get over past history.  Exercise in general will tire him out.  A tired dog is easier to control.  A dog that is easily excitable will be less so if he is tired.

A dog needs to be clean.  It feels good to be clean.  And besides, you will handle him more if he is clean and smells good.  Use a gentle dog shampoo. Try to the bathe them more than once a month but less than once a week.

A dog needs friends of his own kind. No matter how much of your personal time you give him, he needs dog friends.

It is fun to learn. Give him your time by training him a trick or two. He has a nose, teach him scent games. He will absolutely enjoy it. Remember when a task is completed to give a reward or treat.

Shelter Dogs  -  Dogs With a History

Should I Use a Crate?  ...a shelter dog.

Shelter dogs often have histories that we are not aware of. Their history often creates anxieties when we leave them alone. If a dog cannot be left alone without tearing up the place you must train him to be secure and trustworthy. A crate is an excellent tool. A dog needs a place where they feel safe and secure. A crate can be this wonderful secure house. The crate should be big enough for them to enter and turn around easily. When you leave the house place him inside the crate. Provide the dog with something to listen to, a radio perhaps. This will become company and lessen the anxieties of being left alone. The crate will become a safe place. The crate will be the place where they voluntarily go for solitude. Eventually you will not need to lock them into the crate when you leave the house. Through repetition they will learn that security does exist.

When discouragement hits you, and it will, remember your dog will from time to time revert back to old habits. As we all know from our own history habits are hard to break. You need to take a look back at the things you and he have accomplished together. Think about how he was - how things are now. When you remember how much he has changed you will be re-energized to continue.

A shelter dog may be harder to initially train but in the end they can become great pets.  Good Luck!  Rescue a shelter dog.  It will be worth the effort.