If pets could speak, being rescued would have them saying, “I am one lucky dog!” But their backgrounds may tell a different story. Some people are hesitant to adopt a shelter dog because they believe they have behavior problems or other issues, but this simply isn’t the case the vast majority of the time. View the full poster of 30 tips here.
As a matter of fact, statistics show that dogs who are relinquished to shelters are given up for reasons that have nothing to do with their behavior. The top ten reasons people give up their pets are because:
- Their masters are moving (7%)
- Owners aren’t allowed to have pets (6%)
- The cost of their maintenance is too high (5%)
- They already have too many pets (4%)
- Personal problems their humans have (4%)
- There’s not enough room for them (4%)
- They don’t have time for them (4%)
- Of illnesses (4%)
- Litters happen and they can’t deal with them (3%)
- To be fair, #10 is due to biting behaviors that come in at one of the lowest percentages found on this list at only 3%.
Positive Reinforcement Techniques
Speaking of training, many of the reasons why shelter pets have behavioral issues is either due to aggressive techniques used in the past or a lack of training altogether.
The expression “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” is a complete fallacy when it comes to utilizing positive training techniques instead of violent behaviors that may (or may not) have been used in past training efforts.
On A Personal Level
Personally, I’ve rescued a handful of dogs myself who had a questionable past. They were so overjoyed to have a loving home, most of their questionable behaviors were innocent at best. Being distant or aloof, an inability to play games and bond with their fellows, all of these mannerisms disappeared shortly after their arrival with just a little bit of love and affection.
Don’t ignore a perfectly wonderful pet just because they’ve been caged in a shelter or turned over to a “foster care” system. Use these powerful “30 Positive Reinforcement Training Tips For Your Pet” to bond with a newcomer or teach your own old pooch some new procedures.
