Consistency -- The First Gift to Give An Abused Dog

(caveat: severe cases of abuse belong in the hands of experienced and knowledgeable behaviorists.)

Trust does not come easily to an abused dog. Depending on his circumstances, he may have learned to react to the abuse by fleeing, fighting, or freezing. Although the three reactions are different, the first step in reaching these dogs is to provide them with something they can come to trust: a consistent schedule.

People who advocate immediate formal obedience training for such dogs overlook the fact that dogs need to be able to think and react in order to understand what is being taught. Fearful, untrusting dogs cannot think of anything except escaping what is frightening them. Some will try to run away at any opportunity, or create opportunities to run. Some will demonstrate aggression. Some will simply turn their backs and refuse to see what is going on around them. Rehabilitating them will take a very long time and is best done by someone who understands canine behavior. It is not an overnight process. With a severely abused dog it may take months before you see the first glimmer of light in eyes that have had no soul shining through them.

Emotional appeals to the dogs in this fearful state are fruitless. They cannot be felt by the dog, or worse, may be interpreted by the dog as reinforcement of the fearful behavior, making the fear more deeply ingrained. The better way to approach them is for the handler/fosterer/new owner to quietly and confidently take on a leadership role. Come up with a schedule and stick to it. Breakfast at a certain time each day, fed in the same spot, followed by a walk outside, followed by free time in a securely fenced area (keep a long line on any dog that will not come when called) -- whatever your personal schedule, keep it consistent. Let it be the first thing your abused dog can come to count on. Knowing that a certain thing will happen at a certain time will give the dog some confidence and is the first step in bonding with you.

In an extreme example, you may have to move the dog from its crate to the outside fenced area using a rabies pole. As the dog comes to expect to be let out at a certain time you may be able to use a leash instead of the pole, dropping it and letting him drag it when he gets outside. Eventually, the leash becomes a short tab on the collar, and the dog is going in and out on his own. This is the beginning of trust. And incidentally, it is also the foundation upon which later obedience training can be made. Depending on the dog, you might want to incorporate some clicker training here, if the dog is not frightened by the sound of a clicker. If it is frightened by the sound then you can give it a gentle word, such as "Yes!" in place of the click. Once the dog is outside in the yard, you might want to place a yummy treat in the back of the dog's crate. Then, when you let the dog inside, and he's heading into his crate, you say "in", and click just before he eats the treat. (You will find more on crate training dogs by clicking here.) Again, though, let the dog guide you. Do only what he can tolerate without becoming stressed. Some signs of stress are panting, licking lips, yawning, and tail clamped between the legs.

While you are being the abused dog's leader, you want to present to him a friendly but somewhat aloof manner. Try to remember your posture, and don't appear submissive to him by bending over or crouching down to his eye level. If you do that, he will feel that he has to become the leader, since you are obviously failing at the job, and that will just make him feel more insecure. Later, much later, when he has regained his confidence, you don't have to be so vigilant.

If the dog can tolerate it, the umbilical method will help him bond to you. This is where the dog is attached to a leash and the leash is attached to you. The dog becomes your shadow as you go about your daily routine. You are there to show him house rules, and you do it firmly but kindly, with no emotional overtones. Treat your abused dog like a cat: let him be the first one to make an overture. He might interpret sudden fast moves as an attack, so think about slowing down for a while. Try not to yell at the kids or your spouse because your abused dog will think you're yelling at him. If there are kids involved, teach them the rules and don't leave them unsupervised with the dog. Let the dog sleep in a crate next to your bed. If necessary, keep a leash on him, and poke the leash through the crate wire so that you can have immediate control over him. Be very observant and very aware so you can positively reinforce any step toward a wanted behavior. For example, if the abused dog happens to glance up and meet your eyes, you want to smile and give gentle praise or a treat.

Positive imaging can also help. Dogs are mirrors of our own emotional state and quite often you can change a dog's behavior by holding and projecting a positive image of the behavior you want. See your new dog as being confident and greeting strangers in a friendly manner and you might find him calming down when in a crowded area. You may want to try giving him a homeopathic remedy or flower essence to help him find an emotional balance. Certainly, you will want to put the dog on an optimal diet, the first line to restoring mental and physical health.

Change comes slowly to the abused dog. With patience, affection, good diet, and most important, consistency, healing of body and mind will come to the abused soul. Dogs are wonderfully forgiving creatures who will, more often then not, respond to humane treatment by learning to trust again.