SECOND CHANCE
TRANSFORMATION

Dog training with most dogs takes lots of patience and dedication. To achieve the desired results in rescued dogs will take lots of dedication and patience. However, the rewards will be worth the effort. The practice of neutering and spaying of dogs has been around for many years but unplanned births continues to be a reality. As a result of this there are just not enough homes for all of the puppies that are born. When we add the number of dogs that get lost or wander away, rescue missions and shelters everywhere are filled to capacity.

For many of these dogs being euthanized will be the sad reality. For some lucky dogs, there is a second chance. They could be adopted from shelters or missions or taken in off of the street and into the care of a willing family. The new owners, however, are often not quite sure how best to deal with the rescued dog. This is where hiring a professional dog trainer would be very helpful. Rescue dogs are often times put in rescue shelters for a reason and its usually due to the lack of obedience and behavior issues. Superior Dog Training in Atlanta Ga. is very experienced training rescue dogs.

Understanding The Rescue Dog

Dogs that are brought to shelters are generally not in the best condition. It is not uncommon for them to be victims of neglect, abuse, or even terrible living conditions. In some circumstances dogs are released into the wild to take care of themselves. In nature a dog is a pack animal. Even wild dogs don’t do well on their own. Released domesticated dogs do very poorly in the wild, without any animal or human interaction. Dogs such as these can still learn to be less fearful with proper training. As the first step in rescuing a dog you should take it to your veterinarian for a full exam. You will not be able to start training your new dog if he is sick or in pain.

You need to take the time to restore the dog’s health and bring it back to a healthy weight. It may be a tall order, but whenever possible try to get the dog’s history. Your dog training efforts will be helped if you have information on the dog’s past abuse or medical history. Slow and steady is the order of the day when establishing trust with the dog. Try to avoid imposing yourself on the dog. The animal will begin to seek you out once they have learned to trust you. Showing leadership through obedience at this point will definitely help with insecurity.

Building Trust & Confidence

Don't stare directly at the dog; this should be avoided at this point. Once the dog takes the food make sure they get enthusiastic praise. It is not uncommon for some rescue animals to initially seek out physical contact. Some can take weeks or more. But once you have established it, try to roll the dog over onto his back and place your hand on their chest, but don’t force or hurt them in the process.

Establishing trust will take time. By speaking in a soft and calm tone of voice and gently rubbing the belly a fearful dog will know that being on its back is a positive experience and not a punishment. Be patient as it is often difficult and slow to train a rescued dog. They are often older dogs, mixed, and with difficult temperaments which makes training more challenging.