The Pre-Owned Problem - August Newsletter



Shelter dogs tend to be good dogs who were never trained.



When I was around 8 years old, my parents decided we could get a dog. I asked my father if we could adopt a dog from the pound. He replied, “Why would we want to take home someone else’s problem?” He knew of what he spoke. 10 years earlier, he had found a dog and took it in. He later sent it to the pound because it constantly jumped the fence and took off after bicyclists and cars (no doubt partially due to my birth and the dog's relocation to the yard and what amounted to solitary confinement). So, my father interviewed several breeders, found one with dogs of good temperament, then evaluated and bought one of their puppies. We house trained Baron,and taught him the basics of sit, down, stay, and come, a few tricks, and how to heel on leash. We had a wonderful family dog who lived with us until he passed away from cancer at the decent age (for that time) of 13 years.
Still, once on my own, I vowed to only have shelter/rescue dogs.  Six dogs later and having volunteered and worked in a shelter, I have to admit my father’s remark has an element of truth to it, especially when adopting adult dogs.  Unless picked up as a stray, an adult dog winds up in a shelter because its was a financial, emotional, and/or physical “problem” for the family.  With the majority of shelter dogs between 9 – 24 months old (dog adolescence) with little to no training, the likely scenario is that the cute puppy with puppy behaviors grew up to be a bigger dog with the same behaviors.  Puppy piddles became doggy puddles.  Jumping play with puppy teeth became rough play with hard pressure dog fangs.  


To make matters more complicated, it usually takes a few months between considering surrendering a dog to a shelter and actually taking it to the shelter, which means the owner's frustration level has increased greatly, usually involving banishing the dog to an out of the way area (as my father did) such as the yard, garage, or basement before making the final decision to get rid of "the problem."  This can create secondary problems, such as barrier frustration and a lack of socialization with people, environments, and other dogs.  Basically, the problem with most shelter dogs is that they were never taught appropriate behaviors for home living.  But that doesn’t mean they can’t learn.

The most important thing for shelter dog adopters to realize is that age does not necessarily equal training.  Assume the dog has never been trained and knows no house rules.  In other words, and treat the adult dog like a puppy.  Take the dog to the vet to make sure it is healthy.  Restrict the dog to one room at first to keep the dog from becoming overwhelmed, to get an idea of what the dog already knows, and to contain any potential damage.  Crate training can be helpful.  Do not leave the dog loose in the yard or house while unsupervised.  Housetrain (even if the dog seems to know), teach the dog to respond to its new name, and take basic manners classes.   Don’t take it to the dog park until it knows its name, reliably comes when called, and you know that it gets along with other dogs.  Plan for the worst, but hope for the best.  Remember that even at best, the dog won’t know your specific rules.   Be consistent and patient.  The dog isn’t being spiteful, stubborn, or stupid.  It just doesn’t know what’s expected.


Typically, the first few weeks to several months are a “honeymoon” period.  Many dogs have had several transitions before arriving at their new home.  They are under duress, evaluating the current circumstances, becoming accustomed to new routines, people, and even sounds.  They are learning what’s safe and what isn’t.  Once they start to feel comfortable with what has been allowed, they start to explore freedoms they want, like suddenly jumping up on the furniture or peeing in the house because no one has said that they couldn’t.  Have patience. Train and retrain.  It will go faster the second time.  You might also realize there are some rules you haven’t considered.


Some common issues such as barking at barriers, barking and lunging at other dogs while on leash, and a fearfulness of new environments and people might also appear. These often developed while the dog was in isolation before the family surrendered the dog.  Many shelters will have identified these issues and should supply guidance for how to help your new dog adjust. Private training can help the dogs adjust to your specific circumstances.



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First impressions matter.  Don't force a match.

Shelter dog or purchased dog, if there is already a dog in the household, and you're adding another dog, use discretion.  Have the dogs meet before making a decision to bring in the new dog.  Introduce the potential new dog in neutral territory.   Generally, dogs of the opposite sex, with the resident dog being older have a better chance of getting along.     If you have more than one resident dog, introduce the dogs individually to the new dog, and then in combinations.    Don’t leave the new dog with the resident dog unsupervised until you are SURE they get along. 

Before adopting from a shelter/rescue group, do some research.  Find out how the shelter/rescue group determines a dog’s adoptability and if they use temperament testing.    Because even the best shelters can be stressful, a dog’s personality might change once it becomes comfortable in its home, it might become more or less active.  However, this could also happen with puppies transitioning into adulthood.  There are no guarantees with any living, learning creatures.

A great book for adult dog adopters is is Dr. Patricia McConnell's new book, Love Has No Age Limit.  It's short, readable, inexpensive, and written by an animal behaviorist (one of my favorite writers about dogs).  It's available on Dr. McConnell's website  as well as Amazon.  Even if you aren't planning on adopting an adult dog in the near future, I strongly recommend it for its insight.

Will my next dog be a shelter/rescue dog?  Absolutely, and most likely not a puppy since I prefer to by-pass the physical limitations and transitions of puppyhood.  Is a shelter dog for you?  With open eyes, an open heart, and patience you might be surprised to find that a shelter/rescue dog is no problem.  No problem at all.