Effective use of Space
You can use space to help a shy or feral dog become less fearful around people. To increase the dog’s opportunities for positive experiences with people:
In the above situations:
One of the main questions I get is, “How hard is it to rehabilitate stray dogs and feral dogs? ”First, it is important to define “feral.” I have heard the words “stray” and “feral” used interchangeably, but let me be clear, there is a big difference between the two terms.
There are thousands of strays with the inability to care for themselves. This is because these dogs have had to depend on humans at some point in their lives. Strays have at one point had contact or some socialization with humans and other dogs. Whether or not these dogs trust humans depends on the interaction they had with humans before they became stray. Strays may have been raised with humans for months or even years and may have become stray due to natural disaster, neglect, and abandonment by their humans, becoming lost, or any other reason. Many will try to adapt to their environment but in reality, their lives are much shorter than a feral dog only because they do not have the survival skills that feral dogs have.
The United States has a much smaller feral dog population, however, they do exist. These feral dogs are often born in the “wild” and have never had human contact. Feral dogs do not typically live as long as their domesticated counterparts, however, they also do not necessarily lead unfulfilled lives. This is because they live as any other wild creature, and do not know the life of a domesticated pet dog. I know it is difficult to look at a dog as you would a deer, fox or even a bear, but that is the mentality a feral dog has. A truly feral dog should be approached with caution.
A feral animal is one that is untamed or wild. Think of a feral dog as one that was born in the wild, not unlike a wolf or a bear. Feral dogs have never had contact with humans, or if they have, they have learned that humans are just a part of their environment. They do not depend on humans and have no need for them as they have learned to become self-sufficient and adaptive to our world, not unlike other wild animals. Even if humans do provide their food source, they do not make the association as they see a person’s porch, yard, a bowl of food placed out, or trash can as just another part of their environment.
Many strays also have a lack of socialization with other dogs and may have poor dog language skills that would allow them to join a feral pack especially bait dogs. Strays are typically more fearful than feral dogs and are more likely to show symptoms of fear such as snapping, biting, and avoidance. Some strays have a different mentality when it comes to humans. They have jumped in people’s cars, eagerly approached any human, or even decided that your yard is their new area. Their behavioral issues depend on their previous experiences. As soon as these dogs are introduced to their new foster or adopted home, training must take place to build a trustworthy relationship between a stray dog and humans.
The primary feature that distinguishes feral from domestic dogs is the degree of reliance or dependence on humans, and in some respect, their behavior toward people. Feral dogs survive and reproduce independently of human intervention or assistance. While it is true that some feral dogs use human garbage for food, others acquire their primary subsistence by hunting and scavenging like other wild canids.
In appearance, most feral dogs (Fig. 1) are difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish from domestic dogs. Like domestic dogs, feral dogs (sometimes referred to as wild or free-ranging dogs) manifest themselves in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and even breeds. McKnight (1964) noted German shepherds, Doberman pinschers, and collies as breeds that often become feral. Most feral dogs today are descendants of domestic dogs gone wild, and they often appear similar to dog breeds that are locally common.
Hybridization between feral dogs and other wild canids can occur, but non-synchronous estrus periods and pack behavior (that is, excluding nonresident canids from membership in the pack) may preclude much interbreeding. Dens may be burrows dug in the ground or sheltered spots under abandoned buildings or farm machinery. Feral dogs commonly use former fox or coyote dens.
Nesbitt (1975) commented on the rigid social organization of a pack of feral dogs where nonresident dogs were excluded, including females in estrus. In one instance, Nesbitt used three separate female dogs in estrus as bait (dogs were chained in the back of a corral-type trap) over a 59-day period and captured no feral dogs. He then baited the same trap with carrion, and a pack of feral dogs, including four adult males, entered the trap within 1 week.
Gipson (1983) suggested that family groups of feral dogs are more highly organized than previously believed. Pup rearing may be shared by several members of a pack. Survival of pups born during autumn and winter has been documented, even in areas with harsh winter weather. Gipson found that only one female in a pack of feral dogs studied in Alaska gave birth during two years of study, even though other adult females were present in the pack. The breeding female gave birth during late September or early October during both years. It is noteworthy that all pups from both litters had similar color markings, suggesting that the pups had the same father. Adult males of different colors were present in the pack.