Though sterilizing dogs – spaying (removing female organs) and neutering (removing male organs) – has been common practice for decades, birth rates continue to outpace ownership. Add to that a percentage who are lost or wander away and the problem grows larger.

The inevitable result is a large number of dogs who often end in facilities where they’re either adopted or terminated.

But, some of these unfortunate animals get a second chance. Either picked up off the street or taken home from shelters they find homes with compassionate and committed individuals who want to help them achieve a decent life. Such caring people can find themselves with more than they bargained for.

Rescued animals have often been physically and mentally abused by former owners, or experienced horrendous conditions before being found. Sometimes, because of impatient or unrealistic owners who found their temperament undesirable, they were simply released to get by as best they could.

Even wild dogs don’t do well isolated from a pack. Untrained dogs, on their own with no other to teach them, fare even worse. But with patience and skill such animals can usually be trained to at least tolerate touching, to refrain from barking at the slightest provocation.

The first step is restoring physical health. Get the dog a thorough examination. No animal is going to be amenable to learning if it’s diseased or the training is painful. Any malnutrition, common in rescued dogs, must first be overcome.

Try to obtain any history. Often this will be impossible, but knowing about any past abuse, temperament or medical history and general conditions is helpful.

Next, try to establish trust slowly. Don’t force physical contact on the dog. Offer inducements to let them seek it from you. At first, instead of offering a treat at close range to a potential biter lay the treat on the floor then step back several feet. Praise the dog lavishly for taking it.

When you’ve worked up to physical contact, which happily some will seek immediately, try rolling them over and placing a hand on the chest. Aggressive dogs will resist and passive dogs will accept this fearfully. Neither response is desirable. Unlike normal training, don’t immediately force the aggressive to accept a secondary role. Take it slow. For the fearful, provide a belly rub and soothing tone to show that being on their backs is not a prelude to punishment.

Rescued dogs tend to be older, mixed breed, have temperament difficulties and come from painful circumstances. All these tend to work against the dog learning the usual range of desired behaviors, and generally more slowly. Some conditions are such that full recovery never occurs.

Exercise even greater patience and care, but don’t let the dog run the household. Even with rescued dogs it’s important that the human be the alpha (leader).

The reward of the greater expense in dollars and time is often a completely devoted and loving companion. Even dogs can exhibit gratitude toward kindness.

Male dogs with the normal amounts of testosterone tend to seek alpha (leader) status, and when exposed to a female in heat will often ignore commands. Licking behavior increases, the male will gently head butt a female in the neck, and eventually try to mount.

Separated from the female, they’ll exhibit rapid breathing and pacing, often going without eating for two days or more. They’ll often even refuse water after hours of not drinking.

Females left unaltered will experience a menstrual cycle about twice per year. During that roughly three week interval, there’s an increased tendency to wander and a greater willingness to accept the attention of strange dogs. Previously passive females will dig under a fence and display their hind parts with tails lifted to males of almost any breed.

Getting compliance to commands during these times is difficult, but not always impossible. If you’ve consistently retained the alpha (leader) role in the ‘pack’, you have a say in who mates who when. You’ll need to be especially assertive during these times, but even excited males will obey up to a point.

Even outside of mating periods, unneutered males will typically exhibit a stronger push toward dominance, especially in the first year or two. The counter for this is simply a refusal to accept anything less than alpha status. But far from being harsh, there are several alternatives.

Most dogs love to play. Distracting that assertive male with a tennis ball, a short rope or other favorite toy decreases tension on both sides of the equation. You control the ball, you hand out or take away the toy, and you ensure compliance with your wishes by leash, treat and firm voice command. All these help remind the dog that you’re in charge.

When leash training or walking, these assertive males will have a stronger tendency to pull ahead. To counter this, keep the leash a couple of inches BEHIND you. If the dog strains at the leash, initiate a sharp, firm jerk to the right (NOT back) accompanied by a strong ‘HEEL’. That assumes the dog walks on your left and the leash is held in your left hand, as is usually the case. Reverse directions as needed.

Unless your dog is very small this won’t injure them. Dogs have very strong neck muscles. The goal is to put them off balance and to control, not to punish.

Untreated dogs require extra patience – as if the normal amount weren’t already enormous. But they’re also less likely to be fearful in stressful situations and more willing to take risks. For people with certain lifestyles who enjoy taking their friend with them, that can be a big plus.

Depending on your budget you may or may not be able to feed your dog a larger proportion of fresh meat, but at least be prepared to spend enough for a good dry food. Here are a few things to look for…

All dog foods are labeled with the ingredients in order by proportion. That is, the material that forms the largest percentage is listed first, followed by the second and then others.

One of the attributes that makes cheap dog food less preferable is the high percentage of ‘waste’ animal parts. When you see ‘by products’ on the label, it’s better to avoid these brands. If it does appear on higher quality dog food, which is rare, it will be listed near the bottom indicating a small proportion.

Those ‘by products’ consist of parts that were not considered usable for human consumption. That fact doesn’t by itself make the product dangerous, but the lower quality will have a long term effect on coats, muscles and bones, and overall health.

Just as one indicator, dogs with healthy coats (particularly, long-haired breeds) will look shinier and shed less. Assuming proper bathing and brushing habits, of course.

Some experts put the proper ratio of meat, vegetables and starch at about roughly 40%, 30%, 30% respectively.

Common meats used are chicken, lamb and beef. These provide readily digestible sources of protein – essential to healthy coats, muscles, etc.

Vegetables provide minerals and vitamins that help produce proper hormone and enzyme types and amounts, as well as compounds for good bone health and other functions. Carrots and squash, for example are both excellent for almost all dogs.

The starch content is often provided by brown or white rice. Either is an excellent source of carbohydrates. These compounds are broken down in the body to form the basis for energy and cell repair.

As with any food substance, some dogs have special conditions that make special diets necessary. Many Golden Retrievers, for example, are sensitive to wheat products. Corn meal is hard to digest for some dogs.

Look for these on the label and discuss with your vet whether it’s necessary to avoid them. Some indicators are soft stools, excessive scratching and frequent gas.

Some dogs will find dry dog food more enjoyable if prepared with a little water and microwaved for about 30 seconds. Feed dry at least occasionally, though, to help scrub teeth and gums.

Needless to say, go easy on the treats. Even quality treats tend to be high in fat content – one of the reasons the dogs enjoy them so much. One or two per day isn’t harmful, but go for the quality brands.

The price differential for good food is sometimes considerable – with higher quality dog food often twice the cost. But considering the effects on health you’ll likely make up for it in lower vet bills, or at least a healthier dog.

The shine of the coat, the clarity of the eyes and other less obvious indicators will show in the long run. And, in the final analysis, the health of your dog is priceless.

Apart from human society, wild dogs will fight – sometimes to the death – to maintain or achieve the alpha status. Losers are occasionally expelled from the pack entirely.

But in any human-dog pair the human has to take the leader role. The alternative is property destruction, human frustration and usually a maladjusted dog. Naturally, that’s sometimes easier said than done.

Pups display early in life the tendency to want to lead or acceptance of a subsidiary role. For those who insist on being alpha, several techniques can help adjust the dog’s behavior. But first you have to identify it.

Put the pup on its back with a firm hand placed in the middle of the chest. No need to press hard, just enough to keep the dog from wiggling away. Monitor the strength and length of time the dog takes to submit, signaled by pulled back paws, averted eyes, and general relaxing.

Most individuals will struggle at the unfamiliar position and submissive role. The strength of the struggle and the length to relaxation will vary from breed to breed – Golden Retrievers may submit relatively quickly, where terriers may never stop struggling.

Dogs learn by cue and repetition so to assist curing excessive assertiveness lean your face close to the dog’s and growl, bark or even shout when required. Don’t expect completely satisfactory results the first few times, but gradually most will learn to accept their secondary role.

A variation has the person stand or kneel in front of the dog, then lift it at the chest using one or two hands. Most dogs, especially dominant ones, dislike this but they quickly learn who’s the boss. Alternatively, grasp both front paws and lift up. Don’t be too aggressive. The goal is to encourage acceptance of their role, not to punish.

For dogs that jump on people, there are several helpful techniques:

First, try to distinguish between dominance and the desire for affection. Many dogs leap in order to get closer to the human face. Dogs that height have eyes that see at that level. Eye contact and face rubbing is used by them to encourage bonding and establish social roles. They may just be trying to communicate. Kneel down and allow non-biters to get close to the face.

Maintain enough eye contact to establish dominance by waiting for them to look away. Try not to blink. When the dog accepts its role, praise lavishly with ear rubs and leaning your forehead into the dog’s head. Keep your head higher until your role is well-established.

Try the following tips for difficult dogs:

Watch the dog’s face and body carefully for tell-tale signs signaling an imminent jump. Discourage the behavior with voice commands (‘stay’ or ‘down’) and a palm thrust out and down into the dog’s face. If they’re already in mid-flight, raise a knee slightly into the dog’s chest. To keep them off and put them off-balance, NOT to pummel the dog or throw it backwards, except in emergencies.

Establishing the alpha role takes patience and commitment and repetition. Assertive dogs will test you throughout their lifetimes. Be prepared to defend your role.

The tendency to chew will vary from one breed – and one individual – to another. But most dogs will chew on objects in and around the house. Keeping them focused on objects intended for them is a continuing challenge.

Younger dogs, puppies in particular, will usually have a greater tendency to chew and less discrimination about what they choose. But even young puppies can be discouraged from grabbing things the owner would prefer to keep whole.

First, as always, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Keep shoes, laundry (socks, t-shirts, etc), where dogs can’t get them. Keep children’s toys separated from the dog’s. Which implies that the dog has some. So…

Keep plenty of attractive toys on hand, whether indoors or out, for Fido to chew on. Rawhide bones are attractive to some dogs, others prefer hard rubber or special plastic ‘dental’ bones. With some exceptions, real bones are usually not a good idea. Large beef bones are okay, but chicken and pork can easily splinter and lead to injury.

Fortunately, all kinds of special toys are available. Some even have hollow interiors suitable for holding treats. The dog usually has to struggle a bit to get at the treat in the center. That’s the whole idea. It keeps them occupied and gives them a good mental and physical workout striving to access the reward.

A sharp tone or a mild tap for grabbing an unsuitable object, such as a shoe or sock, is useful and appropriate. Yelling or harsh physical punishment is counter-productive. It’s better for both dog and ‘alpha’ (the leader of the pack – you) to vent that frustration elsewhere. Easier said than done the tenth time you’ve scolded the dog, but necessary for the mental well-being of both parties.

To practice developing specific habits, take some time (daily, if necessary and possible) to leash the dog and present an inappropriate object. If the dog moves toward it, jerk the leash sideways quickly and firmly and give a loud ‘No!’.

Be sure to jerk sideways, not back. A dog’s neck muscles are very strong, but throats can be too easily bruised. The movement is to inform, not to punish.

Outside, if the dog has a tendency to chew on plants, fences, etc, you can take advantage of some commercial mixtures or home recipes to discourage the behavior. A little cayenne pepper paste smeared on the leaves of ‘attractive’ plants can often eliminate chewing in one lesson. Some commercial preparations contain ‘bitter apple’, which discourages some dogs.

As with any dog training, patience, persistence and consistency are the keys to success. Suppressing chewing is often one of the more challenging since you’re training the dog to NOT do something, rather than to DO something.

Redirection to acceptable objects is your best bet, since you can’t eliminate the instinct. Stay alert and keep a cool head. Even when they’ve just chewed a hole in that new carpet. That’s expensive and annoying, but carpet can be replaced. Your relationship with your pet can’t.

To put things back the way they’re meant to be, assert your alpha status. One of the foremost methods is a frequent use of ‘the stay’. Just what it sounds like, the stay requires the dog to remain stationary, in place, while you move about. Just the reverse of the usual situation in too many cases.

First, train the dog to ‘sit’ on command using the word and hand signals. I snap my fingers and simultaneously flip my extended index finger down at an angle to the ground. This gets the dog’s attention – without tying up my hands with a clicker – and shows the proper direction for the dog’s rear. It works surprisingly well.

Then with the pup, teen or mature dog in the sit, I thrust a hand in the dog’s direction palm first and fingers raised giving the voice command ‘stay!’. Not yelling, just distinct and audible over other noise and distractions. Hand movements should be precise and unique to a particular command/behavior.

Take one step back.

The dog will tend to follow, so repeat the hand gestures for sit and stay. If the dog fails to comply, take a treat or toy and move it over the dog’s head and slightly back of the eyes. Still visible, but in a direction that forces the chin up. Some dogs will rotate around. Repeat until you get the correct behavior then praise lavishly.

Now try again.

Once the dog will remain stationary after one step back, take two. Then four, then eight. Usually the further you are away the less control you have. The dog naturally wants to follow the alpha (leader).

One trick for overcoming this is to leash the dog on a collar and long leash or rope. Wrap the leash around a tree or post a few feet behind the dog and hold the leash as you face the dog. As the dog stands and steps forward, give a tug on the rope and issue the voice command and hand gesture. Don’t pull so hard as to unbalance the dog. You want to restrain not punish. A partner can be used instead of a tree, but dogs can become confused about whom to obey, making that a secondary choice.

Some dogs will tend to lie down during the exercise, especially as you back away a few feet. You may have to train an ‘up’-'sit’ combination before mastering ‘stay’. Breeds and individuals will vary in how long – how many repetitions over how many days – it takes them to consistently obey, but almost all get it eventually.

After the stay has lasted a few seconds, issue ‘come’ with a unique tone and hand gesture. Make it something you can do precisely, but aren’t likely to do during normal activity. Command gestures should be unique and reserved for specific behaviors.

When the dog comes, praise lavishly and repeat the exercise, making the stay last longer as the dog learns. You’ll have succeeded completely when you can go back into the house and the dog will ‘stay’. Don’t forget to release him after a minute.

Of course, he’ll be expecting you to bring back treats and a tennis ball. Don’t disappoint.

When a dog sits he’s more attentive, making it easier to follow further commands. His eyes are on you, the alpha.

As important as what the dog is doing, is what he is not. In a sit, he’s more or less stationary. There are still those wagging tails, after all. That means he’s not chasing the cat, knocking over the furniture, running through the garden or out into the street.

But getting there can be easier or more difficult depending on breed, individual and training style. Fortunately, almost every dog can and will learn this basic move in short order.

First, take advantage of the dog’s spontaneous behavior by observing him closely. The idea is to catch him in the middle of performing the behavior and say ‘sit’ and gesture. That way a dog associates the behavior with the command. Always associate a unique hand signal and tone with the command. Praise the dog lavishly. Hold off on food treats. Save the bribes until you really need them.

At first the dog will have no idea why you’re so happy. But dogs tend to be happy when the alpha is, and upset when he is. With repetition comes understanding.

When you want to initiate a sit, stand and face the dog then issue the command, then wait for the desired response. Some will get it after the first couple of tries, some will take ten or more. Some won’t get it without further prompting. Now bring out the other techniques.

With a treat or a favored toy, face the dog and place it above his head and slightly behind the forehead, but still visible. The dog will tend to look up and stretch its chin slightly backward. When you have his attention move the treat slowly back toward the tail.

Some dogs will respond by backing up. If so, try the technique near the couch or a fence where he has nowhere to go. When the dog starts to sit, give the command and hand signal. At the completion of the sit, praise lavishly and give the reward.

Voice commands aren’t the only sound that will work. Many trainers use a ‘clicker’ – a small plastic and metal device that makes a ‘click-clack’ sound when pressed and released. Dogs can distinguish the sound over surprisingly long distances and amidst other moderate background noise.

As a last resort, for the stubborn or slow learner, give the command and at the same time push gently on the back near the tail as you lift his chin. Praise and reward anyway, even though you had to ‘force’ the sit. Take special care with young hips – don’t force a completely uncooperative dog this way.

Repetition, consistency (reward only for the proper action), and enthusiasm will quickly lead to learning the ‘sit’. Don’t be harsh, but don’t give up easily either. And never let him train you.

Watch for spontaneous behavior close to the one desired. A dog will sometimes crawl on its belly for no apparent reason. It may be scratching, it may simply be having fun. If this is a desired trick, watch for the beginnings of the behavior, then be prepared to associate it with a hand gesture and voice command, then reward immediately.

Teaching the basic ‘sit’, ‘come’, etc commands is usually simple. A few repetitions with a treat or verbal praise and the dog learns rapidly. Teaching tricks can sometimes be as easy as expanding on the basic behaviors. ‘Come’ can easily be transformed into ‘walk in a circle’. Abbreviate to one word, such as ‘circle’ or ‘spin’ for example.

At first it might be helpful to use treats to encourage wanted actions, but don’t overdo it. Diets spoil easily, and ultimately you want the dog to respond to verbal command and praise without food rewards. After the command-behavior pair becomes automatic, treats can be withdrawn.

Favorite toys are a good way to encourage certain tricks. Take a short rope the dog loves to play tug with and encourage a jump by moving it rapidly up and down, just out of reach. Then, after the command-behavior pair is established forgo the rope and just use your hand.

Hide-and-seek is another game easily taught using a favorite bone or chew ball. The dog’s sense of smell is keen not only close up but at surprising distances. Take advantage of it by hiding the toy under a box a few feet away, then lengthen the distance, remove the box to another room or place it up on a table. Proceed in stages.

Dogs’ affection is a useful trick training aid. Many spontaneously want to offer a paw to express themselves. Put the dog in a ‘sit’, then kneel down in front of him. Hold up your own ‘paw’ and give a command ‘five’ (for ‘high five’ or ‘give me five’ or ‘paw’, whatever works).

Sometimes the paw comes up right away, for others you may have to gently pull it up using the voice command at the same time. Praise anyway, once you’re in position. Put the paw back down and try again.

Extending tricks is easy, too. Start with one ‘high five’, then extend into ‘sit pretty’ by taking the paw and lifting gently. The other will often come up spontaneously. Hold both and praise and reward. When sitting at the desk and I want mine to sit pretty, I often pat my chest and up he comes followed by lavish praise.

Training tricks should be fun, both for you and the dog. Other training is for safety, control, discouraging property destruction, etc. Tricks are strictly to give you and your friend something to laugh about.

Like any dog training regimen, trainer patience is as important as the dog’s temperament. ‘Sit’, ‘stay’ and other behaviors can often be learned in a few days. ‘Potty’ training typically takes weeks – sometimes as short as two, often a month or more.

As with other learned behaviors, it helps to watch for signs of the desired actions and enforce and direct them with a voice command followed by praise. In this case that technique works even more to the trainer’s advantage, since all dogs will naturally eliminate. The trick is to get them to do it when and where you want!

Watch for circling or squatting, then pick up the pup, say ‘outside’ and dash outside. The puppy may circle some more, but will often squat immediately. As it begins, say ‘Go potty’ (or some other unique phrase) in a clear, firm (but not angry) voice. Wait until it’s finished and praise lavishly.

You won’t always be able to catch the puppy about to begin, but don’t become angry or impatient when the dog eliminates indoors. It takes time for the dog to learn to tell you it’s time to ‘go outside’. It also takes time for the muscles needed to control bladder and bowels to develop.

Young dogs need to eliminate every 2-3 hours, on average. If you haven’t spotted pre-elimination behavior within that time, take the dog outside anyway. Issue the command ‘Go potty’ and wait. At first, usually, the dog will have no clue what you want.

Again, even when outside, it helps to wait and watch for the desired behavior then issue the command. That helps the dog associate the command with the behavior. If the dog hasn’t gone after a few minutes and a few ‘Go potty’ commands, take it back inside for an hour. Of course, if you spot the pre-elimination behavior in less time, go outside again immediately.

Dogs have a surprising ability to quickly learn what their ‘alpha’ (the leader of the pack) wants. This is almost always accomplished by associating a verbal command with behavior, followed by praise. Punishment is usually counter-productive, and nowhere more so than in waste elimination training. Never rub a dog’s nose in waste.

Paper and/or crate training is preferred by some. A pup can be trained to go on a newspaper, or on one of the chemically treated pads designed for the purpose. Some small breeds that live all day in the home may not need to go outside at all.

The technique has a couple of downsides however. Unlike cats, dogs will rarely go in a perfumed litter box. Newspapers (even with the top layer removed after the dog goes) will eventually create an unpleasant smell in the house.

Also, long before the odor becomes unattractive to humans, dogs can smell their own distinctive aroma. They don’t find it unattractive – quite the opposite. And that’s the problem.

Dogs that are paper trained will often prefer to eliminate indoors. Sometimes they’ll miss the paper by only an inch, creating a mess to clean up.

Once the odor is in the carpet, the dog will often seek that spot out as its proper ‘place to go’. This makes training the dog to eliminate outside even more difficult. Best to suffer a few accidents than to create a hard-to-overcome habit.

Patience, praise and consistency are the keys to any dog training. Elimination training is the first test for you and your dog.

As with any profession, quality and costs vary. And, like many professions – especially those involving human-animal interactions – training philosophies vary considerably. So, you already have some parameters to guide your selection.

Look over your budget and determine your needs. Depending on where you live, dog training can run anywhere from free – often supplied on a weekly basis by volunteers to parks or shelters – to $100 or more per session. What constitutes a reasonable fee will vary depending on geography, trainer experience, length of program and your goals.

Examine your schedule. Some training programs are weekly, others more often. You may have to leave the dog and pick it up later. Or, more likely, you may join a program where the training involves you directly. Most will suggest that you spend some time training the dog every day, whether at home or at the trainer’s facility.

Examine your commitment. Dogs, especially early in training, need regular, large blocks of time and attention in order to learn. An hour a day is not at all unusual.

In some cases, ‘boot camp’ training programs are preferred. The dog goes away to a special facility for up to several weeks. The training is regular, long and intensive. Don’t be concerned for the dog. They love that! Near the end, you’ll usually have to participate in order to ‘transfer’ the obedience from trainer to you.

But the results are often amazing. Dogs who ‘graduate’, even when not special service dogs, are disciplined and eager to follow instructions. Yet, paradoxically, these dogs show no signs of being repressed. They’re happy and play with great enthusiasm.

Examine your goals. You may want a dog who can be entered in shows, or you may just want them not to chew on the couch or chase the cat. In either case, regular training is required. How much and what kind will vary with breed and individual temperament.

Some dogs are fearful, either through being mistreated or from a natural tendency toward submission. Some are too assertive, again through abuse or natural striving for alpha (pack leader) status. What training you select will depend on how you want to influence them and what attributes they have you want to shape.

Whatever your goals, budget or commitment you want a trainer who exhibits massive patience and boundless energy, not to mention a deep love for dogs. Most have these characteristics in spades.

Beyond those basics, you’ll want a trainer whose philosophy makes sense to you and matches your goals. Some insist that dog training is more about training the owner than the dog – and there’s some truth to that in some cases. Some are lenient and friendly, leaning toward the ‘touchy-feely’ style. Others lean more toward police or military style training. And many lie between these two extremes.

It’s unlikely that one training style suits all, but neither is it entirely subjective. Even where there are disputes there are common principles that most will agree on. Patience, persistence, consistency and the need for the human to lead are only a few of these.

Ask for recommendations from those you trust and don’t hesitate to shop around. Be prepared to change trainers once or twice to find one suitable for your needs. Be careful, though, not to change on a whim. Dogs need consistency and a regular environment in order to absorb what’s being taught.