How to Help a Rescue Dog with Issues
You adopted a rescue! That’s awesome! Two of my dogs are from shelters! Adopting can be such a rewarding experience as you get to give a dog a home who didn’t have one and give a dog a best friend! Many times, though, we use this as a reason to baby our pups which more often than not, creates anxiety and fear.
Reginald and Manny
My first two dogs are both shelter dogs! Reginald came from the Harrisonburg SPCA and Manny came from the Augusta County SPCA. Reginald had been at the SPCA for over a year and had scars on his neck from neglect and abuse. Manny came emaciated from a life lived on the streets until scooped up by a Good Samaritan. Both had pitiful backstories and so both “deserved” to be coddled and babied according to my mind at the time. So I did everything wrong, and I created loads of issues in them in regards to other dogs but even more so in regards to their relationship with each other.
Reginald and Manny
Play with them
Many many problem issues (aggression, chasing cars, biting things, stealing socks) come from a dog feeling compelled by their genetics to do certain things and not knowing where those things are acceptable. This is why play is so important. Your new dog may not want to play with you at first because they are anxious, but try anyway. Try consistently. Dogs are experts at human nonverbal communication and even though they may not want to at first, if you try, they know you want to. Eventually they will warm to the thought and when they find out where it’s not only acceptable to be who they are but also quite fulfilling, it becomes a magical experience and an incredible bond between the two of you. Learn more about play here:
https://www.thetrustedcompanion.com/thetrustedcompanionblog/play-why-its-important-and-how-to-do-it
Train the dog in front of you
“Train the dog in front of you”
is an old dog training adage that most apparently applies to rescues. Dogs live a great deal in the present, and don’t think about things in their past as much as we do unless a specific stimulus prompts a memory or an emotion. It is true that they may come with associations and abrupt changes can be stressful. They may fear men. They may not like other dogs, or cats, or kids and events in their past may have created these associations, but that doesn’t mean they can’t learn differently with you. They may need some time to adjust. Too often we let the real or made-up pasts of our beloved shelter dogs influence our expectations for them in our present. This is what I messed up. This is how I created strong issues in my pups which I then had to learn to rehabilitate. Don’t be like me.
Dogs need structure
No matter what may or may not have happened in your dog’s past, the dog in front of you needs structure and a relationship. Dogs thrive when they can be who they are in structure. They blossom when they know you like them and can be themselves with you, when they can trust you to be the leader and when they know they are safe when they are with you. And you can’t accomplish this through coddling, or giving into them when they are being pushy (no matter how cute it may be), or excusing their anxious or aggressive behavior because of what may have happened in their past. They are social creatures for sure. They need play. They need your affection. But they also need rules. They need you to help them figure that you are the leader, that you like them and they can have fun with you, and that listening to you keeps them safe. Developing games (with rules) and obedience training are great ways to start!
Crate training is another great way to give structure to your rescue! If your dog has issues with separation anxiety or any other anxiety that is getting reinforced when you are not home, crate training helps a lot. For advice on crate training your rescue, check out my crate training blog here
Give your dog what they need to be happy and confident
Don’t hold back on the things your dog needs because you don’t think they can handle it or you don’t think they’re ready for it. Quite the contrary, they deserve it! They deserve to have a worthwhile leader who will look out for them and help them feel confident! They deserve to have somebody invested enough in them to do the selfless things to help them grow. And then, with your happy, confident, rescue pup, the sky is the limit to what you can do! You can get involved in dog sports! You can train them off leash for those fun hikes! And they can be a model citizen exemplifying how cool rescue dogs can be!
Recommended Packages
ESSENTIAL $500:
Includes 3 30-60 minute private lessons at a park in Elkton, VA or Penn Laird, VA (appointments subject to weather)
Includes Herm-Sprenger prong collar and long training leash
Teaches how to improve your relationship with your dog through play
Teaches leash manners, “out”, and “place” or “come”
Teaches how to play and set parameters for inappropriate behavior
Can cater to specific issues
For dogs at least 5 months old
COMPLETE $850:
Includes everything in Essential package plus 3 additional 30-60 minute private lessons for a total of 6 lessons and electric collar (appointments subject to weather)
Includes remote electric collar
Teaches fundamentals of play and how to use play to develop your bond and communication with your dog
Teaches leash manners, “out”, “come”, “sit”, “place”, “down”, and “heel”
We will proof commands for distance and duration
Will cater to any specific issues with your dog
For dogs at least 4 months old
ROCKSTAR $1100:
Includes everything in the Complete package plus 2 additional 30-60 minute lessons in Elkton for a total of 8 lessons (appointments subject to weather).
2 additional private lessons can be used for teaching additional advanced commands to really bring out the rockstar in your dog! Advance commands can include your choice from extended distance sit and down, come to the heel position, send aways to place, stand, front, maintain eye contact, or feel free to ask about something else!
For dogs at least 4 months old
ANXIETY & AGGRESSION $1100:
Includes everything in the Complete package plus 2 additional lessons in Elkton for a total of 8 lessons (appointments subject to weather).
2 additional lessons will be used to work specifically around the sources of the anxiety and aggression where applicable.
Focus on building confidence and trust
For dogs at least 5 months old
*Military, First Responder, and Multiple Dog discounts can be applied!!
ESSENTIAL $800:
Includes 3 30-60 minute lessons conveniently in your home
Teaches how to improve your relationship with your dog through play
Teaches leash manners, “out”, and “place” or “come”
Teaches play and how to set parameters for inappropriate behavior
We will proof commands for distance and duration
Includes Herm-Sprenger prong collar and long training leash
Allows us to address specific issues in your environment
For dogs at least 5 months old
Includes everything within an hour of Massanutten, though further distances are able to be accommodated for a small surcharge.
COMPLETE $1550:
Includes everything in Essential package plus 3 additional 30-60 minute in-home lessons for a total of 6 lessons and electric collar
Includes remote electric collar
Teaches fundamentals of play and how to use play to develop the communication and bond with your dog
Teaches “out”, “place”, “come”, “down”, and “heel”
We will proof commands for distance and duration
Will cater to any specific issues with your dog
For dogs at least 4 months old
Includes everything within an hour of Massanutten, though further distances are able to be accommodated for a small surcharge.
ROCKSTAR $1800:
Includes everything in the Complete plus 2 additional 30-60 minute lessons for a total of 8 lessons
2 additional lessons can be used for advanced commands and specific issues anxiety or aggression. Advance commands can include your choice from extended distance sit and down, come to the heel position, send aways to place, stand, front, maintain eye contact, or feel free to ask about something else!
For dogs at least 4 months old
Includes everything within an hour of Massanutten, though further distances are able to be accommodated for a small surcharge.
ANXIETY & AGGRESSION $1800:
Includes everything in the Complete plus 2 additional lessons for a total of 8 lessons
Lessons will be used with an emphasis on building confidence and reliability around the source of the aggression or the anxiety where applicable.
For dogs at least 5 months old
Includes everything within an hour of Massanutten, though further distances are able to be accommodated for a small surcharge
*Military, First Responder, and Multiple Dog discounts can be applied!!
Getting your dog to do things for you and getting them to want to do things for you are different concepts and achieve different relationships with your dog. Want to get amazing obedience without turning your dog into a robot? We do, too! And we get there by focusing on two huge but neglected reasons for behavior: emotions and genetics.
Most dog training courses focus on getting dogs to avoid electric collar stimulation or get a treat, and stop at that. However, neglecting the emotional and genetic components to behavior makes this training successful for only the short term. This is why we play. Happy, healthy dogs who have their needs met love to play. We don’t have to deprive your dog of food or affection for play to be successful and when your dog understands the games we play, it will be a much stronger reinforcer than food or treats will ever be. Through play, we can develop the language and obedience you need for your pup to live a happy, confident, safe lifestyle while satisfying their genetic needs to bite, chase, and fetch, as well as their genetic need for social interaction which will result in you becoming the most interesting thing in the environment.
This package is designed for dogs without any anxiety or aggression issues and will attempt to develop the concept of play into a reinforcer, a means of communication, and then a means of developing a high level social interaction with your best friend which fulfills them on a genetic level.
Your pup will live with a trainer at their house for 3 weeks!
Can include an electronic collar from E-Collar Technologies and Herm-Sprenger prong collar for off-leash and on-leash reliability
Will develop the fundamentals and rules of fetch and tug within the time allowance
Can include commands of “out”, “come”,” sit”, “place”, “heel”, “down”, leash manners and door manners.
Will cater to any specific issues with your dog
Can proof commands for distance, duration, and in distraction holding commands until released
Commands proofed off-leash where applicable
Impulse control for doors, food, and people
Updates every single day
2-4 hour in-home turnover (within 2 hours of Massanutten) to make sure you know how to maintain the training and develop your new relationship with your dog!
Lifetime refresher lessons at the park in Massanutten should you need any help transitioning the dog home or even if you let things slip a little
50% discount on a consultation for help getting started before Board and Train start date.
For dogs at least 5 months old
Rushed scheduling is available for a 30% surcharge.
*Military, First Responder, and Multiple Dog discounts can be applied!!
*All Board and Train purchases must be paid and full and have returned signed contracts before scheduling.
This package is designed for dogs with anxiety in certain situations, reactivity towards people or dogs, some mild to moderate aggression, and adult dogs who need more time developing confidence and practicing good habits around a diversity of distractions. The additional weeks will be used to further guide the genetic and emotional drives to appropriate and fulfilling places as well as develop a stronger and more profound relationship with your pup. Emotions and genetics matter a lot especially in anxiety and aggression. 5 weeks gives us more time to focus on those components of your problem issues. It is possible to teach your dog through stress and coercion, but if we can help build trust and motivation through play, they will be much more excited to learn and maintain what they learn. Motivation is far more important to learning than repetition.
Play is the highest form of social interaction with your pup and the highest form of reinforcement when the dog understands how to play. We will attempt to develop it as the primary positive reinforcer, but also as the means to communicate boundaries and develop a trusting relationship to help guide your pup through their issues. It is impossible to fully suppress behaviors reinforced by your dog’s individual genetics. If they are genetically inclined to bite or chase, we cannot keep them from biting or chasing forever. It will always eventually pop up in the places we don’t want, because it’s who they are, and suppressing who they are creates anxiety. However, if we use our time to develop outlets for those behaviors by biting tugs or chasing balls through play, then we have a significant chance to be successful at telling them they can’t bite people or chase cars, etc for the long term. We will also use our time to create more embedded patterns and habits of the more acceptable behaviors and states of mind so that they translate to your home more readily.
Your dog lives with a trainer at their house for 5 weeks!
Can include electronic collar from E-Collar Technologies and Herm-Sprenger prong collar for off leash and on leash reliability
Can include commands of “out”, “come”, “sit”, “place”, “heel”," “down”, leash manners and door manners
Will develop the fundamentals and rules of fetch and tug within the time allowance
Can proof commands for high distraction, long distances, and long duration holding commands until released
Commands will be proofed off leash where applicable
Can spend additional time proofing for higher distractions
Can spend additional time working around sources of anxiety with a focus on increasing confidence
Can spend additional time working on specific issues like resource guarding
Can spend additional time getting multiple dogs accustomed to working with each other
Slower and easier introduction to the commands
Can cater training to any specific issues with your dog
Updates every single day
2-4 hour in-home turnover (within 2 hours of Massanutten) to make sure you know how to maintain the training and develop your new relationship with your dog!
Lifetime refresher lessons at the park in Massanutten should you need any help transitioning the dog home or even if you let things slip a little
50% discount on a consultation for help getting started before Board and Train start date.
For dogs at least 4 months old
Rushed scheduling is available for a 30% surcharge.
*Military, First Responder, and Multiple Dog discounts can be applied!!
*All Board and Train purchases must be paid and full and have returned signed contracts before scheduling.