Dog Training & Behavior

The initial introduction between your current dogs and your new one should be done during the adoption process at the shelter. This allows them to get familiar with each other before your new dog comes home.

Remember to stay calm and relaxed during the introductions. Any tension on your part will be transmitted to the animals and may increase the risk of an negative response. Keep your leash loose, but keep a firm grasp on it in case you need to pull your dog back for any reason.

• When you arrive home with your new dog, keep him outside on a leash. Have a calm family member or friend bring your current dog outside on a leash for the greeting. Next, take them for a walk together before entering the house. This allows them to get acquainted without triggering a territorial response from your current dog. Walking them together sends the message that they are now part of the same pack.
• Upon entering the home, drop the leash of the more submissive dog. Do not remove the leashes from either dog at this point.

Your new dog may ignore the current resident and want to explore your home. Be alert for very stiff body language, teeth display or growling. Both dogs may have a little anxiety, so it is important that you stay relaxed. Keeping the leashes on will afford you more control over the situation. You may simply step on the leash to stop either of the dogs.

Always separate your dogs when you can not supervise them, such as when you are leaving your home. If you are not there to provide a leadership role, your dogs may be having negative interactions without you knowing it, which can lead to increased tension between them.

Your new dog may be fearful of new experiences because they have not yet learned that they are safe. Wide eyes, ears pulled back, a tucked tail, and a tense body stance are good indicators of fear.

• Because they are so afraid, you must stay calm and confident. This is extremely important. Any anxiety on your part will be transmitted to the dog, making their fear worse. It is up to us to be leaders for our dogs.
• Never attempt to pet or corner a frightened dog. They are not capable of understanding that your actions are meant to help them. Reaching toward or cornering a frightened dog may be interpreted as aggression on your part and the dog may respond by snapping at you. Keep the dog’s environment as calm and quiet as possible.
• Do not encourage fearful behavior. Petting your dog and telling them, “It’s ok!” is letting your dog know that they will be rewarded for fearful behavior. Instead, generously praise and reward your dog for being calm and collected. Never scold your dog for displaying fearful behavior, as doing so will only increase their fear toward the situation.
• Move slowly when dealing with your new dog. Going in for a hug or a kiss may seem like an appropriate way to show affection, but most dogs are actually nervous about being hugged or having someone in their face. The best way to bond with a dog is to be affectionate while respecting their personal space.

• Keep the dog on a leash with you throughout the house. Allowing him to cower in his crate or under a bed will not help him overcome his fear. Forcing him to face unfamiliar experiences will also have a negative effect. Simply take him with you using the leash as you go about your day in your home. Use as few words as possible. “Let’s go” said in a calm voice works well.
• Take your dog for a walk. There’s nothing like a nice long walk to help drain excess nervous energy. Avoid busy parks or other loud, stressful areas.

If your dog snaps at you, stay calm. Stand, fold your arms across your chest and hold still. Turn very slightly to the side, until you are at a slight angle from the dog. Do not stand over or stare down your dog, however you should not back away. This tells the dog that although you are not afraid of him, you are not going to challenge him either. Backing away from him at this point would be seen as submissive behavior. Move away only after he is calm and looks or moves away from you.

Decisions involving mealtimes and playtimes must be made by you, not the dog. At mealtimes, have the dog sit or move away from where you will feed him. Place the bowl of food on the ground, and give him 15 minutes to eat. If he has not eaten, pick up the bowl and put it away until the next mealtime. This may seem harsh, but is normal canine behavior from the dog’s point of view.

The same procedure should be followed for playtime. These actions signal to your dog that you are the leader. A dog with a calm, confident leader will develop into a calm, confident dog. If you do not fill this role of leadership, he will attempt to. This can result in increased anxiety for the dog and may lead to unwanted behaviors.

Many dogs suffer from anxiety or fear due to a wide variety of reasons. Past abuse, life as a stray or even the chaos of a kennel environment can turn a normally stable dog into a very fearful one. Time, patience and an understanding of how the dog interprets the world around him will make a huge difference in his behavior. There is nothing quite like watching a dog change from a cowering, fearful dog into one full of love, trust and playfulness. It may take some time, but the results are worth it!

As with all training, consistency is vital. Feeding time should be as close to the same time every day as possible, even on weekends.

Keep the dog with you; instead of allowing it free run of the house until housetraining is completed. It is recommended to keep your dog attached to you on a leash until they are housetrained.

When you are unable to supervise him, place the dog in its crate.

Take the dog outside on a leash to the specific area you would like him to use. Walk him around the area, saying the word you will associate with the behavior: “Go potty.” Use this word every time you take him out.

It may take several minutes for him to complete the task, so don’t give up or get frustrated.

Dogs should be taken out after every meal, playtime and upon waking up in the morning and from naps.
If the dog begins sniffing the ground, moving away from you and the activity he was just participating in, he likely needs to go out.

After he has used the restroom, praise him using treats and the key word (i.e. “Potty”).

If he assumes the position before you can reach him, calmly tell him no and take him outside to finish. Dogs do not learn through punishment, and doing so may lead to stress and distrust on him part.

If you fail to supervise your dog, and he has an accident in the house, do not punish him. He simply hasn’t yet learned correct behavior and may not know how to alert you.

A properly supervised dog should not have an accident in the house. Techniques such as physical punishment, or rubbing his nose in it will only lead to distrust of you and will make house-training more difficult.

No dog should be left unsupervised until they have reliably alerted you to their need to go out for several weeks in a row.
Every dog has different time limits on how long they are able to go between breaks; make sure to allow for this.

• Walk your dog daily. Exercise is essential to reduce energy and anxiety levels. Dogs need to be exercised on a daily basis to help drain excess energy. Take the dog for a vigorous walk, get them out of the yard where they can smell and see new things. If the dog is still bouncing around when the walk is finished, play ball or go for another walk.
• Consider doggie daycares or having a friend stay with your dog when you are gone, and continue behavior training.
• Have a special toy that you only give the dog when you leave, and put away upon return. Kongs seem to work best as they are very durable, and yummy food items can be placed inside for them to work out. Peanut butter is a great Kong filling! This gives the dog something to focus on instead of the fact that you are gone, and stimulates their brain to keep them from being bored.
• Use consistent language. If the dog is fine when you leave him inside while you go check the mail, what do you say to let the dog know you are coming right back? Use that word or phrase when working on desensitizing. The dog associates that phrase with your return and feels secure until you come back in.
• Have a consistent schedule for feeding, pottying, going on walks, and playtime. Consistency breeds security, and having a schedule helps your dog know what to expect.
• Talk with your vet. If the separation anxiety is severe, talk with your vet about anti-anxiety medication. This option is not a cure, but may help in conjunction with behavior training.

• Do not make a big production upon leaving or returning home. Ideally, you should ignore the dog for a period of time before leaving (15-20 min.). Upon return, do not greet the dog until it has settled down and all signs of excitement are gone. When the dog is calm, call him over and then quietly greet them.
• Don’t let your dog dictate when he receives your attention. All interactions from petting to playtime need to be on your terms. This is also true of mealtimes. Dogs need a leader to feel secure. If the dog doesn’t feel that you are the leader, he will fill that role. Dogs, like children, feel safer when someone is in charge and there are boundaries and rules.
• Do not rely on crate training tot fix separation anxiety. In certain cases it can make the problem worse. If your dog has severe separation anxiety, they could get injured while trying to get out of the crate. Dogs that are already crate trained may do well in it, as they already consider that area their “den”.
• Do not get  another dog or companion animal and expect it to reduce separation anxiety, it can increase it. The dog’s insecurity is linked to its dependence on you.
• Don’t turn on the radio or TV unless your TV or radio is typically on when you are home, turning it on when you leave will not comfort him.