Q&A for How to Gain a Dog's Trust

This depends on the dog's character and their previous experiences. Some seem to settle in days, whereas for others, it's weeks. Help things along by restricting access to the whole house, and have the dog live in 2 or 3 rooms only. This way, he becomes familiar with those few rooms which builds his confidence and helps him feel at home more quickly.

Try and stick with the routine for feeding and walking that the dog was previously used to. It's good to limit him to just 2 or 3 rooms at first, so he becomes familiar with these. Letting him run around the whole house can be intimidating or unsettling, depending on the dog's temperament. Be sure to praise him when he shows relaxed behavior. For example, when he sits quietly in his bed, make a point of fussing and praising him.

Act calmly and quietly around the dog. Avoid staring him directly in the eye, as this can be perceived as aggressive to the dog. It sounds odd, but avoid fussing and petting the scared dog, as this rewards his fear and can reinforce it. Instead, act normal so that he reads in your body language that there's nothing to worry about. It may help diffuse a scary situation, to use commands such as "Look" (to focus on you, rather than the scary thing) or "Sit." This helps the dog concentrate on you instead of what's frightening him.

Routine and predictability are important ways to make a dog feel secure and therefore happy. Feed and walk at set times, and be sure to lavish him with praise when he's a good boy. Training using reward-based methods really helps. Knowing you are in charge adds to the dog's sense of security and the one-to-one time spent training helps him to bond. Also, regularly play with the dog and teach him tricks, which again provide valuable mental stimulation to keep him happy.

To successfully bond with a dog, you have to be both friendly and authoritative. You need to show the dog that you can protect it and won't harm it, but you also need to make sure it understands you're the leader.

Just take it slow. Introduce each member of the family one at a time, saving the other dog for last. If he feels uncomfortable near another dog, first have them be together for 5 minutes, then increase the time until the two dogs are getting along better. Also remind young children to be gentle, and always remember to treat the dog with a gentle and firm hand.

Figure out how long it takes his body to process his food and drink, or when you notice that your dog is about to go potty, take them to where you want them to do their business and make them sit there until they're done. Make sure to only congratulate them when they go potty in the right spot.

Bring plenty of dog treats with you. Don't make eye contact with the dog, but don't look away (focus on the tip of her ear or shoulder. This shows her you aren't threatening her but you are also not showing weakness). Offer a treat. If she won't take it, throw one on the floor for her. Continue to say her name in a calm, firm voice. Repeat with the treats until she lets you approach her. Ask her to sit before you put the leash on her.

The easiest way is to hang a bell on the door. A cheap jingle bell like the kind you hang on a Christmas tree will work fine. Every time you take the dog outside to potty, ring the bell with your hand. The dog will learn that you ring the bell before going out so when the dog needs to go out, it will ring the bell. (However, it may also learn to ring the bell if it wants to go out for other reasons, like if there is an animal outside it wants to chase!)

Don't pet someone else's dog without the owner's permission. That is rude and could get you in trouble for trespassing onto their property.

Give it lots of love and some toys. Regularly play with your dog, and take it for walks around the neighborhood to get it familiar with its new surroundings.

Gently pull the leash back so that your dog feels your resistance (gently - do not choke or be aggressive toward him) and say calmly but firmly, "No, we're going this way" and continue walking on. Praise him when he listens to you, and reinforce your firmness on telling him no if he continues to resist. With time and patience, he should learn to be less insistent on tugging against your lead.

Try socializing him with other dogs. Over time he will learn that other dogs aren't a threat and will learn to trust them. Also, try using a friend's dog and pet them before they meet; that way, the dog knows that it can trust the other dog because you did too.