Abandoned!
Puppies U.S.A. 1998
By Audrey Pavia

You are driving down the road, minding your own business, lost in thought. Your grocery list, the kids' report cards, the bills you need to mail out - there is no shortage of things to think about. Suddenly, up ahead, you notice a small figure. As you get closer, your heart sinks. It's a dog, mangy and thin, trotting aimlessly along the shoulder. It has that unmistakable look of homelessness, and your heart breaks at the sight of it.

We've all been there. Those feelings of sadness, helplessness and anger when we see a stray dog struggling to survive in a cold, cruel world. All animal lovers feel the same way when presented with this harsh reality. A part of us wants to pull over and help the poor creature, yet the bigger part of us doesn't quite know what to do.

But believe it or not, there is a lot we CAN do in these situations. At the very least, we can stop at the nearest telephone to call Animal Control. This act of kindness ensures the dog will not die a painful death out on the streets.
At our very best, we can give the dog a chance at life by adopting it for our own. There are plenty of stories about stray dogs who have made wonderfulpets simply because a kind and loving family gave the dog a home.

First Steps
Let's assume there's a stray dog in your neighborhood that you've been watching for a while now. The dog seems friendly but is obviously hungry and without a home. You'd like to take this dog in and make it your own. What is your first step in this process?

This depends on the dog. If the animal is sociable enough to allow you to put a collar and leash on it and then get into your car, you can take it home with you. If the dog is too shy or frightened to accept your offer for help, you'll need your local animal control agency to capture him. In the event that you actually saw the dog abandoned by a driver, get the license plate number and call the police. In most every municipality, it's against the law to dump an animal.

Even if the dog is confident enough to get in your car and come home with you, you still need to call your local animal control agency. The laws on stray dogs vary from municipality to municipality, and in some areas the law requires that you surrender the animal to Animal Control, and then adopt it officially once a certain amount of time has passed. (Make sure you insist that the agency contact you first once the dog is placed up for adoption.) This allows Animal Control to evaluate the dog's health and hold it for possible claiming by the original owner.

Which brings us to our next point. Even if laws in your area don't require you to surrender the dog to Animal Control, it is your ethical responsibility to try and find the dog's owner. Just because the animal is thin and unkempt, doesn't mean it was necessarily abandoned. Dogs get separated from their owners in all sorts of ways, and the one you just rescued might be someone's beloved pet. If you found the dog in a rural area, it may even be a working farm dog traveling from one part of its owner's property to another.

You can try to find the dog's owner by putting ads in the paper, placing signs up on street corners, contacting local veterinary offices and notifying Animal Control that you have the dog. Give it about a month. If no one contacts you, you can assume the dog was abandoned, or at least lost with no attempt to find it. If you do hear from someone who claims to have lost the dog, ask for proof; a photograph or a detailed description will do.

If you have taken the dog into your home while you are waiting to find out whether the dog is indeed lost or simply abandoned, it is important to bring the dog to the veterinarian for an evaluation as soon as possible. "From my experience, nearly every stray dog has some kind of medical problem," says Liz Palika, trainer and author of Save That Dog! (Howell Book House). "Whether it's fleas, worms or an injury, there's usually something wrong." It is wise to keep the dog separated from your other pets until it is examined by a veterinarian.
Making sure the dog is treated promptly for any maladies is especially important if you have other pets in your home. Some of the more common contagious illnesses and conditions plaguing stray dogs include mange, respiratory infections and parasites.

It's important to realize that the dog may not have eaten in a long time, and won't be able to handle large amounts of food all at once. "Feed the dog slowly, a little at a time," says Suzanne Kane, founder of H.A.R.T./ Muttmatchers, an organization that rescues and places homeless pets in Filmore, California. "Start with four to seven small meals a day."

Settling In
Some time has gone by and no one has claimed the dog you have found. This means you can pretty much assume he is yours to keep. Another visit to the veterinarian is now in order, since the dog will need to receive all shots, and be spayed or neutered. Assume your new dog has never received any shots in the past, and ask your veterinarian to start the dog on a regular vaccination program.

Spaying or neutering is important too, for several reasons. First, it will stem the dog's desire to roam. The urge to go out and find a mate is the reason many dogs end up homeless and wandering the streets - particularly males. Second, dogs that are spayed and neutered are healthier and live longer lives. And third, if you alter your dog, there is no chance that he or she will be responsible for bringing any more dogs into our pet-overpopulated society.

Once your dog has been given a clean bill of health by your veterinarian, you can start assimilating him into the household. If you have another dog, introduce the two on neutral territory. "Have a friend or family member take one dog to a local park or empty lot, while you take the other," says Kane. "Keep them on leash and let them get to know each other in the neutral territory. Then, walk them home together." This method usually works to eliminate territorial aggression that resident dogs often exhibit with newcomers.

"Should some snapping and growling follow later on, don't panic," says Kane. "The dogs will most likely work it out between them." Keep in mind that male and female dogs tend to get along better than members of the same sex.
If you own cats or other smaller pets, or have children, be certain that you know how your new dog will react to them before you let him have his freedom in their presence. "Keep a leash on the dog and let him meet the other members of the family first, with you in control," advises Kane. "Since you don't know this dog's history, you need to make sure he will be safe." Expect your cats to dislike the new dog at first, but if there is no sign of aggressiveness on the part of the dog, it will probably work out.

Don't leave your new dog alone with your cats until you are completely certain he doesn't view them as prey. Your cats' lives depend on this. (To be on the safe side, never leave any dog alone with a rabbit, ferret or other such small pet.)

When your new dog first enters your household, it's best to keep him confined to small area at first. Dogs that have been homeless for some time are often overwhelmed when they are introduced into a new household, and anxiety can follow. Keeping the dog confined will help him get used to his new environment slowly. "Even though your new dog is an adult, you should treat him as if he was a small puppy who doesn't know the household rules," says Palika.

"Confine him to one smaller part of the house, and gradually build up his freedom over a period of months." There will be plenty of excitement at your home over the new arrival, especially if you have children. While everyone will be happy to have a new dog in the house, it's vital that children understand that they need to stay calm while the dog is getting adjusted to its new life. "Keep the excitement level down," says Kane. "Everyone in the home should be calm so the dog doesn't become frightened."

Working Toward Good Behavior
Dogs that have been living on the street often come with some emotional baggage. Your patience, love and understanding will help your new dog overcome many if not all of the following problems:

Fearfulness: It's understandable that a dog that's been living on its own would have some fears. Think about what your former stray's life must have been like. Every day, he had to rummage through garbage for food, eating whatever he could find. While he was struggling to find sustenance, he was probably yelled at and chased by people. He may have had a few near misses with cars or motorcycles too.

Given all this, you can see why many newly adopted strays are riddled with fear. Despite your kindness, you may notice that your new dog is nervous and jumpy. He needs time to understand that everything is okay now.
While you are helping him adjust to his new situation, be aware of some of the things that might frighten him. "Many dogs off the street are afraid of strange people and new situations," says Palika. "Waving arm motions often terrify them as well, especially if people have thrown rocks at them."
Loud noises often send newly adopted strays into a panic. "Loud sounds can be very scary for a former stray, especially if the dog had a close call with a car or motorcycle," says Palika. "One adopted stray I know of was terrified of car horns."

The best way to help the dog get over these fears is to remain calm and unaffected by the noise. As a pack animal, your dog will look to you for guidance in frightening situations. If you behave as if nothing is wrong, eventually, your dog will probably realize there is nothing to be afraid of. Trainers caution owners not to cuddle a dog after it shows fear since this will only reinforce the behavior. Instead, reassure your pet by acting as if everything is okay.

Fear of strangers is another common problem, and understandably so. Many dogs will express this fear by cowering in a submissive posture. Some will go so far as to bite if they feel threatened. If you new dog tries to bite strangers out of fear, it's important to contact a trainer who can work with the dog at building its confidence.

When you start taking your newly adopted dog out to the park or over to a relative's home, you may see him react with fear to the new situation. Former strays often lack confidence, and new surroundings can trigger anxiety. The more you take your dog into different situations, the sooner he will learn to adjust. It won't take too long before he realizes that you are not going to abandon him, and that he can enjoy much of what his new life has to offer.

Housesoiling: Not all former strays have problems with housesoiling. Those who were housetrained in their previous life will remember what they are supposed to do with just a few reminders. In the case of male dogs, neutering can help this situation further since it will decrease the dog's penchant for territorial urine marking.

In cases where it becomes apparent that the former stray has never been housebroken, you will need to start from scratch. Since housetraining an adult dog is more difficult than housetraining a puppy, you will have your work cut out for you.

The methods for housetraining an adult dog are the same as those for housetraining a puppy. Keep the dog confined in a small area (a crate is best if the dog will accept it, although you'll need to work on crate training first), and take it outside to eliminate as often as you can. The object is to keep the dog from soiling indoors in the hopes that eventually, he will catch on to what you want. You can encourage this by heaping a lot of praise on him when he does eliminate outdoors. It's important to never allow him the opportunity to relieve himself in the house, since doing so will only reinforce the bad behavior.

Escaping: Ironically enough, even though life on the streets was hard, many former strays have the continued urge to roam. They will leap over backyard fences, dig out from inside yards, and bolt through open gates. If your newly adopted dog exhibits some of these behaviors, it doesn't mean he's not happy with his life with you. It simply means he is in the habit of roaming, according to Palika. "In the dog's mind, he seems to be thinking 'I don't want to be confined,' or 'Hey, there's a fence. Let's go over it,'" she says. "It's a habit that is hard to break."

The best solution for dogs like this is to keep them in areas that are escape-proof. Covered kennel runs are one option. You can also amend your backyard fencing to include a ground trench filled with concrete at the base of the fence, for diggers. Or, use wire on the ground instead. Fasten wire fencing to the bottom of the fence and then attach it to the ground with anchors. Let the grass grow through it so you can't see it, but so the dog can't dig through it.

For jumpers and climbers, add a wire extension to the top of your existing fence. All you need is some inexpensive 24-inch wire fencing fastened to the top of the fence, bent inward so that it's over the dog's head.
The most important things you need to give your new dog in helping him to adjust to his new life is patience and love. "Give him a chance to bond with you," says Kane. "Be patient, and just love him. It's amazing how a dog who's been through so much can really come around."

Foster Homes
If you have a big heart and want to help hapless strays in need, you may want to consider becoming a foster home. Foster homes for dogs work as halfway houses of sorts, providing homeless dogs with a temporary place to live and adjust to a normal life while a permanent home is sought.

"When we screen for foster homes, we look for most of the same qualities we would seek in a permanent home," says Suzanne Kane, founder of H.A.R.T./Muttmatchers. "A fenced yard, veterinary references, someone home during the day. We also do a home check."

As a foster "parent," you'll be required to keep the dog until a home is found. If the dog is young, you'll be asked to do some basic training with it to teach it what it needs to know to live with a family. Foster homes are used by a variety of animal rescue groups throughout the country, many in leui of shelters. In the case of H.A.R.T./Muttmatchers, the organization has a shelter and a network of fosters homes.

A call to a local rescue group can start you on the road to becoming a foster home. "There are foster situations available for a variety of different situations," says Kane. "There are rescue groups for different breeds, different ages, and for different kinds of animals too. Whatever your preference is as a foster home, you can probably find something to your liking. And most groups are in desperate need of people willing to be foster homes."

Providing a foster home for a dog is a very rewarding experience, and one that really makes a different for the animal. "When you make the commitment to foster a dog, you must realize you might fall in love with the dog and want to keep it," says Kane. "Ninety percent of our foster homes do."

Copyright 1997 by Audrey Pavia. This article cannot be reprinted in any form without written permission from the author.