Understanding and Modifying Abused Dog Behavior

Like a true lover of animals, you choose to go to an animal shelter to adopt a pet. In it, you meet a wonderful dog who is a tad bit skinny and shy. But despite his appearance, you decide to take him in your home and make him a part of your family. Proud of what you did, you start to feel good knowing that you have made a difference to the dog’s life.

While you have every right to feel happy about what you did, you must know that adopting is just the start of your new pet’s rehabilitation process. If the dog you adopted happened to be abused by his previous owner, you should be ready to go an extra mile in understanding him and training him according to his needs.

Understanding an Abused Dog Behavior

Due to his past experiences, a dog may exhibit several behaviors/ actions that they have used to survive. Some develop an aggressive behavior while the rest turns out to be timid, shy and they tend to cower from the slightest movement. As an owner, you should try to understand what they have been through and you should refrain from withdrawing from them. Instead, you should do everything that will make him trust you.

Do not worry because convincing them to trust you is not exactly hard. Dogs in general are very affectionate. So as long as you shower them with your love, you are also bound to get love in return. Once you done through this phase, then you can then work on having him go through a proper training that will help him get over his past.

Tips on Training Your Dog

If you want a more hands on approach, you can initially try to facilitate the training yourself. To help you out, here are some tips that might just work for you:

• Through his behavior, try to identify what type of abuse he has gone through. If he is aggressive or if he shrinks from sudden hand movements, then he may have been hit when he was little. However, if he is the type of dog who howls or barks whenever he is left alone, then he may have been neglected in the past.

By understanding what the dog has gone through, you can device a better approach in training him.

• Have the right tools that you need for training. For starters you may need a leash and a collar to help you with your tasks at hand.

• Be firm but do not be cruel. You have to understand that those two concepts are totally different from each other. As much as possible, use positive reinforcement every time he does something to please you. A simple treat or a compliment can make him see how happy you are with his progress.

• Finally, if the training does not show promising progress, do not give up on him. You can still rehabilitate your dog with the help of people who are adept with training all kinds of dogs. An example is Daniel Stevens – the author of “Secrets to Dog Training.”. More information about this book you will find here: “Secrets to dog Training” Reviewed