How to Train a Rescue Dog

Many people say rescue dogs make the best companions because they are grateful. That may or may not be true but rescue dogs certainly deserve a wonderful home and some training. Some have issues but usually it is easier to train a rescue dog than it is to train a puppy.

Instructions

1. How to Train a Rescue Dog

2. Assess your new rescue dog. If you got your dog from a rescue where he spent time in a foster home, the foster owner will be able to tell you a lot about the dog. Usually they know how he is with other dogs, cats, children and his general level of training so you have a head start.

3. If your rescue dog came from a shelter, you will need to watch and learn what, if any, issues he has and what sort of training he needs.

4. Start teaching your dog that people are friendly. Many people think their rescue dog has been “abused” because he acts shy or barks at people. Usually these dogs have not been abused but have not been socialized well so they don’t trust people.

5. Get in the habit of carrying a small bag of yummy treats when your dog is meeting new people. Have people give him a treat and pet him gently under the chin or ears if he seems nervous. Don’t push him into situations he is not comfortable with, give him time to learn to trust.

6. Teach your rescue dog to sit on command if he doesn’t already know how. This is a very useful command for any dog to learn. He can sit while being petted by people instead of jumping up. He can sit at curbs when you’re on walks. Use a treat and lure him by moving it over his head until he sits. Once he has the idea, reinforce it by having him sit for meals, to go in and out the door and for treats. Not only will he be well-mannered but he will realize that you are in charge and he can make good things happen by sitting politely.

7. Get your rescue dog used to a crate. Not every dog needs to be crated while you are away from home of course. But until you know whether he gets anxious, destructive, or won’t potty in the house in your absence, a crate is a wonderful tool. Give him his meals in his crate. If he likes to play fetch or tug, throw the toy into the crate so he associates it with fun things.

8. Be consistent with all your commands and rewards. Use the same words for everything and before you know it your dog will have a big vocabulary. Have words for every action — going in and out, sitting, going to crate, play time, eating, going in the car, going for a walk. If you use the same word each time your dog will quickly make the association and you can then use that word as a command.

9. Take a basic obedience class. Dogs of any age can take basic obedience classes, they are not just for puppies. Group classes are fun and inexpensive and you and your new dog will both learn a lot. As a bonus your dog will learn to pay attention to you around distractions and if he has any issues with other dogs, the trainer will help you work through them.

GOOD BYE TO MISS ABBY ROSE

Well I don’t know where to start, we started boot camp ten days ago with a very unbalanced Abby Rose. I have to tell you what a good news, bad news situation this was for me, Abby is just over 5 months old and I can honestly say that I haven’t in a very long time seen a dog with this many issues at such a young age. Good news was she is so young that she is very workable, bad news was it was going to take a lot of specialized work. I am so very proud to say that all our hard work as paid off, Abby is now a very charming, fun-loving, happy, balanced dog who no longer barks her head off, but more importantly does not bite any more. Abby would bite her owners at every turn, move her from a spot, bite. Clip her nails, bite. Tell her to come, pee than bite. Abby now lets us do anything to her and does not even attempt to bite anymore. Abby still pee’s a little bit when she is excited to see us but this will subside as she gets older. I have to say Abby has taken a lot of work but the rewards, well lets just say we will miss her cute little face when she is gone. Abby who once didn’t like to be in our pack of dogs, now never want to leave them. She has plenty of new friends that will surely miss her energy when she goes home tomorrow.

 

A THANK YOU

Little man Rusty

Thank you Grace for taking my mom’s dog, Rusty, under your wing for 10 days of much needed bootcamp. Before he spent time with you he pretty much ran my mother’s house – jumping up and around the furniture, barking non-stop when someone entered the house, jumping up and scratching people’s legs and peeing inside the house when he was upset. When he returned home he was a much more pleasant dog to be around. He respects those who work with him on his new boundaries and knows that he is no longer the boss of the home. I like him a lot more now!

Marijo.

HAPPY EASTER

Here is a question I get asked a lot over the Easter holiday’s, so I found this web site, http://animal.discovery.com/pets/question348.htm

Is Chocolate Poisonous to Dogs?

You may have heard people say that chocolate will kill dogs? Does that make sense? If I can eatchocolate, why can’t my dog?

Dogs and people are different in lots of ways. For example, dogs can run around in the snow all day in their bare feet and it doesn’t cause them any problems. People can run around barefooted in the snow for 30 seconds or so before it hurts. There are lots of differences like that between dogs and people.

It turns out that, for dogs, a chemical in chocolate called theobromine is the source of the problem. Theobromine is similar to caffeine. According to this page, theobromine is toxic to a dog when it ingests between 100 and 150 milligrams per kilogram of body weight.

Different types of chocolate contain different amounts of theobromine: It would take 20 ounces of milk chocolate to kill a 20-pound dog, but only 2 ounces of baker’s chocolate or 6 ounces of semisweet chocolate. It is not that hard for a dog to get into something like an Easter basket full of chocolate eggs and bunnies and gobble up a pound or two of chocolate. If the dog is small, that could be deadly.

It turns out that chocolate poisoning is actually not as unusual as it sounds. For a human being, caffeine is toxic at levels of 150 milligrams per kilogram of body weight (see this page). That’s the same as for dogs! Humans generally weigh a lot more than dogs, but small children can get into trouble with caffeine or chocolate if they consume too much of it. Infants are especially vulnerable because they don’t eliminate caffeine from the bloodstream nearly as quickly as adults.

 

Helping Your Dog When It Has Had A Stroke

Helping Your Dog When It Has Had A Stroke

It may come as a shock to you to find out that your dog has suffered from a stroke. Unlike humans, when a dog has a stroke, he often won’t become paralyzed or display any of the human signs of stroke. In fact, with the right care and attention, chances are he will bounce right back within a short period after suffering from a stroke, especially if he has a little help.

Often, there are a few signs that will tell you that your dog is suffering from a stroke. These usually include loss of sight, falling over, and tilting and turning of the head. If you notice your dog displaying these symptoms, you should take him to the vet to rule out other serious health problems such as brain disease, which may be the underlying cause of the symptoms.

Often, pet owners are not aware that their dog has suffered from a stroke.  If your pet is advanced in years, seems off color, or acting strangely, he may have suffered a stroke. The best way to find out for sure is to take him to the vet for an examination. Once there, the vet will put your dog under anesthesia, and run some tests to find out what is causing your dog to act strangely.

My Dog Has Had A Stroke, What Should I Do?

If your dog has had a stroke, it is important to remember that dogs don’t suffer as badly from strokes as humans do, and they will recover faster than humans. Once your dog has had a stroke, there is not a lot that your vet can do for him. In most cases, there is no magical cure, or special pill, all your vet will do is confirm that it was a stroke, and rule out the dangerous diseases that may be causing your dog to suffer from the strokes.

However, there are some things that you, the owner of your dog, can do to help with his recovery. Because you share a close owner-pet bond, your dog will recover faster if you are around to care for him, and cheer him on as he starts getting better. Make sure that he has a warm cozy place to rest, and plenty of encouragement, and love from you, to remind him of why he wants to get better.

You may also need to encourage your pet to eat, and drink soon after he has suffered from a stroke, and help him onto his feet, and encourage him to take bathroom breaks outside. Exercise, especially strenuous exercise, should be avoided. Once your dog is feeling well enough, he will soon tell you when he is ready to start going on walks again. After a matter of weeks, he will be starting to get back to his old self.

Don’t forget that once your dog has recovered, he will still need plenty of love, and encouragement, and may not be as agile as he was before the stroke. Stokes can keep reoccurring in dogs, so keep a close eye on him.