LOVE, AND THEN SOME by Marilyn Anderson

In my dog obedience classes, many students are dogs now in their second (sometimes third or fourth) homes: personal rescues, dogs from shelters or breed rescue groups, others whose previous families gave them away forvarious reasons. They all come with baggage=experiences from their past of which we are sometimes aware but mostly are anyone’s guess.

Adopters from shelters and rescue groups are thoroughly screened to ensure that adopter and chosen dog are mutually compatible. Whatever the myriad reasons for surrendering a dog, the bottom line is that somehow he had become an inconvenience to the former family. A dog with a genuine behavior problem may be passed off, along with his problem, to someone else in the vain hope that the problem will miraculously disappear, when in fact the only thing that really disappears is the former family's feeling of responsibility for the dog (or for the problem).

In the case of a dog who is personally rescued-a stray taken in until all hope of finding the original family is gone, or lo and behold, an anonymous someone ties him to your gate or drops him in your yard—you have no one to answer questions about his background. All you know is there he is, desperately needing someone: You. It is interesting that previous owners nearly always claim to love the dog that they no longer want. It is also interesting that adopters of “second-hand” dogs nearly always believe that their dog had been abused. Neither is an absolute. Nobody really knows.

If you have opened your heart, your home, and your life to an unwanted dog: Yes, he has some baggage, and yes, your understanding and patience will be required. Love is a given, but go easy on the pity. Don’t set your new friend up for the “poor little me" syndrome. You are giving this dog a fresh start, a new beginning. You cannot make up for anything that happened in his past. What you know is that he was betrayed by someone he trusted, so it is no wonder that many adopters begin their relationship with pity. But pity is counter-productive. It doesn't help you or your dog to move forward. Accentuate the positive. Eliminate the negative. Earn his trust and given him the future he deserves.

Even if you know he has had all his shots, take him to your vet for a thorough exam. Then apply for his license.

Feed him the most nutritious dog food you can afford. Your vet, groomer, or trainer can offer advice.

Clean him up so he'll feel good. If he needs to be groomed, take him with you to make the appointment. This way, even before the actual bath/clip/etc., he can get acquainted with the groomer and "check out" the shop.

Set some house rules for him to follow, and stick to them. Rules provide a sense of security to a dog.

Take him along (on leash) wherever he can meet people and other dogs. Everyone admires a dog with good social skills. Socialization builds a dog's confidence.

Find a good obedience class and sign up. Training helps your dog learn good manners.

Be sure he gets adequate exercise. (It's good for you as well.) Lots of problem behaviors can be traced to lack of exercise.

Teach your dog some games and a trick or two. Show him that being your friend is really going to be fun.

Finally, don’t be afraid of making some mistakes (your or your dog). My motto is “Anything worth doing is worth doing wrong”…There is no time limit on getting it right. You have a whole lifetime together!