How to Rebuild Trust in Abused Dogs

Humans often mistreat animals daily, causing lasting physical and emotional damage. These animals need to be rescued from abuse and given a new, truly safe home. If it takes time to adopt any animal, consider adopting an abused dog. You must be extremely patient and attentive with dogs that have suffered abuse. Moreover, rebuilding trust with an abused dog can change both your life and the dog's.

Ensure the Dog Wears a Collar with Ownership Information. You should put a collar on the dog with its name on it. Make sure the collar fits comfortably around the dog's neck without causing any discomfort. Abused dogs may become scared or attempt to escape, so it is crucial to ensure the dog has identifying information in case it runs away.

Feed the Dog. Feed the dog its favorite meals regularly throughout the day. It is recommended to feed a dog twice daily.

• Ensure fresh water is available for the dog at all times.

Provide the Dog with Its Own Space. You can offer the dog a crate or a bed where it can rest comfortably. Additional pillows and blankets can be purchased at pet stores.

• The dog’s designated space should be a peaceful retreat for rest. If the dog feels overwhelmed or scared, return it to its safe space and allow it to be alone.
• You may introduce toys for the dog to play with on its own. Keep in mind that dogs may not like every toy you offer. Instead, they often pick a favorite and ignore the rest.

Name the Dog and Teach It to Respond to Its Name. Regularly call the dog by its name and avoid changing it. Changing a dog’s name may confuse it.

• Training the dog to respond to its name strengthens the bond between you and the dog. Use a cheerful and affectionate tone when calling the dog’s name to build emotional connection.

Give the Dog Treats During Training. You can try various treats to find the dog’s favorite. Reward the dog with treats when it behaves well, listens to commands, or performs tricks.

Pet the Dog Gently. Dogs that have been abused are often fearful and reluctant to let you touch them. You should extend your hand and gently stroke under the dog’s head, avoiding the head or tail. The dog will not sense any threat when you offer a calm, open hand.

• Make sure the dog sees you approaching before petting it. Sneaking up on a fearful dog will not help build trust and may lead the dog to bite out of fear.

Train and Play with the Dog. To build trust with an abused dog, it is important to play gently with the dog. After about a month, the dog may begin to trust you. You can engage in games like football, fetch, chase, or any activity the dog enjoys.

• The more walks you take with the dog, the more it will trust you.

Show Care Without Overdoing It. While it’s important to show care, the dog also needs its space. Spend time playing with the dog daily, but excessive attention can cause stress and make the dog lose trust. If the dog shows signs of anxiety from too much attention, give it some space to avoid overwhelming it.

Help the Dog Build Relationships with Others. Beyond you, the dog needs to build trust with other people and dogs. This can be difficult for dogs that have suffered significant abuse. Introduce the dog gradually to other people and dogs from a safe distance, allowing it to approach when comfortable. You can enlist a volunteer to pose as a stranger to help the dog socialize without scaring others.

• If you and the dog have developed a strong bond, you can bring another dog home for them to meet. Otherwise, simply take the dog on more walks to expose it to other dogs.
• Even if a dog has never been abused but is fearful of interactions, it may act as if it has been. Help these dogs establish relationships, even if they haven’t been abused before.

Reward the dog instead of punishing it. It is better to approach your dog with positivity rather than punishment, as dogs often associate actions with rewards more clearly than with consequences.

• Avoid hitting the dog. If you don't like what your dog is doing, simply calmly say "no" or "not allowed".

Use the opposite conditioning method. The opposite conditioning method is especially useful for dogs that have specific fears. This method encourages the dog to approach the feared object by offering a favorite toy or treat as a distraction.

• For example, if your dog is afraid of bicycles, you can place their favorite toy or a treat near the bike. Over time, as the dog is tricked, you can gradually reduce the distance between the toy or treat and the object it fears.

Teach the dog basic commands. Teaching your dog to follow commands may take some time, especially if the dog has been through mistreatment in the past. However, with enough trust built between you and the dog, it will eventually listen to you.

• Start with commands like "sit" and "come here". These simple commands lay the groundwork for more complex ones such as "stand on two feet", "lie down", and others.

Patience. You need to be patient with a dog that has experienced trauma from abuse. While you may set behavioral goals for the dog, do not be unrealistic in your expectations. The dog may have reasons not to trust you due to past mistreatment. Be patient, give the dog time, and consistently prove yourself trustworthy each day.

• We still don't know the exact number of dogs that are mistreated every day. However, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has developed a database to track abused animals, which will help provide us with more accurate information in the near future.

• Don't allow the dog to avoid everything. You need to ensure that the dog follows the rules you set. Of course, every owner wants their dog to love them, but the dog will love you for the long term if you establish some boundaries. A dog cannot behave perfectly right away. However, you can teach the dog not to destroy your belongings or hurt others.
• Initially, you should not give the dog too much freedom, as it might run away due to fear or anxiety about you.