The popular saying ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks’ is simply a myth. My ten year old Golden Retriever greets each day mentally alert and eager to ‘play’ in new found ways. That is more than proof that it’s possible to teach an old dog a new trick. Dogs exhibit a strong hold on old habits. Therefore, the first step in teaching new tricks is going through the process of un-learning the old ones. This requires a great deal of patience and persistence on the trainer’s part.
The next step is taking a dog’s age into consideration. An older dog will tire more easily and lose interest in the task at hand. The will to run, jump and fetch will still be there, an older dog just won’t know quite how to follow through on that. Take these physical limitations into account.
Shorter time training sessions will net bigger results. Obstacle courses should be kept to a shorter distance. Throw a ball three or four times then move on. When an older dog is facing away from you, it is often not bad behavior but common hearing loss.
Schedule longer periods of recovery time with an older dog. There is no physical limitations knowledge present. The older dog will simply keep going long after it has become safe to do so. Overdoing physical activity can lead to stretched ligaments and open the way for injuries.
Refrain from the urge to reward an older dog with treats. It leads to ‘over-treating’ which causes weight gain in older dogs that is often hard to shed.
Consistency is still essential, even with older dogs. Scheduled play time that begins and ends about the same time each day. Specific ‘play’ areas will help an older dog adjust to training as well. They are adaptable to familiar environments.
My Goldens have been trained to play fetch in the backyard but never the forest. The tennis ball fetch behavior can be expanded to include the forest when it comes to retrieving fallen deer antlers.
One of the most natural dog behaviors can be re-directed to a more positive area. The behavior of digging can not be extinguished entirely.
If a forest is not present in the backyard, a perfect digging area can be created. Simply make a ten-by-twelve foot penned in area and let the dog dig to its hearts content. This will allow the dog its primal urge to dig but control where it takes place. The area gets ‘marked’ by scent and ground composition. This is something that even older dogs can learn and appreciate.
Teaching new tricks should build on an older dog existing strengths. It is ineffective to teach or enforce new ones. One can be excellent in fetch while another wants to hang on to a ball as long as possible. Instead of forcing a behavior can lead to frustration on the part of the dog and the trainer. With a dog that is unwilling to let go of the ball, another training trick can be pulling a wagon by the string. ‘Fetch and release’ can also teach a new trick of getting the food container. This comes in handy with a trainer getting older as well!
You should also research the many types of dog training supplies available, they can make your dog training much easier and faster.
Larry Volwiler
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/training-an-older-dog-744328.html
How to do dog potty training older dogs?
i have a 3 year old dog and he makes my house his bathroom, can I still train him how to pee and poop outside my house. Is there any good book that you can recommend?
The same way you would a puppy. Be persistant, consistant and patient. Take him out every 30 min and praise praise and praise when he goes outside. Supervise him at all times so you get to know the signs he’ll give you when he has to go pee.
"Secrets to Dog Training!", by Dog Trainer Expert "Daniel Stevens". It’s a terrific book on how to train dog.
http://kingdom-of-dog.blogspot.com/
References :
I’d start training just the way you would with a puppy. Have you heard of crate training? If you dont have a crate its ok too, you can do it this way. You need to get your feeding and watering schedule down, and see at what times he goes potty after that. Dont let him have unlimited food because then he will be going all the time! Also, let him out/ walk him dozens of times a day and reward with praise or treats if he goes outside! It’s something you’ll need to devote time to since he has no training. Its all about a schedule and constant supervision. Watch for signs that he needs to go, like circling, whining, sniff the floor, walking by the door. Also, since you have a male dog try the sprays on your furniture so he would be repelled from lifting his leg and marking his territory. Im sure they are available at pet stores. If youre unable to be home during the day to watch or let him out, i would get a crate because dogs dont like to go where they sleep. and let him out right away after! or have a friend come over to let him out. Eventually, he’ll get it. My great dane took 3 months of constant walks before she learned that she should go outside. No she hasnt had an accident in over 2 months.
References :
My puppy Bella. And the helpful trainers at petsmart. (They offer potty training classes too!)