Why Age Doesn’t Matter in Dog Training

Dogs learn new tricks throughout their lives. They are always adjusting to new environments and situations. Other dogs and people come and go. Families move to new locations. New canine friends move in next door. Dog owners have changes in work schedules. Life is about change and dogs are highly adaptable.

Not all dogs adapt quickly, but those who receive training tend to do so faster and to understand their environment better. Any dog of any age can learn new behaviors and tricks. Moreover, they enjoy the process and interaction with their pet parents. Most dogs will do anything to earn treats or play.

Dogs Love a Routine

Dogs form habits and tend to fare better when on a fixed schedule. They tend to be more relaxed if they have a good understanding of what is going to happen and when. This means consistency in everyday life, from feeding times to relief times and the knowledge that they will receive daily training and exercise.

If you have adopted an older dog or never had time to work with your dog when it was younger, it is never too late to be consistent and begin obedience training. As bad behaviors are caused by a lack of training and boundaries, training is the best way to extinguish undesirable habits and create a lasting bond.

Mental Stimulation

Training simple commands is a great way to provide mental stimulation for senior and geriatric dogs, keeping their minds alert and responsive. This is important, for as dogs age, they can develop a condition called Canine Cognitive Dysfunction. It’s similar to human dementia in that their behavior patterns change, and they can become confused. Sometimes, they forget where they are or who they are causing unpredictable behavior.

Training older dogs’ new behaviors or refreshing old ones is not only fun for the dog but also helps them cope with these changes. A little training each day goes a long way toward helping your dog remain calm, have fun and be well behaved in all situations.

What is the Best Age to Start Training a Dog?

Dogs learn from the moment they are born. While instinct drives them, it’s through being rewarded for a specific behavior that teaches them. Therefore, you can begin training your dog from the moment they enter your life.

Professional dog breeders often start their puppy litters with learning how to do their potty training in a specific area, such as a large, low-sided box, filled with wood shavings or sawdust. They also begin handling the puppies shortly after birth, teaching them valuable skills such as relaxing when being examined.

Professional dog breeders who show their dogs will begin teaching 5-week-old puppies how to stack – stand still with front feet and back feet together. This helps the breeder decide which puppies should be prepared for exhibition or be sold as pets.

Some breeders will begin teaching puppies, who are being weaned from their mother’s milk, how to respond to the recall (come) cue or how to follow them. This begins their obedience training exercises, giving them a head start prior to joining the families who adopt them as it prevents bad habits from forming.

If you adopt your dog at 6 months or 6 years, training is highly beneficial and should be part of every dog’s daily routine. To be certain, however, every dog can learn at any age provided you approach the process in a positive manner.

Benefits of Training an Older Dog

Older dogs enjoy training as much as, or more so, than young dogs. As they have already been behaving in a specific manner for some time, you may want to employ the help of a professional dog trainer. Teaching basic commands to a dog who has no idea what they mean requires someone who can read the dog’s responses and guide them toward appropriate behavior on cue. It’s never too late to start training.

Training a mature or geriatric dog has advantages:

• Strengthens Your Bond: As you work with your dog you establish a deeper bond, and your dog learns to trust you.
• Improved Behavior: Training extinguishes inappropriate behavior patterns and establishes good behavior. For example, if you don’t appreciate your dog jumping on you, or your furniture, dog training teaches them to sit for attention instead of jumping up for it.
• Safety and Control: Dog training gives you better control of your dog in most situations, from crossing the street and meeting other people to learning how to behave when they meet other dogs. It is far better to have a dog who patiently sits at your side instead of pulling hard on the leash each time they see another dog or person.
  

  Steps to Successfully Train a Senior Dog

  Training an older dog or senior dog requires patience and consistency. You will have to overcome bad habits and change them into new, good habits through positive reinforcement. Do not be discouraged, however, it may be late to start training, but it is never too late to get rid of unwanted or destructive behaviors.

1. Start with Basic Commands

You should always begin with the basic foundational commands such as Heel, Sit, Stay and Come. Be sure to use clear verbal and visual cues. It is through the tone of your voice and body language that your dog will associate specific cues with a specific response.

2. Use Positive Reinforcement

Be sure to reward any behavior you want, even if it’s just a small part of the overall response you are looking for. Dogs will repeat rewarded behavior. Rewards can be praise, treats, toys or a good belly rub. As your dog learns small parts of a specific goal, such as staying for a brief time, praise as they perform and then reward when you are happy with their response. This keeps training fun for your dog.

3. Be Patient and Consistent

Dog Training requires lots of patience and consistency. Some dogs can take many repetitions to learn a new behavior, especially older dogs. If you become frustrated, consider enrolling in local classes. Sometimes, a professional perspective can be helpful in achieving dog training goals.

At all costs avoid punishment as it is not the fault of your adult dog. When a dog doesn’t respond to a cue it means they don’t understand. Break the command down to smaller portions and gradually create the behavior via positive steps.

4. Break Training into Short Sessions

Dogs tend to have short attention spans. Training can also be stressful, especially when your dog has no understanding of what you want. Keeping lessons short – at about 10-15 minutes, will help your dog learn without getting overly stressed. Be sure to also offer numerous short breaks along the way.

Where puppies tend to fare best with a five-minute training session between breaks, an older dog might be fine with 10 – 15-minute training sessions between breaks. Be sure your dog is allowed to do their own thing during those breaks, such as sniffing, playing with a toy or just getting some attention.

5. Address Specific Behavior Issues and Bad Habits

Old dogs, new tricks mean focusing on correcting behaviors as they occur. You should not ignore one incorrect behavior to attend to a different one. For example, you can teach your dog to not jump on you in the same day as you teach them to not pull on the leash or bark excessively.

You should be consistent with your criteria in every situation.

6. Engage in Regular Practice

Dogs of all ages, even older dogs require regular practice. You should set aside 15 minutes, or more, each day. Your older dog would greatly benefit from 2-3 short sessions throughout the day. If you have a puppy, you should do short 5-minute training sessions every couple hours each day.

To ensure your dog remains consistent in all situations, practice with them both in your yard and throughout the neighborhood. If your adult dog is error free at home, take them to new locations such as parks, pet stores or lumber stores.

Common Challenges When Training an Adult Dog

As adult dogs have behaved in a specific manner for a long period of time it will require lots of patience throughout the training process. Being late to train does not mean it cannot be done. It merely means that you will need to be more persistent and patient.

Behavioral Issues

Many adult dogs end up in shelters due to behavior problems such as destructive chewing, lack of house training skills or stealing food from counter tops. Training an older dog has many challenges, but they can be overcome.

You will need to be observant and redirect your dog when they attempt any inappropriate behaviors. For example, should your dog sniff at the counter, cue them to come and sit. Then get them involved in a tug or fetch game. This will offer a positive outlet that is associated with controlled rewards.

Should your dog engage in leash pulling, be sure to work on heeling exercises. Redirection is the best means of teaching a proper heel. When you are walking with your dog and their ears prick forward at something of interest, quickly turn in the opposite direction. The moment your dog focuses on you, praise and reward.

Socialization Issues

Early socialization is very important. It helps dogs navigate their world and reduce any chances of building anxiety. Old dogs, however, may not have been given this opportunity. Some can become fearful or anxious when placed in a new situation or environment.

An adult dog who has not received socialization opportunities may not know how to play with other dogs properly. A small disagreement could easily turn into an aggressive confrontation.

Socialization training should be done in small increments with adult and senior dogs. Always begin with training in a quiet environment. When your dog has achieved a high response rate, move to a slightly less quiet environment. Continue to increase the distractions as your dog achieves a high reliability rate. When they are able to quickly respond to your cues, allow them some freedom to interact with other dogs.

Training Anxiety

Some dogs can become anxious or fearful when experiencing new situations such as training sessions. These dogs require for you to take small steps and gradually build their skills as they develop confidence and trust.

If your dog does a lot of yawning or doesn’t want to focus on you, this is a sign that they are stressed. A better approach might be a learning game instead of strict obedience protocols. Learning games are often used when training puppies. One example is Round Robin. You and other family members take turns calling your dog to come. Your dog will enjoy running from person to person and receiving treats. This can turn into a great recall response as your dog will enjoy the process.