Getting a dog to pay attention

[jtsummie]

My wife and I just adopted a pit bull mix on Friday, on Sat she was spaid. Today is Tuesday and she was running around in the back yard seeming like nothing happed. I was wondering how long it usually takes for a dog to get used to their new homes. I'm trying to start training but she is sniffing everything! O ya they thought she was 5 or 6 months old.

Thanks

 

[snooks]

Contgratulations on your new pup and great for you adopting a dog. :dogtongue2::dogbiggrin::dogrolleyes:

A lot of people esp ones that foster or adopt call the first 6-8 weeks the honeymoon period. You will start to see more of her natural behaviors after a few weeks when she feels a little more comfortable with this being home etc. this is also a perfect time to pick up on those little things she does that u may not like and gently redirect them to things you do. like barking at the neighbors might turn into leave it and come for a treat. etc.

Don't let her run around too much too fast after surgery tho. Check with the vet on her activity level. I had to leash walk my girl to go potty for a couple of weeks. No running.

 

[tigerlily46514]

CONGRADULATIONS!!
I agree with Snooks, it DOES take many weeks til you really 'meet' the dog you have. Mine is still blossoming open to us. Probably took him two months to really adjust, but we THOUGHT he had adjusted at 1 month. But on 2nd month, looking back, we could see he was still not 100%.
One thing you might wanna teach right off, is "Look at me". I can't recall who taught me how to teach this, but what i did was this.
I said "Look at me", and when Buddy did look at my face, i clicked the clicker and gave him a treat and praise, which my Buddy can never get enough of.

Is pretty easy trick...AND it Comes in handy further on down the road!:msngrin:

Yeah, you do probably wanna keep your dog's activity down so everything heals up nicely, check with your vet. But a puppy, how fun!! This is a great board, stick around, you'll need us with a new puppy!!!:msngiggle:

 

[tigerlily46514]

Also, be sure you don't loose you new dog, she might not know you are indeed her pack now, and, she might not yet know her way home if she gets under your fence. We watched our Buddy at all times for first month or two, to be sure he didn't get away.
Actually, we leashed him for all potties at first, to teach him where WE wanted him to go. (Our old dog loved to poo all around our bonfire pit....made sitting around it not as much fun!! bah haha!) We are so glad that this dog, Buddy, has an out of the way spot that is 'his'!!
I think this is something you gotta do right off the bat. (showing her where YOU want her to 'go') I dont' know if you can retrain a dog to another area if your new dog picks a spot you don't care for...

 

[tx_cowgirl]

Also, the best way to get your dog to pay attention to you is simple...make yourself attention-worthy! Talk in a high-pitched, happy voice(not all the time, but just to gain her attention), squeak squeakers, be annoying and active and excited. If you're just standing there saying, "Sadie, Sadie, Sadie, Saaaadddiiie," trying to get attention, she just learns to tune you out and ignore you entirely. Run away from her, squeak squeakers, entice her to run after you...make yourself exciting! If you're not more exciting than whatever it is she's paying attention to, then she's never going to pay attention to you. This is one of the reasons why many first-time trainers have trouble teaching a reliable recall. There is NOTHING exciting about a monotone, "Fido, come." So why come to you? You have to be silly and fun and ATTENTION WORTHY and make yourself fun to be around. Your dog needs to learn that YOU are THE MOST EXCITING THING IN THE WORLD. Meaning that you are more exciting than the tennis ball being tossed to that other dog, you're more exciting than the other dog getting the tennis ball, you're more exciting than the car driving by, etc....this is the key to getting your dog to listen to you in all environments and scenarios. Good luck!