We have no way of knowing the circumstances that a rescued dog has endured prior to coming to BARK. BARK believes that all dogs are resilient creatures and most behavioral issues can be handled and overcome with proper training. We scoff at the notion that “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” because we’ve seen it proven wrong time and time again! BARK advocates non-violent methods of training, such as those practiced by many trainers, to include Cesar Milan, the ‘Dog Whisperer’.
If your dog has some bad behaviors, please work to replace them with good behaviors. You do not have to turn your dog into an obedience champion, but the sooner your dog has good house manners & feels confident and safe around people — the easier life gets for everyone. Everyone is different so please remember that you have to take the time to TEACH your dog what pleases you so that s/he understands your rules. If you adopted a rescue dog, your rules are probably very different from the last situation the dog experienced.
Teaching your dog rules and showing him/her that you expect the rules to be followed can solve many behavior problems. Dogs feel more secure then they know the rules and understand that the humans are the leaders and will keep them safe & give them ‘good things’ when they exhibit good behavior (‘good’ could equal a treat, a walk, a car ride, a game of tug, a belly rub, praise, or anything that your dog loves). Your dog expects you to communicate displeasure if s/he disobeys rules, but also needs to trust that discipline is consistent and fair — and that s/he is loved and rewarded for good behavior. You should approach discipline gently and carefully. Be sure that the disciplinary action occurs at the time of the incident and is appropriate to the dog as well as to the deed. Again, the most important thing you can do is to establish trust with your dog.
If you have any training tips that have worked well for you and you’d like to share them with us, please email them to kathie@barkva.org.
