Socializing a Rescue Dog

Fostering and rescuing a dog from a background of neglect and abuse is filled with challenges. Often these dogs are in such shock and are so fearful it takes months of hard work just to get them comfortable around you and in their new homes. Though dogs are, in my humble opinion, the most loyal creatures on earth, that trust must be earned. And once trust is broken, it is earned back slowly. People who rescue and rehabilitate broken animals are saints in my book. Bringing an animal back takes patience, an enormous amount of love, and a whole lotta time. If you are thinking about fostering or rescuing an animal with a tragic past, good for you. The rewards will come back to you tenfold.

I’m not a dog trainer by profession, but have learned a thing or two from the trainers I have employed and from the dogs whom I’ve had the pleasure of owning. Here’s a few things to remember as you work toward reintroducing a shelter dog to society.

Give them Space

Resist the urge to show the dog off to everyone you know as soon as you leave the shelter. It’s best to go directly home, show the dog their crate, bed, or whatever private “zone” you have created for him. A few toys and blankets would be comforting to him as well. While the dog is in this area, pet him and tell him he is a “good dog.” Then go about your normal business. Be calm. Be a leader. Don’t be overly affectionate or give out too many treats or you will indirectly teach him being fearful results in a reward. Take the dog outside and encourage him to potty. If he does so, reward. If he has an accident in the house, act like it’s a non-event. Many fearful dogs urinate out of deference. Just clean it up and work toward housebreaking with trips outside every couple of hours. Yawn. Eat something. Blink a lot. These are calming signals in the canine world. Anytime the dog comes to you when called, or presents any other sort of positive behavior, reward him. (Clicks, treats, pats, voice affirmation.)

Don’t be surprised if the dog isn't interested in food. Leave the food out for him for 10-15 minutes then take it away if he doesn't eat it. This may sound hard core, but routinely taking the food away will help the dog to see you as his provider. Eventually, he will begin eating the food when it is laid out for him.

In short, give him space, time and positive reinforcement when he behaves in a way that is pleasing to you. If the dog wants to be alone in his crate, allow this. In time, the dog will become comfortable. He will start sniffing everything in sight, happily coming when called, cuddling up for some lovin’ and demonstrating he thinks of you as his own.

Begin Training

Once your new dog has acclimated to you, your family and his home, start training. When training my dogs, I like using a leash even in the house. They understand the leash means it’s time to work. I prefer to train a sit command first. Once this skill is mastered, I work on the stay command. Then work toward recalls out of the sit/stay. I move a few steps away each time, eventually leaving the room all together while the dog is still in a sit/stay. My dogs have all truly enjoyed this game of delayed satisfaction and of hide and seek. And I’ve trained a few dogs well enough to wait for 10-15 minutes before they are released to come and find the human.

After these skills are mastered, I work on heeling while on the leash, and do lots of “crazy walking” where I make unexpected turns while walking the dog. This helps the dog to understand they are truly to move as I move and go wherever I lead. These might sound like basic things, but these techniques help to establish a pack leader mentality and give you the confidence that your dog will mind even in an environment that is foreign to him.

Take it Outside

Take these basic skills and work on them in a foreign environment. Perhaps that’s a dog friendly park, or a parking lot, or a friend’s backyard. One of my favorite places to train is a Lowe’s parking lot on a busy weekend. There’s always lots of people coming and going, large vehicles, oddly shaped things being brought out of the store, and sometimes there’s even a dog adoption event providing a nice soundtrack of dog barks. The skills your dog mastered at home will more than likely breakdown in these new places with all their distractions. But that’s okay. Breakdowns in training are teaching moments and opportunities to reestablish with your new dog that you are his leader. Be patient, but correct the dog and get him back into proper behavior.

Introduce to New People

Once your dog has mastered basic commands in a variety of settings you can confidently begin introducing him to new people. I suggest starting with friends and family that are “dog people.” Dog people know not to crowd the dog. They know to let the dog sniff the backs of their hands, and they move slowly. It’s always great to ask these new people to come along with you on one of your regular walks. Your dog knows what to expect on a walk and the exercise gives him something pleasant to keep his mind on while he is being introduced to this new person.

Always keep your dog on leash when introducing them to children, and have the kids (or anyone for that matter) approach and pat the dog from the side. No unexpected touching from directly behind them or front-on approaches, which can be viewed as threats. I am a HUGE advocate for leashes. And I believe that your adopted dog must be with you for some time and have a long track record of good behavior before you let him off leash around new people, especially children. I love dogs, but they are animals. We can’t expect them to think like us. We must understand they are animals and might react differently than we expect to any given situation – especially if this is a “new” dog to us that we honestly don’t know that well. So hook up that leash, and maintain control at all times.

Introduce to Other Dogs

Choose a balanced, well trained dog to be your rescue dog’s first furry friend. It’s a good idea to have the dogs meet while on a walk , or to allow them to do quick sniff passes at each other while still on the leash. After a stimulating walk and a few more sniffs, you can try letting the dogs off leash to see how they play together. You can also give treats for positive behavior when your rescue is with other dogs. This will help him to understand that good things happen when another dog is around. After a few positive encounters with other dogs, you can start taking him for a jaunt to the dog park!