How to care for a battered dog

Abused animals should be treated in a special way, giving them great doses of affection and having a lot of patience until they are comfortable and safe by your side. If you have just adopted a battered dog and you want to know how you have to educate him, the first thing we can advise is to be patient and to dedicate time to his integration in the new family. Overcoming traumas is something difficult and so that you can have a full and satisfying life the dog needs your help. In this article we tell you how to care for a battered dog by giving you some tips that will make the adaptation as quick and satisfactory as possible.

one

A dog that has been mistreated usually shows a reserved attitude, fearful and distrustful so you will have to be very insistent and patient until your coexistence is normal. This type of animal is usually kept in a secluded place without hardly moving and you will see that it does not come very close to people or other animals because they fear to suffer some abuse again.

You have to be careful because, sometimes, due to the fear they feel, they can react aggressively if they feel threatened, so come stealthily and always knowing that he knows you are there; never appear abruptly or try to catch it suddenly because it can react in an unexpected way.

In order not to overwhelm you with new teachings or training, we recommend that you go little by little in your lessons and that all of them be full of positive reinforcements so that you feel that you are doing well.

two

You have to bear in mind that the change of behavior and the adaptation of your dog to its new life will be a slow and progressive process. Do not despair: getting used to it can take up to 1 year, so be patient, love him and make him feel at home. In this sense, it is advised that from the moment in which the dog enters your home you dedicate a space for him : put a bed, a bowl with his food and water and give him a toy so he can play when he is relaxed. Create a space where you feel comfortable, safe and calm will get you to adapt more quickly to your new home and relax.

3

Taking a battered dog for a walk can be a complicated task at the beginning of your relationship. Think that he does not trust you and does not know where you are taking him or what he is going to find; Your nervous state will be on the edge and can react aggressively to a person or an animal. Therefore, for these first days it is best to take a walk in quiet areas where you know there will not be many people or many animals, try also to do it in hours when there are fewer people on the street and avoid rush hours.

It can also be a risk that, if you let it loose, it will escape and not come back to you. Think that you are new in your life and that the past experience with a person was disastrous therefore most likely you are afraid and take advantage of the minimum opportunity to leave so it is essential that you take it with a strap to prevent leave Little by little, as you gain confidence in yourself, go leaving him loose in closed areas and play with him to throw the ball or stick to run and return to you.

A good way to train a dog for the time of the walk is to reinforce positively with trinkets for dogs that will give you to understand that the behavior that is taking place is what you expect from him. But, as we have already told you, this has to be a slow process that will always depend on the attitude and progress of the dog. In this article we tell you how to walk your dog.

4

One of the main characteristics of a battered dog is that it presents a fearful attitude towards people. Keep in mind that this will change with the passage of time and that little by little your dog will be more comfortable and calm in his new surroundings. But to speed up this process you can follow some advice, for example, when you see that the animal is in a moment of fear (is trembling, has the tail between the legs, etc.). Try to cut that anxiety by playing with it and distracting it.

When you see that it has come out of the stress that produced fear you can reward him with a treat for dogs and, little by little, will reduce those states of anxiety. In this other article we give you more ideas and advice about How to calm a dog that is afraid.

5

It is also important that when the dog enters your home you treat it with a lot of love and attention . Avoid talking to him with a very loud tone of voice and, as we have pointed out before, do not scare him or try to catch him unexpectedly; The dog could be frightened and his reaction could be a bite or an attack. So approach him little by little, speak in a low voice, bring your hand little by little and let him smell you before caressing you. Especially the first few days you have to be very careful with the way you relate to him, because he will be dislocated and aware of your reactions.

6

Once you and you already have a relationship of trust and feel how comfortable he is at home it is time to try to help him overcome his fears. At this time you will feel that at home is safe and you will maintain a relationship of love and respect but it is possible that, if we do not treat your fears, the dog will be aggressive with other people or animals with whom you have not had that period of confidence as with you.

Therefore, once your relationship is the optimal one comes the time to train you and put you in situations that make you nervous and try to control the situation with words of affection, with caresses and with positive reinforcements. Presenting other dogs and / or other people is a good way to try to dispel their fear of others; In this article we tell you how to present two dogs.