Opening your heart and your home to an abused dog will most likely bring some frustration and sadness before you get to the part where you and your dog are living in harmony. Frustration because your dog has no clue how to behave because he probably wasn’t properly socialized, and sadness because you’ll learn the story of what he went through before you found him. But those are temporary states, and with some patience, training, and love, you’ll both make it through to the good stuff.

Whether you adopt your dog from a rescue or shelter, your first stop on the way home should be your veterinarian’s office. The shelter will have provided veterinary care, as well as spaying or neutering your dog. But before you take any new dog into your home and expose him to your current pets, or your family, a checkup is always a good idea. An abused dog may also need nutritional supplements if he was malnourished, or he may have to take some kind of pet meds for a while if he was ill when he was rescued. Establishing your dog with a good vet starts a lifetime of quality care. Once you get him home, there are several things you can do to ease the transition.

Be Patient

This virtue is going to cover a lot of areas when you first bring your adopted dog home. She’s going to have all the same anxieties any other dog would have, being in a new place with new people. But she came from a place where she was possibly beaten, starved, or otherwise abused or neglected, so she really doesn’t know what to expect. She’s not going to feel comfortable in her new home overnight, and getting impatient or exasperated with her is only going to make the situation worse.

Speak softly to her, but firmly when she does something she’s not supposed to. She may never have been trained or socialized before, so give her time to learn the new rules and what’s expected of her. When she has setbacks—and she will—don’t give up on her. She’s already been failed by the humans who hurt her before. By adopting an abused dog, you’re making a promise to do better for her. It will take time, and a lot of patience, but the end result—a happy, healthy dog—will be worth it.

Use Positive Reinforcement Training

In your dog’s previous situation, he may have learned not to do certain things because doing them brought about painful punishments. He may be skittish and timid, unsure of what he’s allowed or supposed to do in this new place. He doesn’t know at first whether you’re going to be like the other people he’s known. In addition to patience, he’s going to need some training, which is one of the best things you can do for him.

Dogs are pack animals, and do very well with a clear hierarchy, structure, and routine. Training isn’t about teaching tricks. It’s teaching him how to behave whether he’s at home or out in public, and it’s also about keeping your dog and the people around him safe. The most effective training method you can use is positive reinforcement. Dogs live for two things—praise and food. When your dog performs a proper action—he sits on command, for example—immediately giving him a treat teaches him that when he performs that action, he gets something good to eat. After a while, he’ll sit when told even if there’s no reward coming. You may even get more benefit out of taking your dog to an obedience class with a professional dog trainer who can help you.

Be Gentle With Discipline

Every dog needs discipline, even ones that were previously abused. But while hitting any dog is unnecessary and ineffective, striking a dog that’s been abused can be devastating to him. He may have been beaten or kicked by his previous owners, and when you raise your hand (or rolled up newspaper, or anything else) to him, you’re reminding him of what he went through before. Even just a whack on the hindquarters can be enough to send him cowering under a bed. It’s not necessary to hit a dog to discipline him, especially if he’s been abused. It sets back his emotional recovery. You want him to feel safe, not fearful or threatened.

Dogs are very sensitive to tone of voice, much like children. When you’re cuddling and playing with them, and you use a higher pitch or baby talk, your dog takes the cue and responds with a wagging tail or big doggy grin. When you lower your voice, and give a firm, “No.” your dog will also read that signal, and respond appropriately. You may have to supplement the “no” with physical restraint at first. For example, if your dog tries to get up on the couch, tell him no, or off, or whatever command you decide to use, and gently push him off. He’ll make the connection after a few times, and then a simple “no” should suffice. But never hit your dog.

Stay tuned for part 2 of this series on what to keep in mind when adopting an abused dog.

This our puppy Rex, he may look scary on the other side of the fence but to all our friends he is the sweetest cutie pie. He loves to play at the park but mind you don’t lose his ball or you may be in for a camp out cause he’ll search the grounds til morning dawn. No ball gets left behind woof! Oh boy, boy my favorite toy, my ball woof!

He looks like such a big lover. Thanks for sharing Rex’s story, Ana!

Nominate your pet for Pet of the Week by clicking here!

Now, if my dogs could only perform like that, they could get their own jobs to help pay for their treat addition!

Photo by 3greatdanes.com

It’s flu season and you may not have known that dogs can get the flu too! Canine influenza, or dog flu, first appeared in Florida in 2003 according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. While it cannot be passed from dog to human, there is a small chance for the virus to mutate so the CDC continues to monitor it.

The death rate for canine influenza is very low, but some dogs can develop secondary pneumonia which can be life-threatening. Here’s what else you should know:

• Canine influenza is a contagious (among dogs) respiratory disease caused by a virus.
• Just like a child going to school and picking up a cold, your dog can catch the flu from other dogs at places like daycare or the dog park.
• Symptoms include runny nose, cough, fever, and sometimes more severe symptoms.
• It usually lasts about 7 to 10 days.
• If your dog makes frequent visits to public places, you might want to consider the canine influenza vaccine. Ask your veterinarian.
• If your dog comes down with the flu, you may want to take him/her to the vet. Treatment is similar to that of the human flu, including rest and keeping hydrated.

Has your dog ever had the flu? Do you have any tips to share?

Source: Health: Kentucky.com

Truffle is a 2-year-old Ragdoll cat who apparently has a taste for objects other than food. Recently, her owners discovered that she was not willing to eat, and later vomited 4 ear plugs. They weren’t sure how many more might be in her belly so they took her to the vet clinic for an endoscopy. Truffle then needed surgery to remove the foreign object.

Seeing a family member in pain is never easy to deal with but having an injured pet is difficult in its own right. My pet pug Sir Winston Pugsalot the First, Sir WP for short, once suffered a mild concussion and a broken leg. Obviously, he couldn’t verbally tell me he was hurting but his whimpering and limping was enough to let me know he wasn’t feeling well.

A good friend of mine had to invest in a handicap van after her fiancé suffered an accident that left him wheelchair bound. Their only vehicle had been a small two-seater that didn’t have enough room for his legs and the wheelchair. Fortunately for me, my pug is pretty small and I don’t need a new vehicle to get him around. But I do have some tips to share about caring for your pet when it’s injured.

Give them space

No matter how friendly your pet usually is injured animals have been known to become aggressive. Especially just after being injured, it’s best to give your pet some space and handle it carefully. An animal can’t tell you exactly where it’s hurt at so picking it up could make the pain worse. Calling the vet and getting advice on how to handle your pet is a good idea if you’re unsure of what to do. It may be a smart move to make a muzzle for your pet to prevent anything from happening.

Cone heads

Have you ever seen animals at the vet with the plastic cones around their heads? None of them like it and it does look pretty funny but those cones are life savers. I have heard stories of animals biting at stitches and reopening wounds before they were able to fully heal. Removing the stitches could be life threatening if not treated in time so the cone is a great tool for forcing them to let their wounds heal. Pets are resourceful though and some may try scratching at the area if they can reach it so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on them.

Sit, stay, good boy/girl

I have heard of dogs tearing ACLs but I’m not too sure about cats and other pets. When these types of injuries happen, it’s best for the pet to rest and stay off the injured leg. Animals like dogs and cats want to move and play and it’s even harder to get them to sit still when you have other pets and children that come around to play with them. It’s not easy locking your pet in the kennel for hours but in certain situations it’s the best way to keep them sitting still and from aggravating the injury.

The sad thing is that some pet owners abandon their pets after they are seriously injured to avoid paying for the medical bill. If you are looking to adopt a pet, picking up one that is recovering from an injury is a good idea. You can form a bond while nursing it back to health and when it fully recovers it will be ready to have fun – and grateful for your help.

@Trupanion Pet insurance equals peace of mind for your furry family members! -@AudioArmy

Can’t believe I’ve found a GOOD insurance co. Thank you @Trupanion for making this as easy as possible! -@RoomForDessert

Thanks for taking care of me! Logan -Jason F.

Logan

My husband and I took our lovely Eskie, Kiko for a walk on the TransCanada Trail, by the Coquitlam River. We Heart our Eskie! We rejoice in that she survived a terrible bout of pancreatitis in October and is alive and well due to great veternary care at Coast Meridian Animal Hospital. We’re also thankful for the financial help Trupanion pet insurance has given. It was great getting 90% of the cost of her last blood test back into our pockets. Once again, thank Godfor our wonderful vets, and our pet insurers. -Ann M.

I’m celebrating [Valentine's day] with my 2yr. old Golden who’s recovering from bilateral TPLO surgery (THANK YOU TRUPANION) and my 12.5 yr. old Golden girl who’s dong great. Every day is a gift with my Golden Girls! -Bonnie B.

Trupanion 30 day free trial success!!

We had a client that has a 4 month old puppy and became sick with intestinal issues- not eating and vomiting. We saw the puppy twice and once at the VCA Specialty Center for further treatment. Her bills totaled $591.21. He was still under the 30 day free trial for Trupanion pet insurance, and they paid her $441.37 for covered services.
-Sugar Grove Animal Hospital

I have this for my Gracie, and after the Vet bills I have had with my cat, it is a MUST have these days, if you love your pet, and especially if you have just gotten a puppy or a kitten, please call these people, they are GREAT! Kat R.

Shiloh and Shelby.... Trupanion has been our angels over the few years and our continuing guardian angel! Thank you again for all your help!! -Kelsey R.

Why the hype?
Casteel said traffic to his website jumped from about 200 visitors per day to over 100,000 per day and he has received thousands of emails for private shoots.This is something completely new and interesting compared to what we typically see with pet photography. His high-speed action shots capture candid images of dogs chasing after toys underwater and are carefully detailed down to the last bubble.

It’s all about the water
“Most of the dogs I work with have never gone underwater until they met me,” Casteel said in an interview with ABC News. “All the dogs in the photographs have voluntarily gone into the water and under the water. They are choosing to do this. We’re all having fun along the way.”

Ironically, Casteel’s two dogs Nala and Fritz are not particularly fond of water.

Did you see his photos? What do you think? View the album on Facebook here.

There were over 60 dogs dressed in their most fashionable digs strutting down the runway to benefit Canine Companions.

Check out some of the awesome photos that were captured!

Satchmo the French Bulldog

Gigi the Yorkshire Terrier

Axel Cameron the Whippet

All photos by Kendra Luck, Special To The Chronicle. View the full slideshow on Times Union.