Homeless Dogs: A National Epidemic
We all know that shelters are full to the brim with unwanted dogs and cats, but it might surprise you to note just how big of a problem we have in the United States. According to the Humane Society of the United States, there are more than 70 million stray animals in our country and about eight million are placed in shelters.
Dog adoption rates are on the rise, but despite people's interest in taking in rescue dogs, there are just too many pets in need and the shelters are overwhelmed with residents. Unfortunately this means that millions of dogs must be euthanized simply because there is no place to keep them. Each day, 5,000 dogs in shelters are put to sleep. Another problem with these stray animals is that fewer than 10% arrive in shelters spayed or neutered, which means that these animals continue to add to the problem of homeless pets.
To lessen the impact on our shelters, some communities are making strict laws regarding the sterilization of dogs and cats. Los Angeles County, for example, requires that the majority of cats and dogs be neutered or spayed by the time they are four months of age. Some breeders, people with show dogs and those with guide dogs might be excepted from these rules, but for most animal owners, the law requires sterilization. More than half of the states in America also require that all animals adopted from a shelter or rescue operation be sterilized in order to be freed up for adoption.
While the recent economic downturn certainly has affected many families and made them unable to care for their pets, it's not the main reason why pets are abandoned. One of the biggest reasons why animals are abandoned or surrendered to shelters is because the animal has behavioral problems. Obviously, behavior issues are a huge inconvenience for families, but most behavior issues can be corrected easily and quickly with proper training.
Obedience training should be on your mind before you ever even go shopping for a dog. You might think that this can be avoided or simply takes too much time, but can you really afford not to take the time to properly train a dog? Untrained dogs can exhibit annoying behavior such as running away, scratching on furniture and doors, jumping on houseguests, barking excessively and chewing up our belongings. All of these behaviors can be eliminated with a few weeks of dog training. In addition, you can teach your dog all the important obedience skills fairly quickly and easily.
Keep in mind that your dog will be happier and more secure if you teach them how to behave and they love to make their owners happy, so they are enthusiastic learners. A dog obedience training program such as The Dog's Way makes it easy for your to train your dog at home, you don't even have to attend a class or leave your yard. This is a set of five DVDs that includes 12 dog training lessons that will teach your dog the proper way to behave in a variety of situations. While it won't happen overnight, with enthusiasm and patience, it won't take long to have your dog trained for a lifetime.
Dog adoption rates are on the rise, but despite people's interest in taking in rescue dogs, there are just too many pets in need and the shelters are overwhelmed with residents. Unfortunately this means that millions of dogs must be euthanized simply because there is no place to keep them. Each day, 5,000 dogs in shelters are put to sleep. Another problem with these stray animals is that fewer than 10% arrive in shelters spayed or neutered, which means that these animals continue to add to the problem of homeless pets.
To lessen the impact on our shelters, some communities are making strict laws regarding the sterilization of dogs and cats. Los Angeles County, for example, requires that the majority of cats and dogs be neutered or spayed by the time they are four months of age. Some breeders, people with show dogs and those with guide dogs might be excepted from these rules, but for most animal owners, the law requires sterilization. More than half of the states in America also require that all animals adopted from a shelter or rescue operation be sterilized in order to be freed up for adoption.
While the recent economic downturn certainly has affected many families and made them unable to care for their pets, it's not the main reason why pets are abandoned. One of the biggest reasons why animals are abandoned or surrendered to shelters is because the animal has behavioral problems. Obviously, behavior issues are a huge inconvenience for families, but most behavior issues can be corrected easily and quickly with proper training.
Obedience training should be on your mind before you ever even go shopping for a dog. You might think that this can be avoided or simply takes too much time, but can you really afford not to take the time to properly train a dog? Untrained dogs can exhibit annoying behavior such as running away, scratching on furniture and doors, jumping on houseguests, barking excessively and chewing up our belongings. All of these behaviors can be eliminated with a few weeks of dog training. In addition, you can teach your dog all the important obedience skills fairly quickly and easily.
Keep in mind that your dog will be happier and more secure if you teach them how to behave and they love to make their owners happy, so they are enthusiastic learners. A dog obedience training program such as The Dog's Way makes it easy for your to train your dog at home, you don't even have to attend a class or leave your yard. This is a set of five DVDs that includes 12 dog training lessons that will teach your dog the proper way to behave in a variety of situations. While it won't happen overnight, with enthusiasm and patience, it won't take long to have your dog trained for a lifetime.
About the Author:
Garrett McMahan loves watching dog shows. To get more information about how to train a dog on a leash, or to find other dog training videos like obedience training DVD online, please check out the TheDogsWay.com website today.
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