It is not uncommon for people to adopt older dogs and then be dissatisfied with their behavior. Whether you have adopted an eight month old dog or a four year old dog, you are adopting an animal that already has well-established behaviors and a set understanding about living with humans, and you will very likely need or want to make some changes. You may even have already tried, without success, to teach the old dog new tricks. I'm sure your efforts were well intentioned, even if they were unsuccessful. However, there are things you can do, with a good prognosis for a "recovery" of all the good you see in the dog. The first thing you should know is that most behavior problems are normal dog behaviors, but can be problematic in our human environment. One good example is the dog that consistently goes to the bathroom behind the couch or under the table. Although this behavior annoys his human owners, the dog is merely choosing a comfortable, out of the way spot for relieving himself. He is not a dumb dog, nor is he a dirty dog. He is, however, a dog that does not understand what his human owners desire.
Similarly, biting humans is unacceptable for a pet dog, while biting is a natural form of communication for dogs. It is a "last resort" behavior, but many people don't read the signals the dog tried to communicate before biting. Dogs are dogs, and they have good reasons for behaving as they do. Once we understand their reasons, teaching them how you want them to behave is much easier.
The second thing you should know is that what most dog owners fundamentally complain about is a lack of effective leadership. Dogs think your family is a dog pack. A dog pack has a strict hierarchy of command and dogs do not "listen" to subordinate pack members. Fortunately, it is this "follow the leader" mentality that makes dogs so trainable. Most problems can be solved by learning to be your dog's pack leader. Hyperactivity, fearfulness, lack of focus, jumping, excessive barking, chewing, overly excited play, running away, and even aggressive growling, snapping, and biting are some common results of life without an effective human pack leader.
You don't have to put up with your dog's antics, but you do need to know how to change them. Obedience school is a good idea, but it does not always teach you how to be your dog's leader at home. You will need to read books or be sure to employ a trainer who will teach you not just obedience commands but also how to communicate you leadership to you dog.
This type of training will require time and effort, but some behavior changes will be noticed immediately. Also, you will be saving a dog. By showing the dog how to get rewarded for behaving appropriately you will be able not only to keep the dog, thus keeping him from being given from family to family, turned loose, or euthanized, but you will also be lowering the dog's general stress level and helping him have a more rewarding life.
Although most shelter dogs area fine dogs, many do come with undesirable behaviors. Nor matter where you get a dog, remember, owning a dog is a huge responsibility, and time and effort towards training is one of the most important responsibilities you will need to meet. There are no perfect dogs, only good owner-dog relationships, which are up to the humans to cultivate. Learn how to do this through providing your dog with effective leadership, and you will likely get the relationship with your dog that you desire.
Courtesy of: The Connecticut Humane Society
