| v> | | | | dog to the vet and have him examine it, for |
| Stray dogs are hard working as they have spent | | | | contagious diseases are a big risk in the strays |
| a large part of their lives struggling for food and | | | | though there is nothing much to worry about, as |
| life. They are grateful for the security and | | | | they can be easily treated. |
| nourishment you provide and are ready to show | | | | Once you are through with the medical |
| that it was all worth it. However, before taking a | | | | examination of the pet, it is time to train him a |
| stray dog home you need to do a few things in | | | | little because having spent most of his life |
| advance. | | | | scavenging, he would still try to find food in the |
| Giving home to a homeless is among the most | | | | dustbin. Gently tell him No if that doesn't work, |
| noble things, a man is capable of doing. A stray | | | | say a firm No! |
| dog who scavenges to eat and lives at the | | | | That should work. After telling him not to look for |
| crumbs thrown by others is not a pretty sight for | | | | food in the dustbin take him to his meal bowl, put |
| most of us, and that's the reason why most of | | | | some food in it and let him eat so that he gets |
| us have entertained the thought of bringing a | | | | the message as to where he would find food in |
| stray dog home at some point of time in our | | | | the house. |
| lives. | | | | Make them associate right. For instance, if he is |
| However, most of the time we did not act upon | | | | being punished, he should be able to associate it |
| the thought because we thought it would be too | | | | with the fault. You come back home and find |
| difficult to train a grown up stray dog for these | | | | your pillow chewed upon, the dog gets punished. |
| two reasons-- his being grown up and his being a | | | | He'll chew it again and would hide when you come |
| stray dog. We were wrong on both counts. Old | | | | back. He fears punishment but has not been able |
| dogs are not less capable of learning than puppies | | | | to associate it with the mistake. He associates it |
| and can learn even faster having seen a lot of life | | | | with your coming back home and not with his |
| already. | | | | chewing the pillow. Show him the pillow, tell him |
| Stray dogs are hard working as they have spent | | | | not to do it again and if he does it again, punish. |
| a large part of their lives struggling for food and | | | | It may be a little difficult at first but the dog |
| life. They are grateful for the security and | | | | would eventually learn "to learn." No matter how |
| nourishment you provide and are ready to show | | | | bothersome be the initial roadblocks, nothing |
| that it was all worth it. | | | | diminishes the satisfaction of having a saved a |
| There are, however, a few things that you must | | | | creature from a life of torture, misery and |
| do before taking a stray dog as a pet. Take the | | | | endless struggle. |