The number one reason dogs are brought to shelters is that they have “behavior problems.” That label covers a multitude of common canine misbehavior’s such as house-soiling, chewing, digging, and general rowdiness or hyperactivity.

If one of those bad habits is what landed your dog in a shelter, you’ll have to be willing to work to overcome it when you bring her home.
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Remember, too, that your dog will probably have been calling a shelter “home” for some time, and the rules of the shelter may not quite correspond to the rules of your household.

Your dog will have been living in a cage where housebreaking was irrelevant and barking was nonstop. He will not have seen furniture or stairs recently (or perhaps ever), and he won’t immediately understand that he isn’t allowed to teethe on your couch and climb on your kitchen counters.

If he’s been living by his own devices for several months or more, he’ll need some extra training so that he learns his manners and can live peacefully in your home.

If he’s a young puppy, especially if he was taken from his mother and litter-mates too early, he’ll need a lot of socialization from you and your family so that he grows up to be a normal, well-adjusted dog. You’ll have to teach him the things he should have learned, but may
not have, during his first few weeks of life: how to play, how to respect authority, how to accept correction and praise.

It’s never too early or late for a dog to learn all these things. While it may take somewhat longer to train and socialize a shelter dog or puppy, you’ll find that the training process will bring the two of you even closer together and help you learn to appreciate and respect each other right from the start of your relationship.

One thing your adopted dog does not need is your pity. There are a lot of adopted dogs who get away with shameful behavior because their people feel sorry for them. And we know many humans who use their dogs’ uncertain histories as excuses for all their problems. But dog needs your understanding and leadership, not your indulgence.

That is the lesson here: if your dog grew up on the streets, that may explain why he has no qualms about shredding your curtains, but it doesn’t give his license to do so. If he was or have been unkindly treated by someone in her past, that may explain why he initially mistrusts people, but it doesn’t give him the right to growl or snap at them. It’s going to take a magical mixture of forbearance and toughness on your part to help him adjust to the world outside the shelter.