resuced Border Collie mix

Question
HI Sandy,  My husband and I have just adopted a border collie mix that was rescued from an abusive home.  Right now, Gilligan seems good, well adjusted, but does not listen to any commands.  He's three years old and somewhat underweight, which I am working on.  He was just spayed last week.  From what the APL said, he was retrieved from the home, then given an overall health check; was vaccinated and is up to date and neutered.  He's bony and mangy right now.  I am taking him for grooming today and he has a vet check on Tuesday.  We have two cats, which seem to have accepted him since we got him last Sunday.  My 19 year old son lives here too.  We come and go, so there is often someone home.  We've taken him out for a daily walk. He has pooped in the house twice and seems more interested in playing when we take him out.  This is my first dog and I wonder if you can give me some overall advice.

Answer
He probably doesn't listen to commands because he doesn't know them. You need to start training. I'd go with positive techniques. Clicker training (www.clickertraining.com) is very effective. While you are getting him healthy, start working on some basic cues (sit, down, come) at home, and research various trainers in your area. You want someone who doesn't use punative techniques, as it sounds like he's already had that in his life. For house training, I'd supervise carefully. Use baby gates and close doors so he can't be out of sight. Even tether him to you. Is he crate trained? If so, I'd take him out as soon as he is out of the crate. Give him 5 minutes (you are out watching him) and if he doesn't potty put him back up for five minutes and try again. Of course, he's only going to need to poop a couple of times a day, so it's good to feed regular meals (don't leave the dish down) and keep a journal of his habits so you know when he needs to. In the house if you see him start to sniff and circle, get him outside fast. And when you can't supervise he should be somewhere he can't get in trouble. Good luck with him. Overall he sounds like a great dog. Sandy Case MEd CPDT www.positivelycanine.com