
Your newly adopted dog may already have some level of loyalty training, or they may not have any. Some favorable tips for training a rescue dog can be a great aide. It is also possible that some of their past will trigger behavioral problems. That’s why it’s important to take the time to train and socialize with your newly adopted colleague.
Expect a period of adjustment
When you adopt a puppy or puppy from a shelter, it brings a history – not one of which leaves the shelter. Keep in mind that with the stress of something that has happened in the past in the dog, it can do less with confidence in the new environment.
Plan on giving your dog some time to adjust to the new home and family. Dogs can go anywhere from hours to months to get used to the habit of being in a new place.
During this adjustment, do everything you can to make your new dog feel safe and comfortable. Be patient when it comes to adjusting, but try to keep things consistent and predictable in the new environment.
Set boundaries
Remember that training begins the day your new dog comes home. It may be tempting to spend the first week or so coding for trying to spend time in a shelter. Don’t do it!
When you allow your shelter dog to engage in certain behaviors when first bringing it home, it will be more difficult for you to train to stop doing it later.
These include some of the most obvious things like getting up on the sofa, skipping off the carpet, or chewing on a table foot.
Quickly set up your dog’s boundaries and make sure the whole family knows them and enforces them. It is one of the great tips for training a rescue dog.
Get a schedule
Dogs like having a routine. Part of a dog who has spent the last few weeks or more in the shelter was probably under stress because her life was so unpredictable.
By establishing a routine for feeding, walking, playing time, and bedtime, you can begin to provide some stability for your dog. In most cases, this will significantly help the dog adjust to his new home.
Suppose there is no training
Treat Your Shelter Puppy Like You Want a New Puppy to Come to Your Home. Assume that it has never had any training. Even if a dog has past loyalty training, it may still require a refresher after all.
Your best bet is to hope your dog knows nothing. You will be pleasantly surprised if the dog already knows some basic commands or is already homeless.
However, you do not set the rug for failure with too high expectations. It is one of the great tips for training a rescue dog.
Be sure to train your new puppy using positive reinforcement. Training sessions encourage and keep stress low.
Planning on Crate Training
If you want with such a new puppy, you should introduce your shelter puppy to crate training as soon as possible.
That way, you can work on housebreaking and feel comfortable that the dog will not fall into mischief when it comes to giving up supervision.
A crate is also helpful because it gives your shelter dog a place of its own. Living in a shelter and moving to a new home now, your dog can feel extremely stressed.
When overwhelmed, having a place to return can go a long way in helping the dog to settle down.
Enter the loyalty class
Although it may take some time for your shelter dog to become accustomed to its new home, it does not mean that you should terminate your loyalty program.
In contrast, regular training sessions can help get a dog into a routine.
Starting a training program can help you set boundaries for your dog from the beginning. A loyalty class prepares the dog for good behavior and makes it easy for you to become a happy and healthy member of your family!
Remember, dogs are most comfortable when they know the rules. Dogs want structure and predictability, so the best thing you can do for them is to properly train your new dog from the beginning.
Problems and Proofing Behavior
Training should start immediately, you also want to take it at a pace that is comfortable with the dog. It is one of the great tips for training a rescue dog.
Some dogs may not be ready for formal loyalty classes right now, and the first few weeks may seem good to work with a dog in your home.
You can still employ basic training techniques without the help of a professional trainer.
Socializing with an adopted dog can be a further challenge. Just like training, it is important that you get your dog accustomed to the environment, people, and other animals that you may encounter in your new life with it. It should be taken slowly and also your dog’s comfort level.
Crates can be a problem for some dogs, especially if their previous owner uses them as a place of punishment or spends too much time in one.
Turn your crate training into a positive experience and do not force the dog first if you are reluctant.
When adjusting a dog to its new home, be sure to always monitor it, especially when outdoors. Even if you have a fenced-in yard, the dog may be surprised by the curiosity or the noise, the sights and smells outside the yard.
If it gets loose, it will take a long time for your dog to find a way back to the new home as it is unfamiliar with the area.
Common mistakes
Some of the common mistakes that new owners make with rescued dogs include having too much (or too little) of the dog’s past to relate to, not every dog in the shelter has a traumatic past and, on the contrary, not all of them are properly trained or socialized. In every area of your dog’s care, wait for your guidance, training, and love to call it a blank slate.
Asking about a dog’s history before an adoption can help, but this information should still be taken with a grain of salt. It is one of the great tips for training a rescue dog.
After all, shelter workers may only have limited information about her past, and perhaps their only conversation with the dog was in a shelter environment that is completely different than any home. Start from scratch and you will build a better relationship with your puppy!
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