Adopting a pet from the animal shelter is a great way to show you care for other living beings on this planet. By doing that, you are basically saving a life from the possibilities of becoming a subject of euthanasia and providing him a place he can call his own.

Of course, when it comes to choosing from all the rescue animals in a shelter, a dog always makes a very good choice. Well, there’s plenty of reasons for that. Sad to say, we can’t mention them all here. But if you are confident about bringing home a pooch, there’s no stopping you. Just make sure you understand how it’s like to train them the simplest commands.

First Things First – Some Things to Consider

It is important to get as much information as you can about dogs so that you will have an idea on how you are going to introduce him to the entire family and what sort of basic trainings are suited for him.

And the Training Begins!

After deciding to adopt a pet, its training starts as soon as you bring him home.

1. Don’t let your dog run loose in the house.

As you bring your new companion home, always bare in mind that the whole place is completely an alien territory, overwhelming him. To make sure he doesn’t get scared, lead him the way to his new home.

2. Introduce places one at a time.

Introduce your dog to his new home one room at a time. There’s no need to rush things.

3. Learn the basic obedience training.

Start teaching your dog the four basic obedience commands—come, stay, sit and down, although, your dog may already know all these. A good example of doing this training is when you feed your dog. The food would be his reward!

4. Lead him. Do not let him lead you.

Dogs come in packs and every pack normally has a leader. Pack leaders do not go to their followers; it’s the other way around. So here’s the trick. When introducing him to the other human members of the family, give him time to smell and familiarize each human’s scent. Wait until he becomes comfortable and starts coming to them. If that happens, that’s the time when everyone can show his affection and play with the new member of the family.

5. Try crate training.

A dog cage should only be used to give a dog a sense of security, not as a place of torture. To make this training successful, it is recommended to crate train your dogs during the day and while you are home instead of doing it when you are not around. Dogs have to understand that they may only be in their crate for five minutes or even less if they stay good and well behaved. Once your dog has gotten used to it, you won’t have any trouble tagging them along wherever you go as you can just put him inside the crate.

A Piece of Advice

If needed, do not hesitate to consult a certified animal behaviour specialist, especially if your dog shows troubling behaviour you can’t manage on your own.

Author: Jordan Walker

Jordan is the lead content curator for Coops and Cages as well as a couple of other pet-related blogs. His passion for animals is only matched by his love for 'attempting' to play the guitar. You can catch him on Google+ or Twitter: @CoopsAndCages