Monday, October 13, 2014

Rescue Dogs 101: Dog Training, Health Issues & More

By Sara Reighard


Nowadays, a number of people lean more as bypassing breeders and mostly prefer to adopt dogs from animal shelters or dog rescue organization. With the increasing number of homeless dogs out there, this opens are excellent opportunity to have as a pet though rescue dogs require added attention and care to be able to adjust to their brand new home.

While you might find an amazing dog that is well-behaved, well-adjusted and 100% healthy, it's likely that your rescued animal might be timid or in need of some health care. Ideally, you should plan a visit to the veterinarian quickly after adoption to assess your pets overall health. Often these animals are healthy, but in great need of proper dental care and you will want to schedule a cleaning. Grooming is another big issue that you will want to tackle quickly. In addition, while your pet might have been listed as "housebroken," often dogs will be confused and have accidents, so you will need to provide some potty training, too.

Obviously adding a pet to your family is a bit alteration for everyone in the house, but this is especially true for your new dog. Certainly, being rescued and cared for by your family is wonderful, but the new surroundings tend to cause high amounts of stress for many dogs. Keeping this in mind, not all dogs will immediately bond with you and your family. It takes time for them to become used to you and your ways, and often these dogs have been ignored or mistreated or moved from home to home. Simply be patient and gentle and use a soft, soothing voice. Try to encourage other members of the household to do the same, as well, at least for the first few days or weeks.

Obedience training is a must after bringing your dog home aside from proper veterinary grooming and care. It is a common misconception that such training will intimidate or scare a rescue dog though this is not true. Owners and their dogs benefit from obedience training as it creates a stronger bond between them. Dogs love the extra attention and the training process allows them to do so. Praises are also given during the training making your dog's confidence boosted. Additionally, you will learn more about each other in the process.

Just like a puppy, a rescue dog will not be familiar with the rules of your home and this is why obedience training is a must. With proper training, your dog can learn to behave and reduce common behavior issues such as chewing, barking, scratching, darting away, dragging a leash rather than walking and not coming on command. Your dogs also will learn boundaries in your home, yard or public places. This keeps them safer and secured, reducing the risk of them running away and making them a well-behaved companion.

It does take time to accomplish dog obedience training, and you should avoid programs that promise perfect obedience in a matter of days or just one week. Dog training typically takes about a month to six weeks to accomplish if you want permanent results. For those seeking dog training in Seattle, contact Seattle Family Dog Training. These expert dog trainers can show you how to train your dog easily and better understand your pet's unique personality.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment