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Unfortunately, there are too many cases of animal abuse that leave great consequences for them. Mistreated dogs are often abandoned or taken out of their hell with a complaint and need, more urgently than others, find a new family that gives them the love and affection they need to recover and be happy.
When adopting an abused animal, we must first focus on regaining its self-esteem and eliminating its fears, and once we have it, start with training and ordering.
It is normal for people not to know how to get rid of the fear of a mistreated dog, lose patience and abandon it again, and this affects even more the animal's self-esteem and spirit. In view of this, it is necessary to know that when welcoming a mistreated dog it takes a lot of patience and dedication to help it, but the reward when it is achieved is extraordinary, as well as the bond that is created between the animal and the owner. If you have decided to adopt an animal that has gone through traumatic experiences, continue reading this article by PeritoAnimal where we will give you some advice on how to take the fear out of an abused dog.
Symptoms of a Mistreated Dog
It is important, first of all, to know how to recognize the symptoms in order to know how to remove the fear of an abused dog and be able to educate it. The most characteristic symptoms are the following:
- He is excessively suspicious of people, when someone gets too close, he runs away to hide or shows his teeth as a warning sign.
- It usually has its tail between its paws.
- May have socialization problems with other dogs.
- He is very apathetic, does not want to play or do any physical exercise.
- He almost never gets up from his bed.
- You get very scared when you see certain everyday objects, like a mop, a newspaper or a bottle. This may be because you may have been hurt at one time with such objects.
- Usually hides.
- He suffers from great anxiety whenever he is alone.
raise a battered dog
If you follow these advices, little by little the dog will regaining confidence and getting rid of your fears until you can be a happy animal:
- Before the animal arrives at home, it must arrange its own space to feel safer in a specific place. It should be a quiet place, away from the busiest areas of the house.
- Always use a soft tone of voice that conveys confidence. Never hit him or make any sudden movements, this will scare him.
- Under any circumstances yell at him, it will only reinforce your fears and it will be like taking a step back.
- Smile every time you talk to him and give him affection and tranquility, the puppies understand non-verbal language and this will make them gradually gain confidence.
- Go to him with smooth movements and lenses so as not to scare him.
- Don't make him do anything he doesn't want to do, if you see him very scared at some point let him stay in his own space to calm down.
- Reward good behavior with cookies and petting. She's a dog with low self-esteem and scolding her will only make her never recover, so it's important to practice positive reinforcement.
- Take long walks to relax and release endorphins, the hormones responsible for happiness. It is preferable to do it with a long collar to feel free. If you let go, you should do it in a closed place, because being so fearful it is possible that they will try to run away if something scares them.
- It is important that you have a very defined daily routine. Walk him around and always feed him at the same time.
What to do if you can't get rid of the fear
First of all, don't lose hope and don't abandon it, remember that it's a dog that has gone through bad experiences and abandoning it will only make it worse. Need understanding, patience and a lot of affection. If you feel the situation is too big for you and you don't feel able to train, you should consult a canine specialist who knows how to relieve the fears of an abused dog. The ethologist is, without a doubt, the best professional for this.
It can be a long way, but with perseverance and support, you will be able to recover the dog's confidence, which will thank you for a lifetime. The bond you will create with him will be unbreakable and you will have the satisfaction of having made your friend happy.
If you have witnessed any kind of mistreatment of an animal, of any kind, you can and should report it. Read our article on how to report animal abuse.
