Constistancy, PetFolio Readers, Is the Key in Training Your Dog!

Retraining Your New Dog

by Deadra Unthank 

            The majority of people adopt puppies from shelters; however, there are people who desire an adult dog as their new family member. However, what do you do if you bring your new dog home, tell him to sit, and he ignores you completely? Hours upon hours of frustration and repeating the word “sit” have only succeeded in your dog listening half the time. What’s wrong? The neighbor’s new puppy had it down pat in just 30 minutes, so why is your adult dog who has a better attention span bouncing as if you’re poised to throw their favorite tennis ball?

            Take a breath and relax; there could be a simple solution. Many dogs that are given to shelters often have had families in the past that never really worked with them. If the old owners expected Sparky to behave only half the time, Sparky has already learned that he doesn’t have to obey. The truth is that your dog has a good chance of never listening completely when you use that specific command. However, there are a few easy ways to fix this and teach your dog to act like a proper, obedient pet.

            One solution is to choose a different word, something a little less commonly used. The word can be something like ‘behave.’ Go through the same motions you would to teach him to sit. Either use a treat, and hold it slightly above his head while saying “Behave,” or speak the word you’ve chosen while pressing lightly on her haunches to force her gently into a sitting position. The dog will not have any association with the new word and will more readily pick up on the idea that a certain action is expected. If you are consistent, the dog will be consistent, also.  Do you know that foreign language class you’ve always wanted to take? Teaching your dog commands in a separate language is a wonderful exercise for you both and makes it less likely to run into any other “word barriers.”

            Some dogs just are not made for a simple verbal command, however. If this doesn’t seem to be working, then another idea to try is hand signals. Herding dogs, such as Australian Shepherds and Border Collies, are bred for an environment where the baaing of sheep and lowing of cattle can make hearing a command impossible. Sometimes these dogs respond better to a command coupled with a hand signal. Over time, you can drop the word, and simply use the hand signal to get the results you desire. Again, the key is consistency.  

            Experiment with your new family member to see if changing the word or if using a hand signal is more effective. Try to avoid commonly used words such as “sit, stay, come.” Above all, remember to always be patient, consistent, and rewarding when your dog does the action you desire.

Author's Bio: Deadra Unthank has been working for various rescue shelters for 10 years and believes that every animal is limited only by their trainer.